Page 6 of Freedom to Love

“Someone pulled in behind you and returned fire at the SUV. Someone pulled you from your vehicle and brought you here. All we got from the dash cam was an image of an older model Buick speeding away with what appeared to be two females inside. The plates came back stolen.”

Kat looked away and scanned her mind. Kind, warm, hazel green eyes came to life. A gentle hand, holding her. A sweet voice, soothing her, telling her it was all okay.

“Yes,” she said, almost to herself. “A woman.”

Another deputy, a rookie she didn’t know, raced into the room. “Captain, we just got the hospital security footage.” He handed over an iPad and they gathered around. Captain Bowman looked up at her. “Do you know who it was, Vander?”

Kat could still see the face and the strands of auburn hair. The blood soaked T-shirt and the loose jeans. She could still see the look on her face. The one willing her to live.

“Yes,” Kat said. “It was Brynn Williams.”

The captain and the others continued looking, thumbing through more footage.

“This is outside in the emergency drop-off,” the rookie deputy said.

Captain Bowman looked up at her in disbelief. “Bea Williams as well?”

Kat shook her head. “I’m not sure. I can only remember Brynn.”

Captain Bowman brought the iPad to her. He showed her the footage of the old car speeding in, screeching to a stop, and two women pulling her from the car. One, Brynn, helped her inside, while the other, Bea, climbed back in and sped off.

“We know Brynn reported the shooting to the staff here at the hospital. She sent rescue, a chopper, after Damien. But she wouldn’t give her name, and she left soon after they began tending to you. At this time, we’re having trouble locating either one.”

“Apparently, she was just released from lockup today,” Chaz said.

“Did she say anything to you, Kat? Anything that might help us find her?” Captain Bowman asked.

Kat’s mind was spinning. Just released? Shot at the SUV? Saved her? Sent them for Damien?

“I have no idea. I don’t know why they were there. Why they…helped.”

Captain Bowman sighed, and she could see just how exhausted he was. But she knew his day was far from over. He’d go at it full force for days, they all would, until they found the SUV. “We don’t either. But with their history and records combined, we’re concerned they were somehow involved with the SUV.”

“Which is why we need to find them. Talk to them,” Chaz said.

Kat recalled the look, the touch. The soft words. “I don’t think they were involved. The way…I just don’t think they were involved. I don’t think they’d risk themselves in helping me or Damien if they were.”

“The plate on their vehicle came back stolen out of Winston Mills. Maybe we should start there,” Chaz said.

Captain Bowman rubbed his forehead. “We need to speak to them regardless of your thoughts, Kat. The car they were in was stolen, and neither one is allowed weapons. They need to be brought in.”

Kat felt her skin begin to burn at the thought of Brynn getting arrested the day she was released. All because she helped her. But the law was the law. If she could somehow see her, talk to her, she was sure she could work it all out.

“Cap, I want to talk to her.” She tried to get out of bed, but the bunch of them all protested at once. “I want to be the one to bring them in. It should be me.”

“Your only job right now is to recover. Let us do the rest.”

He patted her hand and then nodded to the rest of the crew. “We’ll be in touch.” He paused, looked down at his feet, and then back up at her. “And, Vander? I’m glad you’re okay.” He left her bedside quickly, followed by the rest of them, and Kat watched helplessly as they went.

As she leaned back and closed her eyes, she, too, wondered why the Williams girls stopped to help. And more importantly, she wondered about the brave and tender way Brynn was with her. Just who was Brynn Williams and where in the world was she now?

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