Page 54 of The Desperate Warrior

“This is getting scary.” Jules pressed her lips together as she processed the information. “Did you call the police?”

“I did. They came, took a report, and even talked to the neighbors. Nobody saw a thing.”

Jules sat back, her mind spinning.

“There’s more.” She talked faster. “Dr. Caldwell told LouAnna that he’s been getting random calls where someone keeps hanging up. Dr. Caldwell said his wife is spooked.”

“With good reason,” Jules asserted.

Mindy nodded in agreement. “And then there’s your accident.”

She went stone still, a chill spilling through her chest.

Fear loomed large in Mindy’s eyes. “Do you think Steve Randall is the one who hit you?”

An image of her nightmare returned. She saw the man walking towards her, holding a gun. Then she remembered the awful feeling of helplessness as he came closer step after step. Her hand went up to clutch her neck. “Yes, I do.”

She was suddenly anxious to make an excuse so she could go outside to her car and tell Brock everything that she’d just learned.

Maybe she’d better text him first, give him a heads-up, and allow him time to think about it a little before she tried to talk to him.

Chapter 14

The workday was finally over, and Jules couldn’t have been more relieved. Even though she hadn’t done much more than data entry and light administrative tasks, her body ached from head to toe. Her pelvis hurt, her shoulder ached, her legs throbbed, and a pounding headache threatened to split her skull. All she wanted was to go home, kick off her shoes, put her feet up, and order takeout.

As she stepped out of the clinic into the afternoon sun, her phone rang. Fishing it from her purse, she smiled when she saw the name on the screen—Zoe. She’d been trying to call Zoe for a couple of days, but the time difference made it challenging to connect. “Hey,” Jules answered, already feeling her mood lift.

“Hey yourself,” Zoe chirped. “How are you doing, sis?”

“Oh, you know … surviving. I just finished my first day back at work, which I consider to be a huge win.”

“Congratulations,” Zoe exclaimed. “I’m proud of you, sis. I know things haven’t been easy.”

She took in a breath. “No, they haven’t.” Not wanting to have a pity party, she changed the subject. “How’s Ireland?” Longing for her sister tugged in her chest. It had been tough going through this emotional and physical rollercoaster without Zoe.

“Well, it’s certainly green,” Zoe said with a laugh. “A lot greener than Texas, that’s for sure. And hilly. Tippin’s in his element. Every time we see someone singing or performing on a street corner, he has to join in like he’s auditioning forRiverdance. You know how he is. Not happy unless he’s acting like a goober.”

A low chuckle circled Jules’s throat. “I do. He’s completely off-the-wall, but that’s why you love him.”

“I do,” Zoe chimed, and Jules could picture her grinning.

As she talked, Jules spotted Brock’s SUV at the far end of the parking lot. She gave him a terse wave of acknowledgment.Two could play the game of being detached.

He gave a curt nod and started his engine. The poor guy was probably bored out of his mind from having to sit and wait for her all day while she was at work. Kudos to him, though, he was determined to stay close by in case she needed him. At least in body. She was getting really tired of him giving her the cold shoulder. She’d gone out earlier and gave him a run-through of everything Mindy told her. The tight set of Brock’s jaw let her know that the situation was escalating.

“How’s everything else going?” Zoe’s voice crackled with curiosity.

Jules hesitated, biting her lip. There was so much she wanted to share—so much she needed to say—but she didn’t want to ruin Zoe’s honeymoon. This was supposed to be a blissful time for her sister, not one spent worrying over Jules’s spiraling life. “The recovery’s a little slower than I’d like, but I made it through the day without crutches. That’s something.”

“Well, that’s always a good sign,” Zoe said brightly. “How’s it going with Brock? I talked to Mom, and she said Dad bought the house across the street from you so that Brock and his brother could stay there and keep watch over you.”

A cackle escaped Jules’s mouth. “You know Dad. Now that he’s got you married off, he’s back to playing matchmaker with me and Brock. Thank goodness he didn’t buy the house for Brock.”

“Watch out, or Dad might break down and buy Brock a guitar,” Zoe joked. “Depends on how desperate he gets … to get you and Brock together.”

“Ha ha,” Jules said dryly. “Dad insists the house is an investment, and Brock and Luke are just staying there while they help keep me safe.”

“Uh-huh,” Zoe drawled, clearly skeptical. “That’s Dad’s story, and he’s sticking to it, huh?”

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