Page 89 of Rekindle My Heart

Chapter 19

Thirteen years of doubts and regrets muddled Erica’s brain. She had walked two blocks before she realized she was taking the old route she used to go between the Daniels’s house and her parents’. The last thing she wanted right now was to see her mother.

Making a ninety-degree turn, she cut down the alley and headed for home. The sun was still up, but the shades of coral and blue mixed in the sky, and it would be dark by the time she finally got there.

She watched the cars pass as her mind circled back to Ryan and the cluster-fuck she found herself in. She never should have agreed to work with him. Seeing him again, letting him in, it just opened old wounds, and unfortunately, her heart.

The wind picked up, and icy chills tickled her neck. She pulled her sweater a little tighter. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a truck. It slowed beside her, still a ways from the stop sign up ahead. She shrugged and kept walking.

The window rolled down. Her back straightened. The pit of her stomach screamed at her to run, but she stood her ground. As casually as possible, she looked over her shoulder.

“Randall,” came a low voice from the vehicle. “Can I give you a ride?”

Raising her hand to block the late day sun, she peered into the cab. A familiar face peered back at her. She exhaled. Tightness left her body as she moved closer to his truck. “I didn’t know you lived around here.”

“I don’t. My ex lives down the street. I just dropped off my youngest. Hop in.” The lock actuators tripped.

“Thanks.” She climbed inside. “I live on Spruce, only a few blocks away.”

He took the next turn toward her house, and she relaxed into the seat.

“You must have been in deep thought. I called your name a couple times.”

“Sorry.”

“Thinking about the case?” He didn’t have to say which case. They were both on the task force.

“No, but I will be working on it later.”

“How’s it going with you and Daniels?”

What? How did he know? Was it that obvious the other night when they left the bar?

“The fire files. Have you made any progress?” His gaze touched hers before settling back on traffic.

Oh, yeah. Those. She needed to get her mind on the case. “Some. It’s not going as fast as we’d like.”

“It’s too bad about your computer.”

She blinked. She had only told Ryan about it before dinner. He hadn’t called anyone that she was aware of. “Yes. Hey, I forgot I need to grab some bread. You can drop me off at the corner, and I’ll walk from there. I appreciate the ride.”

He huffed out a breath. “You didn’t report the incident this afternoon, did you?”

Erica grabbed the handle. Nothing. Shit. He’d tripped the door locks when she’d gotten in. Her legs trembled. She itched to get away.

“My bad.” He veered off the main road and cut toward the river.

She yanked her phone from her pocket, and her fingers flew rapidly across the screen. Before she could unlock it, stars flashed before her eyes, and pain stabbed her temple. Her phone fell to the floor.

“Don’t try that again.” His voice came out low through gritted teeth.

The man had a fist like a sledgehammer. She cradled her head in her hand, trying to stop the spinning. “Why?”

“This isn’t some cop show where I spill my guts. Just relax. This will be over soon.”

Over? As in she’d be dead? No way he’d let her live now that she knew who he was.

Panic clouded her thoughts. But the cock of a gun cleared the fog, and her full attention zeroed in on the black pistol in his beefy hand.