Page 99 of Echoes of You

My name cracked as it slipped from his lips. He raised his hands, hovering them over me as if he wanted to check for injuries but was too scared to touch me.

I closed the distance, leaning into him and pressing the uninjured side of my face into his chest. “I’m okay.”

“What happened?” he growled.

I instantly felt safer with Nash wrapped around me, a little less on edge. “I’m not totally sure.”

Lawson moved to his side, Holt, Caden, and Roan behind him. “Just tell us what youdoknow.”

“You let them by?” Grae hollered. “That is BS!” But the officer didn’t budge.

I straightened but kept a hold of Nash’s T-shirt, needing that connection to him. “I was inside with G and Wren. We were dancing, and I got hot, so I came out for some air. There were people smoking on the patio, so I walked down to the water.”

I could still see the pristine surface, but it was a little darker than before. Maybe it was because the moon had passed behind some clouds, or perhaps it was because of the night’s events. “I was just looking at the lake and heard a twig snap. I turned, but before I could see anything, someone hit me over the head with something.”

Nash’s muscles hardened to stone under my touch. He wrapped an arm around me, holding me closer.

“Then what happened?” Lawson prodded.

“Everything went black for a second, but then I heard someone yell.”

Clint inclined his head toward a couple speaking to another officer. “Tourists in from Seattle for a few days. The husband thought he saw a struggle and called out. Whoever hit Maddie took off.”

“Did they get a look at him?” Nash gritted out, his anger barely restrained.

Clint shook his head. “It was too dark, and whoever it was wore a hoodie.”

“What about size?” Lawson asked.

“Nothing concrete. They were too far away.” Clint held up an evidence bag with a piece of driftwood. “We think this is what they used to hit Maddie.”

Lawson’s gaze narrowed on the piece of wood. “Not planned, then. Crime of opportunity.”

Nash glared at the stick. “We need to put a rush on prints.”

Lawson nodded. “I’ll make a call.”

“I think it might be difficult,” Clint said. “The wood is wet. Bark peeling off. It’s gonna be tough to get anything.”

Nash cursed and then turned back to me. “Did you get anything? Just a glimpse? A sense of size or even a smell?”

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to remember anything that might be useful. But there was nothing. My eyes opened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t.”

One of the beacon lights passed over my eyes, and I winced.

“Cut the lights,” Nash barked.

Lawson looked at him in confusion.

“They’re hurting Maddie’s head,” he shot at his brother.

Lawson motioned to one of the other officers, and the lights turned off one by one.

Greg handed me the ice pack. “I think we need to take you to the hospital and get you checked out.”

“That’s a good idea,” Nash said. “I’ll ride with you.”

“No.” My hand tightened on Nash’s T-shirt. “No hospitals.Please.”

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