Page 15 of Deception

“That should be her pulse. Can you count it?”

“It’s too fast.”

“She’s probably in shock. Do ... have blanket ... something ... her?”

The call was breaking up again, and Bri shook her head and then realized Gloria couldn’t see her. “She had an overcoat. It’s in the car.” But where were the keys?Think.Dani had them when she got out of the car.

She scanned the area in the dim light from overhead. Something glinted by the trash can, and Bri scrambled to the other side of the sidewalk and grabbed the keys and ran to the car for the heavier coat. A faint wail reached her ears as she laid Dani’s parka over her still body.

What if they think I shot her?Her hands curled. With her arrest record, that’s exactly what the police would think. Bri would rather die than go back to jail.

The siren drew closer. Help wasn’t far away ... She stared at the keys in her hands and then at the Honda. Dani wouldn’t need her car, not until she was better and could tell the police what happened and that Bri hadn’t shot her. Thank goodness she hadn’t given the 911 operator her full name.

9

Clayton’s heart dipped as six-year-old Ava climbed out of her car seat and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Fank you,” she whispered in his ear.

“You’re welcome.” He tried to keep his thoughts away from the laser surgery she faced to remove the birthmark on her cheek. Not that it would be anytime soon since Jen’s insurance had a ten thousand dollar deductible—if the procedure was even covered by her insurance. They would have to come up with the money first. Now that he had his gambling debts paid, he could start saving for her surgery.

“Yes,thankyou,” Jen echoed, narrowing her eyes at Clayton. Probably for not correcting Ava when she regressed to her four-year-old speech pattern.

He didn’t care. The kid had enough going on with her father abandoning the family a year ago. It didn’t help that Jen worked long hours just to keep the power turned on because the man she’d married took what little savings they had and blew it on drugs before he walked out of their lives. “Mind your mom, and we’ll do this again soon.”

“Pwomis?” When he raised his eyebrows she said, “Promise?”

“Yes.”

Satisfied, Ava released him, and he set her on the drive. “Thanks for dinner,” Jen said as she took her daughter’s hand.

Clayton reached for the two hundred dollars he’d pocketed before he picked the two up and handed it to his sister.

Tears shone in her eyes. “Clayton, you don’t—”

“Indulge me.”

Her shoulders squared. “We’ll pay you back every penny you’ve given us.”

“Who’s keeping count?” he asked with a smile. The smile faded as they walked to the small bungalow next door to his mother’s craftsman house. He wished he could do more for Jen, but what she needed wasn’t so much money as answers, like why her husband skipped out without even a goodbye.

Once they were safely inside, he walked back to his truck and turned his phone on as he pulled away from the drive. It had been a good outing, made even better after he’d picked up the tab for Madison Thorn.

Clayton’s phone buzzed, breaking into his thoughts. “Bradshaw.”

“Oh, good. I’ve been trying to raise you on the radio, and you’re not answering your phone.”

He immediately recognized field ranger Brooke Danvers’s voice. Had to be something bad for her to call on his night off. “Sorry, I’m in my pickup. I took Jen and Ava out to eat and just now turned on my phone. What’s going on?”

“Dispatch notified me that we have a shooting at the Coles Creek rest area. I’m still about five minutes out and right behind the ambulance.”

Clayton groaned. Something like this happened every time he took a few hours off. “I’m on my way. Did you call Ritter?” Jesse Ritter was Clayton’s other field ranger.

“He’s up near Jackson, so it’ll be a while before he can get here.”

Brooke could handle this—she was a seasoned ranger and was always on top of everything. Her dad, Big John Danvers, had been one of the best district law enforcement rangers aroundand had trained Clayton. He was now trying to fill the legendary ranger’s shoes.

“I’ll be there ASAP.” Clayton pulled a portable emergency light from his console and popped it on his dash before he executed a U-turn and sped toward the Natchez Trace with the blue light flashing. Brooke was married to Luke Fereday, a ranger with the Investigative Services Branch, and it might not be a bad idea to pull him into the investigation. Except, he remembered Brooke saying Luke was in Washington for a conference.

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