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“Heard on the scanner that someone set this deliberately and there was some shooting going on.” Roger spat away from them. “Tell me later, after they get this mess under control. Y’all can stay with us if you’d like.”
“Thanks, but Erin at Coffee and Cars is putting us up. Her apartment’s empty right now.”
“Good enough. Anyway, we got your stock. You get going.”
“Thanks, Roger. Appreciate it.”
“No problem. Stay safe!” He rode away. A younger man nodded and climbed up onto their tractor, a girl taking the reins of his horse. Tom untied his horse, tied the reins up on the saddle horn, took the lead rope the girl tossed him, clipped it on his horse’s bridle, and gave it to a younger boy. They all rode off. The tractor started and bumped down the track, the man giving them a wave as he drove away.
Tom stood. “Dad, why don’t you ride with Wiz in the Volvo, and I’ll get the ATV. We’ll stay together and meet up at Erin’s, okay?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Tom leaned down and kissed her, then got in the ATV. The hands must have already left in their vehicles, probably while she was kissing Tom. She and Dad got in the Volvo, and she followed carefully. The highway was smoky, so they drove slowly. Wiz was grateful for the good air filters.
Pete looked up and out the side window. “Hey, they pulled in the big guns. Looks like the slurry bombers are overhead.”
Wiz concentrated on driving. The smoke blew in eddies, some places thicker than others, and they drove slowly. The smoke cleared, and Tom picked up a little speed, then slowed again. A sheriff’s vehicle blocked the other side of the road, blue and red lights lighting the smoke. The deputy waved them through. Wiz shuddered. The uniform was a horrible reminder, even if her attacker was a fake.
“Just a little while longer, Wiz.” Dad squeezed her shoulder once.
She nodded and concentrated on the road. It wasn’t long before they pulled into Erin and Ryan’s place. Tom drove past the garage and over to the house, parking in front. As Wiz pulled up next to him, the front door opened.
Erin and Ryan came outside, smiling. “I’m so glad you’re all okay. We were worried. Come on in.”
They all followed her into the house, but Wiz stopped just inside the door, looking down at herself. “We’re all filthy. We don’t want to drag this inside.” She had bloodstains on her jeans, and the guys were smoky, greasy, and dirty.
“Who cares? It’s just stuff.” Erin shrugged. “But why don’t we go out to the patio? We’ll have some beers, and you can shower. We’ll find you something to wear. It won’t fit very well, but we’ll get your stuff in the washer, so you can make do. Sound like a plan?”
“I could use a beer. Wiz, you go first, okay?” Dad pointed.
“Okay.” Normally, using someone else’s house would freak her out, but she was beyond that. The reaction was setting in, and she was exhausted.
Erin crooked her finger. “Wiz, you can use our shower, and the guys can use the upstairs. We’ve got plenty of water.”
“Great.” Tom squeezed Wiz’s shoulder. “Dad, you go first before the adrenaline all runs out, okay? I’ll grab your bag from the car.”
“I guess that’s probably a better idea.” He nodded and plodded up the stairs.
Wiz followed Erin into the master bedroom and into the bathroom. Erin handed her a towel and a washcloth. “Use whatever you want and take your time. Got a tankless hot water heater. I’ll find some clothes for you and close the bedroom door behind me. You can lock this one.”
“Thanks.” Wiz forced a smile. “I won’t take too long, or I’ll probably fall over.”
Erin nodded. “Yeah, that’s how it takes me too.” She closed the bathroom door.
“Thanks.” Wiz locked it and peeled off her clothes. Her shoes were caked with dirt and a rusty brown—blood. Sure hoped she hadn’t tracked anything into the house. Oh. “Hey, Erin?” she called.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t wash my clothes. The cops are going to want them. Do you have a big bag we can put them in?” Wiz unlocked the door.
“Sure. Good thought. Here.” A hand reached in through the door with a camisole, T-shirt, and a pair of shorts. “These will be too big but better than a robe.”
Her bug-out bag wasn’t doing any good at all, sitting in her bedroom closet. She’d just wanted to get out of there so badly she hadn’t even considered taking anything with her. Wiz put Erin’s clean clothes on the hooks on the back of the door, leaving hers on the floor. She sucked in a big breath and looked in the mirror.
She didn’t look different. Hair escaped her braid, but no blood spattered her or anything else that screamed she’d just killed someone. She swallowed and started the shower, unbraiding her hair as it warmed.
She stepped inside, the water sluicing across her, soap wiping the dirt and sweat away but not washing her clean. She sank to the floor of the shower and cried. She should feel good. She got the bad guys, and no other woman would be hurt by them. But instead, she felt guilty for cutting their lives short. Jeff would never run another video quest. That deputy would no longer catch bad guys or do whatever he did if he was a fake. She was still here but so broken she might never have a real relationship again.
