Page 74 of Runaway Road (Runaway 1)

I looked at my car. “Bring the tow truck.”

Chapter Fifteen

Brooks

“Are you okay?” Londyn asked, leaning into my side.

“Me?” I gaped at her. “Someone tried to run you off the fucking road. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She blew out a long breath, resting her cheek against my arm. “I won’t be later, but at the moment, I’m okay and that’s all that matters.”

I clutched her hand, holding it tight like I had over the past hour. She was keeping it together at the moment, a credit to her incredible strength. But every five or ten minutes, a tremor would run through her body. Her grip on my fingers would tighten. If and when she fell apart later, it would be in the safety of my arms.

Whoever had done this to her would pay dearly.

We were standing on the side of the highway, waiting for the sheriff’s deputy on the scene to finish taking photos of her car. He’d already taken her statement.

I’d listened with silent fury as Londyn had recapped the details of the accident. I should have thrown her keys in the damn lake and refused to let her leave town.

It seemed like days since she’d left me standing on the sidewalk outside the motel, not hours. For a mom

ent, when I’d caught her looking at me in the rearview mirror, I’d thought maybe she’d turn back.

Maybe she’d prove us both wrong—maybe she’d make my life—and stay.

But she’d kept on driving. When her car had disappeared around a bend in the highway, it had been over. I sure hadn’t expected her name to flash on my phone’s screen so soon after she’d left—if ever.

The fear in her voice had had me racing through town in the tow truck. I’d been a goddamn scared mess when I’d shown up to find her car toppled sideways in the ditch. I’d pulled her in for a hug and hadn’t let go, even when the cop had shown up. But the time to worry had passed and now I was fucking pissed.

This was attempted murder in my book and that meant years in prison. It didn’t seem like enough.

“Brooks.” The deputy waved me over. I refused to let go of Londyn’s hand, so together, we met him by the hood of his cruiser, the lights still flashing on top. “I’m done here. You can load it up and take it back to town.”

“Can I get going on repairs? Or do we need to leave it as is?”

“Hold for now. Let me confirm we don’t need anything else for the investigation.”

“There’s no hurry,” Londyn said. “Thanks for your help.”

“Ma’am.” He tipped his hat, then walked to his car, his notepad in hand. He stayed parked, slowing traffic, until I had the Cadillac winched out of the ditch and loaded on the flatbed.

It took me over an hour and I hated leaving Londyn alone in the truck, but I didn’t want her standing on the road. Finally, as the afternoon faded to evening, I waved goodbye to the deputy and drove us down the road to Summers.

The time outside hadn’t cooled my anger in the slightest. While I snarled over the steering wheel, Londyn kept her eerie calm in the passenger seat.

“I’m going to drop you off, then take the Cadillac to the shop.”

“Okay.” She sagged against the door. “Feels like we’ve been here before.”

“Yeah.” I barked a dry laugh as the motel came into view.

Londyn could sit at the motel with Meggie for an hour while I dropped off her car. There was no way in hell I was leaving her anywhere alone until we found the sick bastard who could have killed her today.

“I’m going to leave you with Meggie while I take the car to the shop. You can get settled at the motel. She’ll be glad to have you back.” We’d all be glad to have her back in Summers.

“The motel?” She sat up straight, then slapped a hand over her forehead. “Oh. Oh my God. I’m an idiot.”

“Huh?”