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“You think it was hunters?” Van asked.
“Unless there’s a sniper trying to take out handymen.” The doc looked around, suspicion playing on his handsome face. “Tell me we’re not turning this into a crazy conspiracy.”
“Well, there was this lawyer,” Van began.
“Although there was only the one shot, right?” the sheriff asked.
She nodded in the affirmative. “And he had time to take another.”
The doc shook his head. “Then drop the conspiracies. Hale got clipped with a rifle, and the hunter either didn’t realize what happened or he freaked out and ran. Talk to the rangers. Or simply be happy he’s okay and when this happens to one of the Taggart kids, let him handle it. I assure you then it won’t be a problem after that.”
The sheriff sighed. “I’ll go out and talk to them. I don’t need that big bastard running around looking for revenge. You don’t like to do autopsies.”
“See that you do,” Dr. Burke said and then turned to his nurse. “Check on him in twenty minutes. I’m going to go call in his prescriptions and see if I can get someone to drive them out.”
“I’ll check around and see if anyone’s already in town,” Naomi offered.
“I could go.” Elisa wanted to help. She was torn though because she also wanted to sit with him and keep him company.
“Could you please stay and help me get him back home?” Van asked quietly. “He can be a bear when he’s sick, and I think he’ll behave around you. Unless you don’t…”
“I want to,” she assured him.
“You can fill out a report in the morning when you come into the office.” The sheriff held out a hand. “I’m glad you agreed to take the job. You’re absolutely the most qualified candidate I’ve seen, and we could use a woman on the team.”
“Did I have a choice?” She couldn’t help but needle him a little, but she shook his hand. “And it’s not like you interviewed me.”
“Didn’t have to. I know quality when I see it, and I talked to your old CO. I knew you would stay the minute you walked into town,” he said, stepping back and tipping his hat. “That old man is going to love the hell out of you, you know that, right? He’s been a dad to a lot of kids in this town, but he practically glows when he talks about you. He’s so proud of you.”
That damn near made her cry. It was so odd to have a parent who was proud of her. She’d spent her whole life trying to impress her mom. All she’d had to do to impress Mel Hughes was show up and not be an asshole. “I already love him. I didn’t think I would, but I do. He and Cassidy are already family.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” The sheriff walked to the door. “I’ve sent Cam out to see if he can find the bullet that shot Hale, and he’ll try to figure out where the shooter was. All you need to worry about is getting Hale home and making him comfortable. I need that man healthy. My cabin is too small.”
The sheriff strode away, and before she knew it she was left with Van.
“Should we go see him?” She didn’t like the dark look in Van’s eyes.
“Do you think it was an accident?”
She wasn’t willing to lie to him. “I don’t know. I don’t like coincidences, but they do occur. I’ll look into it. And we should be able to figure out the situation with the lawyer fairly easily. I can track her down.”
He nodded and stood, seeming to force a smile on his face. It wasn’t the one that lit up a room. “Then we should go and see how he’s doing.”
She followed him into the room, but she didn’t like the look on his face.
When she’d been in the military, she’d been known for her incredible instincts when it came to things that were about to go wrong.
Trouble was coming. She could feel it.
The smart play would be to walk away. She could do it. She could leave right now having done her duty, and no one would think less of her for it. Hale would be disappointed, but he would understand.
When she’d seen the blood bloom on his shoulder, she’d felt her heart crack.
She was being a coward again, the lessons from her mother leading her away from heartache, but she knew where that road would end. Her mother’s existence had been lonely. She’d put up wall after wall, building them higher and higher until not even her children could breach them. She’d died alone because even in illness she hadn’t let Elisa or Sabrina in.
These men would leave, but nothing was forever.
Trouble was coming and they might need her.
Trouble was coming, and she had a choice to make.
