Gabe tried—and failed—to shake his head. “Kat, I can?—”
“No, you can't.” I cut him off, already moving towards the door. “Just stay with her.”
I bolted outside, the cool air hitting my face, the sound of sirens a promise that everything might just end up okay. Chris Langley, the sheriff’s deputy, was first out of his cruiser, his expression grim as he took in the scene. Behind him, an ambulance came rolling down the drive in a cloud of dust.
“Chris,” I said, pointing toward the front door. “In there. They need help.”
“Kat, what the hell happened?”
“Someone attacked us,” I said. “But right now, just help Gabe.”
As Chris hustled past me, I stood alone in the yard, my feet rooted to the spot, heart pounding like a jackhammer. The red and blue lights from the cruisers and ambulance splashed across the house, giving the scene an otherworldly glow.
“Again,” I whispered to no one in particular, a cold realization settling in.
Someone had just tried to kill me—again. And whoever it was wanted our land for themselves.
TWELVE
Gabe
It had been a long day.
We weren’t subject to the fluorescent glare of the ER anymore, but nothing could shake the throbbing in my head as we stumbled out of the police SUV and onto the familiar gravel of Kat’s driveway. We’d been at the hospital for hours and—after tetanus shots, stitches, bandages, and an MRI—were finally cleared to go back to the house and get some sleep. A police car, courtesy of Chris, had gotten us back home…and I was beat.
“God, what a night, huh?” I grunted.
“Understatement of the year,” Kat muttered. She was a tough one, always had been, but even she couldn't hide how shaken she was.
Chris leaned against the porch railing, his silhouette outlined by the dim porch light. Bandit was beside him and bounded out to meet us, Livy grabbing the dog and clutching him to her. She hadn’t been hurt—neither had Bandit—but we were all rattled.
“You good?” Chris asked, coming out to brace me. I was still wobbly; the hit to my head had been hard.
“Been better,” I replied, mustering a half-smile. “Thanks for sticking around.”
“Least I could do. And I’m posting a squad car out front for the night, just in case.”
“Appreciate it, Chris,” I said.
It was good to have people you could count on in this town, especially when things went sideways.
“I searched the property, found some things.” Chris’s eyes darted over to Livy. “Is it okay if we talk in private?”
“Livy, why don't you head inside?” Kat suggested. “We'll be right in.”
Livy nodded, a small yawn escaping her as she went inside, Bandit on her heels.
“Found tire tracks out on a backroad in the woods,” Chris began once Livy was out of earshot. “Looks like that's where our uninvited guests were hiding out.”
“Do you think it's the same ones who…” Kat trailed off, her voice catching.
She didn’t have to finish her sentence. We were all thinking it.
“Killed Ben?” Chris finished for her, his jaw tightening. “Yeah, I'm starting to think there's a connection. I'm going to push Callahan to ramp up the investigation.”
“Good,” Kat said, though her voice held more fatigue than hope.
“I promise I’ll try to get this settled for you.”