Page 75 of Solid as Steele
“I was a deputy for years and was never shot.” She shook her head. “I leave the force—and that’s when I’m hit. Crazy.”
All his fault. He would like to persuade her to stay home tomorrow. Sit by the fire and relax. She wouldn’t of course. Meant he would have to do better. Step up his game. Make sure Ryan stepped his up too, because when they headed into the desert in search of Leach…
They would be exposed.
Mackenzie didn’t know what to make of the sight ahead of her as she and Owen pulled off the road into her rental property driveway. His body rigid, Ryan stood facing Deputy Dahl at the end of the drive, their posture rigid and angry as if they might come to blows.
“What do you think’s going on there?” Owen asked from the driver’s seat of her car.
“Park and let’s find out.” Mackenzie hated to see Ryan so upset. As soon as Owen stopped, she got out and approached the pair.
“Ms. Steele is expecting me.” Ryan crossed his arms.
“It’s okay, Deputy Dahl,” Mackenzie said. “He’s right. I am expecting him.”
Dahl nodded. “We aren’t letting anyone into the cordoned off area until after your forensic team gets here and processes the scene. Means you’ll have to leave your vehicles here and walk in.”
“Cordoned off area?” Ryan asked.
“I’ll explain later,” Mackenzie said.
“Are you expecting anyone else?” Dahl asked.
“No.” Mackenzie put her good arm through Ryan’s and led him back to her car.
Owen got out to join them, and she told Ryan about the shooting.
He ran his gaze over her. “You okay?”
“Fine.”
“She’s in a lot of pain but won’t admit it,” Owen said.
Ryan looked at Owen. “You probably figured out by now that she’s pretty stubborn.”
“Oh, I have. Trust me.”
“Um. I’m right here.” She chuckled. “Let’s go inside and plan our trip tomorrow.”
“You’re not still going,” Ryan said.
“Of course I am.” She led the way around the crime scene tape, ignoring the bullet hole in Owen’s truck. Her arm seemed to ache more as she skirted the scene. Probably a mental reaction to the location where the bullet had pierced her arm. She picked up her pace and got the cabin door open.
A sigh for making it home okay slipped out before she could stop it. She looked at the guys. “I’m going to make a cup of tea. Anyone want one or anything to drink?”
“I’ll grab a glass of water.” Owen joined her in the kitchen. “And if you go sit down and tell me how to make your tea, I’ll do that too.”
“I’m not helpless.”
“I know. I just want to help.”
“Let him do it if he wants to,” Ryan said, coming in for his own water. “Besides, it might be fun to watch him fumble around in the kitchen.”
Mackenzie rolled her eyes and looked at Owen. “Start by boiling water in the kettle on the stove.”
She reached for the canister of teabags that she’d brought from home. “Then dump one of these in the cup and pour the boiling water over it. That’s it. Simple.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” He gave her a flirtatious smile.
