She nuzzled him, taking in that scent so she could find more strength. Chris was one of the strongest people she knew. He fought valiantly with his HIV, and to stay by her side. She respected his integrity, his sweetness, and his tenacity.
“You’ve been the best partner when I needed him the most,” she said. “Even when we broke up, I held you in my heart, keeping the faith.”
He knew she did.
“We will get through this. I promise.”
Elizabeth wasn’t so sure they would, but she wouldn’t say shit to make him worry. God knew he worried about her plenty.
“Thank you for doing this,” she said. “Caspian will come to see her. Please don’t let him unless she’s…better.”
She didn’t have to explain. He was fully expecting her body to be one hell of a hot mess. He’d put her back together again and then have her cosmetically fixed for burial.
“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
Thank God someone did.
She was flying by the seat of her pants on this one.
“Where is he?” she asked, knowing he’d be well aware of who she was referring to.
“He’s with Ethan in his office suite. Do you want me to tell him?” he asked. “I will.”
She shook her head.
“No. He’s going to lash out. It’s best he only hates one of us, and that it be me.”
Chris reminded her.
This wasNOTher fault.
People had free will.
Sometimes, unfortunately.
“You told Rayna to head in. You personally went to her and tried to get her to go into custody for her safety. Ethan tried too. Caspian tried. We all tried, Elizabeth. We told her the outcome, and if I remember correctly, she laughed and said she was a cop and could hold her own. I’m not one to blame the victim, but free will matters, and it also plays into it when there is a bad outcome.”
She was aware.
Still, it was her job to protect, and Elizabeth knew the potential outcome.
“Maybe I should have just forced her,” she said. “My gut told me it was dangerous.”
He was to the point.
“You can’t make a person bend their will when they don’t want to,” he reminded her. “She told you no, said it was ridiculous, and wouldn’t take your advice. We offered, Sweetness. In life, we all have to make choices, and she made hers. Do you know how she was taken?”
Elizabeth was piecing it together.
“We think she met him somewhere between the bar and her place. I’m thinking she saw someone who didn’t belong there, or needed her assistance.”
He was curious.
“Did you find how he got onto the rez?”
She shook her head.
“He wouldn’t use his own vehicle. It will be stolen or rented. Unfortunately, we drove back going that way, and there was no sign of anything. It’s a big Rez. If we have to waste time calling every car rental place in Utah, I’m going to be behind. Plus, he likely didn’t use a car from around here. He’d pick a different state, again, to slow me down.”
