And he’d let her go in alone.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He yanked it out, heart hammering, but it was just Walker.
“Any word?”
“Nothing.” Bear stopped walking, and King sat at his side. “She’s still in there.”
“She’s tough.”
“I know.”
“She’s going to be okay.”
Bear closed his eyes. “Yeah.”
“Logan’s with me at the ranch,” Walker continued. “He’s helping Anson in the forge today.”
“Good. That’s good. I want him as far away from this as he can get.” He paused. “How is Alice?”
“Sleeping. Johanna says it’s healing sleep, not trauma sleep.” A pause. “How are you holding up?”
Bear let out a short laugh. “I’m walking in circles in the parking lot, Walker. What do you think?”
“I think you’re doing exactly what Greta asked you to do, even if it’s killing you.” Walker’s voice softened. “She’ll be out soon.”
“I know.”
“Call me when she is.”
Bear pocketed the phone and turned back toward the sheriff’s station. His truck sat alone at the far end of the parking lot, the metal too hot to touch in the afternoon sun. The building itself was a squat brick structure with narrow windows and a flagpole out front, the Montana state flag barely moving in the still air.
Nothing to indicate the hell happening inside.
He’d promised Greta he’d stay out here. He’d promised. But as he stared at the building, at the glass door he’d watched her walk through three hours ago, something in him rebelled. Every minute she stayed in there was another minute she spent hearing details that would haunt her, another minute Cody Simms got to see her face as he destroyed another piece of her world.
Bear started toward the door.
King followed, then pushed ahead, his massive body blocking Bear’s path.
“Move, King.”
He tried to step around, but the dog shifted, staying in front of him.
“King, come on.”
King sat down. Directly in Bear’s way. His brown eyes locked on Bear’s face with an intelligence that was sometimes unsettling.
“She’s been in there too long,” Bear said, as if the dog might understand. “Something’s wrong.”
King didn’t budge.
“Goddammit.” Bear dropped his head back, staring at the cloudless sky. “I know what I said. I know what I promised.”
King whined softly.
“Yeah, I know. Breaking promises is what got me in trouble last time.”
The dog leaned forward and shoved his massive head against Bear’s chest, nearly knocking him back a step. Bear’s hand came up automatically, fingers digging into the thick ruff at King’s neck.
