Page 79 of Adam's Rising

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Adam steppedoutside the hospital just as the morning sun rose pale and gold over the Chugach Mountain Range.

He hadn’t slept more than a few minutes here and there. Every time Claire moved or anyone in the corridor, for that matter, Adam popped up, looking for danger.

Still, utter exhaustion hadn’t caught up to him yet. Not while adrenaline still churned through his system.

Peter sat on the tailgate of the F-100, sipping coffee from a paper cup. He held out another without a word.

“I hate coffee,” Adam said, but took it anyway. “But thanks. I need the caffeine.”

He sat beside him.

“How’s she doing?” Peter asked.

Adam blew out a breath. “Better. She’ll be okay.”

Peter nodded. “Damn, Adam. I was so scared, but you… I know how much you love Claire, and yet, you just reacted. No tears. No real anger. Just… action.”

He’d been angry, so angry that he slammed his fist into the barn siding. Thankfully, the wood had given, but it was still stupid. His hand still hurt. That injury could’ve compromised Claire’s rescue.

Adam looked sideways at him. “Freaking out never helps, does it?”

“I guess not.” Peter shrugged. “I just don’t know how you do it. Like the night we left home… You just, reacted, while I got angry. I swung at Thomas. The last memory I have is trying to hit —”

“You were dragged outta bed, Peter. Half-asleep.” Adam slid an arm around him. “You got the truck outta the ditch.”

“Yeah, I remembered Dad doing that.”

Peter was learning. That was all Adam could ask.

Adam took a sip of the coffee. Bitter. Hot. Yuck. But coffee was something people acquired a taste for. Like beer. He couldn’t see eating or drinking something you didn’t like, hoping you’d get accustomed to it. But at least coffee had benefits. He’d never want to drink enough beer to get used to it.

A deputy car pulled up alongside them, tires crunching gravel. Sheriff Walt Wheelan stepped out, his expression unreadable.

“Can we talk?” Wheelan asked.

Adam hopped off the tailgate. “We still don’t know who all was involved. But I can tell you what Claire just told me. She’s out right now.”

Wheelan raised a brow. “Last I heard, everyone involved wore masks.”

Adam glanced at Peter, then stepped farther from the truck, motioning the sheriff around his patrol vehicle. “Claire said Lala was there,” he whispered.

“In the cabin? Did they hurt her, too?”

Adam bit his lip. “She doesn’t think so. She didn’t hear Lala scream.” Just Claire saying that made him realize that meantshehad screamed. “Claire recognized her perfume. Charlie, I think she said.”

“Charlie perfume?” Wheelan scoffed. “Can’t turn on the tube without seeing that commercial. I’m sorry, son, but that ain’t gonna fly. Besides, didn’t you say Lala was with Boyd.”

Adam nodded. “Speaking of Boyd, I forgot to mention something else he said.”

Wheelan made a face. “When you were choking him, you mean? You know a confession under duress is inadmissible, don’cha?”

Adam shrugged. “Who saidIchoked him?”

Wheelan curbed his grin. “What did Boyd tell you when he was drunker than a skunk?”

“He swore he didn’t know anyone’s name, but he saidThe Snake, like it was someone’s name.”

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