Page 34 of Preying Heart
ChapterTwelve
Remi
I hate that I freeze and can’t do anything. I always admired those people who can jump into a fray without thinking. I wonder what I’d do if I saw a car barreling toward my kid. Will I just stand there panicking and screaming? Or do I dash out there and push him out of the way?
Both Lucy and Heath are screaming at me.
“Do something, Blair. Drive the truck. Don’t just sit there.”
“I need some help here,” Heath shouts. “Get in Lucy’s car and follow me.”
“No, take my car to the police,” Lucy counters. “Can’t you see he’s committing a crime?”
Heath comes to the passenger seat where I’m rooted in place. He’s breathing hard from the struggle with Lucy, but he places his hand on my shoulder gently and leans in close to my ear. “She’s seen your face. She won’t forget. There’s a ten-thousand-dollar reward. We can’t let her go until she agrees to help you. Otherwise, she’ll blow all this up when she calls in for the reward or tells the entire town who you really are.”
I swallow the huge lump in my throat and nod. I wasn’t entirely convinced that going to the women’s shelter was a good idea.
“I’ll drive her car and follow you.” Obediently, and hating myself for what I’m about to do, I step from the pickup truck and take my position behind the wheel of Lucy’s sedan.
Even though it’s hot and she has no air conditioning, I roll up the windows to keep her screams from searing my conscience. It’s not that I trust Heath more than Lucy but the fact that Heath’s place is more protected. He’s armed and has an attack dog. Lucy doesn’t even lock her clinic properly. She has loose lips and she talks too much. There was no reason for her to call Heath by his real name except carelessness.
He introduced himself as Tristan, and that’s the name he’s known in town. The name on the envelope.
I’m amazed at all the twists and turns into the deep woods and then the crossing of a wooden bridge the leads to Heath’s property. It’s flanked on three sides by sheer rock walls, and the approach is cleared of trees so he can sight any intruders.
Glock doesn’t bark or make the tiniest sound when Heath carries a kicking and screaming Lucy over his shoulder and into his house. Then again, I don’t remember him reacting to me much either. He must be extremely well trained.
“You two are in big trouble,” she says. “I’m not cooperating with any of your schemes. I should never have helped you, Blair. What kind of woman are you to watch another woman get attacked and side with her attacker?”
“I didn’t attack you,” Heath growls. “As I recall, you jumped on my back. You scratched me and bit me.”
“Because I was saving Blair from you.”
“You were butting into her business and endangering her.”
“Where the heck did you pick her up anyway? I wasn’t aware of any missing woman fitting her description.”
“There’s a reason they don’t let you know everything. You talk too much.”
“And you’re too paranoid. You’re all secret agent and conspiracy theory.”
“You’re too careless. Did you even lock your clinic? And if you had your doors locked, I couldn’t have grabbed Blair.”
“I’m sure her name isn’t Blair at all. And who is she? Your Stepford wife?”
“She’s under my protection, and if she wasn’t pregnant, I wouldn’t have gotten you involved.”
“You haven’t paid me.”
“I will, if you’ll shut up.”
“No way, Heath.”
“I’m Tristan.”
“Ha, and I’m Dr. Cole.” She snarls at him like a wild woman.
“Will you at least be reasonable?” Heath plops her on the couch in the office. “Blair is under my protection and I can’t let you go until I can assure myself you won’t spill the beans.”
