Page 27 of Stalked at Rescue Ridge

Kade zeroed in on the weapon, making sure the sheriff damn sure noticed.

Carr’s gaze landed hard on Kade, and his eyes narrowed.

8

Travis spoke first. “Kade is the primary witness in the investigation. He was just giving me his statement. The victim is Breanna Kyndall, as you know.”

Carr made a show of crossing his arms over his chest. Kade wanted to point out that the man should most likely be taking notes instead of leaning back on the heels of his boots. Make no mistake about it, Carr was as strong as an ox. He might not be agile, but he had big, meaty hands with a whole lot of strength to back them up once he grabbed hold of something.

Bree’s hand tensed at the sound of Carr’s voice. Involuntary reaction? Kade’s gut told him not to mention it to the sheriff. Carr had always rubbed Kade the wrong way. This time was no exception. The man’s entitlement to the sheriff’s position and the authority—authority he hadn’t earned but had been given to him by his wealthy aunt—that came with the job bothered Kade the most. It always had. Personal feelings aside, Kade thought the sheriff was underqualified and incompetent, even for a county like Jackson.

“Has she been conscious?” Sheriff Carr’s back was ramrod straight as he surveyed the room.

“No, sir,” Travis said. “A nurse will be by to take her to get an MRI soon.”

Travis filled the sheriff in on everything they knew so far.

Carr listened, nodding every so often. “I’ll take over from here.”

Bree’s finger twitched again.

Without drawing attention to himself, he slanted his gaze toward her face, searching for something…movement. A flutter of her eyes. Anything that might tell him this was more than just reflex.

“Yes, sir.” Travis sounded resigned.

Carr turned to Kade. “Thank you for your statement. I’ll take over from here, son.”

Son? That word was fingernails on a chalkboard to Kade. “I’m the closest she has to next of kin. I’m sticking around.”

Kade sized up Carr, expecting a fight. He was surprised when he didn’t get one. There’d been rumors, hushed conversations, about the man’s childhood before his aunt had taken him in. Not that Kade didn’t have sympathy for all abused kids. There was nothing worse than a person taking advantage of someone weaker. Kade could relate, even. He’d dealt with his past by going into the military and becoming the best damn soldier he could. Carr seemed to have taken a different route—one of rumored abuses of authority.

The abused becoming an abuser—no matter how seemingly small the infraction—had never been an option for Kade.

“Her dad moved away a couple of years back if memory serves.” Carr looked down and to the right, a sign he was being shifty.

“That’s right,” Kade murmured.

“Do you have a number where her next of kin can be reached?” Carr was focused on Kade now, looking him up and down like they’d had words in a bar. Was he sizing him up?

Didn’t Carr? “No, I don’t. My sister might. I’ll ask her.” He had no intention of breaking physical contact with Bree. Her fingers tightened around his.

The door swung open, and a pair of nurses entered with a gurney. “My name’s Millie, and this is Adrienne. We’ll be taking Ms. Kyndall to get an MRI.” Their tones left no room for argument.

Kade was grateful for the break in tension. He also intended to accompany Millie and Adrienne. There was no way Bree was being moved out of his sight.

“Call me when she wakes…?” Carr pulled a business card from his front pocket and held it out to Kade.

Kade took the offering and stuffed it in his back pocket.

The nurses managed to shift Bree onto the gurney.

“We’ll have her back in a few minutes,” Millie started, but Kade was already shaking his head.

“I’m going with you.” The words came out with so much measured certainty Millie seemed to know better than to argue. She nodded.

Carr followed them out and then disappeared down the hallway with Travis. Kade stood guard outside the X-ray room, his back against the wall. His cell buzzed. He checked the screen and saw that his sister was calling. “What’s up, Chloe?”

“I can’t sleep, and I wanted to check on Bree. Any updates?” It was late or early, depending on one’s point of view, and his sister’s raspy voice sounded like she was having a rough night between this situation and Grayson not feeling well.

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