Page 60 of Embattled Ever After

She frowned, shaking her head. “I don’t know what the guy’s deal was. There was a car following me up Quebec. I was on my way back to work after lunch with the girls, and he just kept tailgating me like crazy. Finally, I thought I would just turn off and let him go by, but he made the turn too and did everything I did. There was a construction site on one side and he hit me, pushing me into it. I gassed it and thought I would turn around but he hit me again even harder. I remember my truck bouncing down, then back up and staying up. I think I hit my head at some point, because I lost consciousness. Next thing I know there’s a guy leaning in the cab and looking at me. He grabbed my phone and dialed you.”

John processed the information, anger making his chest quake. “When we got to the scene that man was gone. Did he give you a name?”

“No,” she sighed, resting her head against his chest. “Long, brownish hair, dark eyes. I feel like I’ve seen him before.”

“Okay, baby. We’ll figure it out. Do you remember what the car looked like?”

“It was a crossover vehicle, but I couldn’t see the make. He was right on my bumper the entire time. I asked the guy who helped me if he had seen the license plate and he said there was no plate on the car, but that it had been dark gray or charcoal.”

A man in a lab coat and scrubs came in then and made Shannon get back onto the table so he could examine her. “You should not be moving, young woman. I have the OB on call coming down to see you in a few minutes, after we do x-rays.”

Shannon was checked out quickly, then taken for x-rays and John was forced to stay behind, cooling his wheels. Chad was on the phone almost the entire time, talking to… it sounded like Roger on the other end. They were scrambling, looking for any witnesses or surveillance footage of the area.

The cop walked in a few minutes later and seemed a little taken aback when he saw John alone in the cubicle. Shannon hadn’t returned from x-ray yet so he was pacing as much as possible in the small curtained space.

“What did you find?” he snapped.

The cop looked a little surprised at the tone, but he didn’t let it ruffle him. “Are you related to the victim?”

“Yes, she’s my fiancée.”

The cop held his gaze for a moment. “No witnesses at the scene other than the man who called it in, checked on Ms. Murphy, and then left. The foreman of the construction site is on his way in to check the surveillance camera they have on the front gate, but no promises. He says it’s been acting up. As soon as I have Ms. Murphy’s statement, I’ll head back over there and meet him.”

John nodded and handed him a business card. “I would appreciate it if you would call me if you find anything.”

The young guy looked at the card and nodded, then slid it into his uniform pocket. “Will do.”

When Shannon returned, the cop took her statement, as well as a description of the man who had come to her aid. John was a little curious as to why the man hadn’t stayed. Had he actually been the one to hit Shannon?

“Did you see the Good Samaritan’s vehicle?” John asked her at one point.

“Yes,” she frowned. “I think it was an old Chevy. Kinda looked like the one parked at the old K-Mart parking lot, with the for sale signs. Same faded mint green color.”

John looked at her more closely, impressed she’d remembered such an obscure detail. Unfortunately it wasn’t much to track anyone down with.

***

Aiden watched thebeefy black truck take off toward the hospital. Shifting into gear, he pulled away from the fast food restaurant where he’d been parked to watch the scene and merged into traffic a few cars behind Palmer. If he was going to be doing more surveillance with the vehicle he was going to have to find something different to drive. This truck was old and not as reliable as he usually liked to use. He scanned the cars beside him and all around, but he doubted he would see the gunmetal gray crossover again. There was too much front-end damage, making it too easy to spot.

Unfortunately, men like him could pick up cars anywhere. The older the vehicle, the easier it was to get into and hot wire. It surprised him the other man had chosen a fairly recent crossover, and it made him wonder if there was a registration that went with it. Maybe it was a personal vehicle. Or a rental.

That would be stupid.

For a moment he lost sight of the truck, but he knew where the man was heading. Aiden took his time turning into the lot and finding a parking spot that would allow him to see as much as possible. He chose a spot up a slight rise, where he was able to see the emergency entrance and most of the westward facing side of the hospital. In a while he would force himself to walk in the doors, in spite of his anxiety, and see if she’d been admitted. Once he knew where she would be, he could gauge where to park and which entrances to watch.

Rubbing at his eyes, he wondered when he would be able to rest. The woman would be in the emergency room for a while because she was pregnant, and she’d probably be admitted for observation overnight, at the very least.

Damn. John Palmer was going to be a father.

With a sigh he settled deep into the seat. It was going to be a long, cold night.

Chapter Nineteen

Duncan stayed inhis office, sifting through the information as it came in. Roger was in another office cold calling, looking for closed circuit TV footage of the area, but the location of the incident was fairly secluded. Yes, there was a shopping mall within yards, but this had happened on the backside, where the area was being developed. If the construction company was a bust, they were SOL.

Why would Shannon be targeted? All of the parties involved in her stalking case from last year were either dead or incarcerated. Was she targeted specifically, or was it wider than that?

Hell, maybe it was just a random road rage incident. That was the easiest, most logical answer, but his gut told him otherwise.

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