Page 8
She nods. “Okay.”
I help her stand as a crowd gathers. This is what I love about small towns like Saddle. Everyone is concerned about one another. Well, unless they work for Timothy Lanzetti.
“You could’ve been killed,” Jade says as I steer Pearl toward one of the outside chairs to get a better look at her wrist. “That was crazy.”
“It did look a lot like that van was purposely trying to run you down,” Gus agrees. “It sped up when you crossed the road.”
“Well, if I find out who it was, I’ll be pressing charges.” Pearl looks a little pale, which angers me.
Diamond won’t be happy about this. It can’t be a coincidence. It’s a little too close for comfort.
“I’m calling D,” Jade echoes my thoughts. “Then Sheriff Calloway.”
“I’ll call Diamond,” Gus says. “You call the sheriff.”
“I’m takin’ you to the hospital, stat,” I say. “We need an ice pack.”
“On it. I know where the freezer is.” Dorothy runs into the café, returning a few minutes later with the goods.
“Thank you.” Pearl has scrapes up her arm, and I’ve no doubt she’ll be bruised. Dorothy lays the pack over her wrist, which is starting to swell.
“Honey, that looks bad.” Dorothy winces. “I’m happy to shut the shop and help Jade for the mid-morning rush.”
“You don’t have to do that…” she starts.
“I won’t hear of it. You get on now with Decker. We’ll be fine here.”
“Thank you,” Pearl says, tears in her eyes.
“Did you want me to call someone in to help Jade?” I ask Pearl. “What about the afternoon shift?”
She nods. “That would be great. You can text Coral. She’s doing inventory at the Rusty Spur, she can come over after that.” She pulls her phone out of her back pocket and unlocks it, handing it to me.
I find the number easily and text Coral.
Her eyes meet mine. “Are you sure you didn’t hurt yourself?”
“Nothin’ that can’t be fixed. I have a hard head.”
She smiles at the joke. “Thank you.”
She doesn’t have to thank me. I’d do it again if I had to, faster if I could. Anger boils inside me like an inferno, ready to explode. I don’t like the idea of her being hurt. It doesn’t sit well with me. A surge of protection envelops me, and I see red. I want to fucking break this person’s bones, one by one, for hurting her.
Pearl stands as I assist her to my truck. It’s then I discover she’s limping.
“Jesus, fuck,” I mutter. I usually don’t swear around women, but I can’t help myself. “I’m gonna murder whoever did this to you.”
Brown eyes meet mine as I help her into my truck. She blinks, then smiles softly. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Oh, but I do, and I will.” I strap her in, leaning over her to secure the seat belt, then shut the door. I jog to the driver’s side, slide in, and start the engine.
I want to speed like a bat out of hell to get her to the hospital, but she’s precious cargo, so I tow the speed limit, and we get there in a few minutes. The good thing about Saddle is that everything is close by.
The hospital isn’t busy, and they see Pearl right away. I sit outside, in the waiting room, and text Leroy, my friend and the mechanic over at Sapphire’s shop, Saddle Up. I met him at the bar a couple of times when I first arrived in town and we got talking. We’ve been friends ever since.
Decker
Shit went down in the main street. Someone tried to run Pearl over. On purpose
