Page 71 of Riptide
Then the Mercedes engine roared.
The headlights swung toward her.
And Gabe's world had narrowed to a single, horrifying image—Cara diving sideways as two tons of metal screamed past her and slammed into the rocks.
Now he forced himself to focus. To be the cop instead of the man.
He pulled out his flashlight, leaned in to check Blaire's pulse. Steady but weak. Breathing shallow. The gash on her forehead bled freely, but head wounds always looked worse than they were.
The sirens were shriller now, the blue and red lights brighter. The first responders were less than a minute out.
Gabe straightened, swept his flashlight across the scene. No skid marks on the gravel. No indication the driver had tried to brake or turn. The car had gone straight into the rocks like Blaire had no control at all.
That was wrong.
He crouched near the front wheel, shining his light underneath the chassis.
There.
Brake fluid pooled on the gravel, dark and spreading. He traced the beam upward, following the line to where it connected near the wheel assembly.
Cut. Clean through. Deliberate.
"You see it," Wade said quietly. Not a question.
"Yeah." Gabe stood slowly. "I see it."
Someone had tampered with Blaire's car, knowing she'd try to drive away, knowing the winding coastal road would do the rest.
And Cara Sweet was standing ten feet away with blood on her face and a motive that anyone with half a brain could piece together.
Gabe looked at her. Really looked at her.
She met his eyes. Scared. Exhausted. But not guilty. He'd interrogated enough suspects to know the difference.
"I didn't do this," she said quietly. "I know how it looks, but I didn't?—"
"I know."
"I was inside the cottage with her. Wade was watching. He can tell you I never went near her car."
"She didn't," Wade confirmed. "I had eyes on the parking area the whole time. Neither of us touched that vehicle."
Gabe believed them. That wasn't the problem.
The problem was that he was the Police Chief of Haven Cove. And in about six minutes, an ambulance was going to arrive, followed by deputies and crime scene techs and a whole lot of questions he couldn't answer without putting Cara in the crosshairs.
She'd been at the scene. Had a known conflict with the victim. Had motive and opportunity.
Any competent investigator would look at her first.
And any competent investigation into Cara Sweet would uncover things she clearly didn't want uncovered.
What am I supposed to write in my report?
Witness arrived on scene before officers. Witness has documented conflict with victim. Witness cannot account for?—
No.
