Page 47 of It Just Feels Right

He leans his arms on the top of his squad car. “Well, Mr. Morrison got out of jail today. I’m not sure how ithappened, but I wanted to go make sure she knew since she turned him in. Knowing Tony, I’m sure he hasn’t forgiven her. We need to up patrol around her neighborhood for a bit.”

I put my hand on my holster. “I can go and check on her.”

He shakes his head. “No, I told her I’d come personally if I heard anything.”

I step back from the car. “See you, Sarge.”

“See you,” he says as he gets in.

I grab my phone and am about to call Cassie, but I know that telling her how I feel about her is not something I should do on the phone. No, I need to do it in person. After my shift, I’ll go by Dad’s house and climb up the tree again. I just hope she lets me in.

CHAPTER 23

CASSIE

From the timeI walked in the door after school, I’ve been in my room. I have yet to talk to my mother, and I’m not looking forward to it. I’m done. Looking back, I should have found a way to get myself out of here before this, but I’m determined to do it now. I’ll leave and then I’ll mend things with Baker. If he’ll have me.

I’m on my laptop, looking at the slim picking of apartments available in Whiskey Run when I shut it in frustration. I hate to do it, but I’m going to have to talk to Brook and see if she can find an apartment through Walker. He owns half the town anyway. Maybe he has an apartment coming available.

I hear my stepdad’s phone ring, and I jump out of my seat. I go to stand in the hallway and strain tohear him talk. I’m pretty sure I heard him talking to Baker earlier, and so now I’m shamelessly listening anytime I hear his phone ring.

“What?”

“Where?”

“The hospital in Jasper?”

I can only hear my stepdad’s side of the conversation, but it’s easy to tell that he’s in panic mode.

My stomach drops and I run into my room and throw on my shoes before running downstairs. Ryan is grabbing his keys off the entry table, and when he looks at me, he looks as if he’s aged around twenty years. “What is it? Is Baker okay?”

His voice is shaky, and he drops the keys on the ground. “He was in an accident.”

I pick up the keys. “An accident?”

Ryan leans against the table and is white as a sheet. “He’s been shot. I don’t know all the details. If they told me, I don’t remember. Oh my God, I promised Lorraine I would take care of our son, and he’s been shot.”

I grab on to Ryan and help him stand up straight again. “Ryan, he’s going to be okay. He has to be okay. Come on, I’ll drive.”

We’re almost out the door when Ryan remembers my mom. “Brandi,” he bellows. “Baker’s been shot and is in the hospital.”

She comes out of the kitchen and looks out of patience. “I have cookies in the oven.”

Shock registers on my stepdad’s face, and I understand how he’s feeling. I’ve had this exact feeling a thousand times when it comes to my mom. But we don’t have time to deal with her right now. “Ryan, let’s go.”

Without another word, Ryan and I walk out the door. I’m running to my car, practically dragging him with me. I know he’s in shock, but I can’t just leave him to his own devices.

“Jasper Hospital, right?”

He nods, and I peel out of the driveway.

We make it to the hospital in Jasper in record time. I park haphazardly in an emergency lane, and we run in. Already the waiting room is full of men and women in blue. One of the guys comes up to us. “Sergeant, how’s my son?” Ryan asks.

The man grabs on to Ryan’s upper arms. “He’s in surgery right now. He was shot twice. Once in the vest. Once in the shoulder. They’ve extracted the bullet, and they said he has a concussion from when he hit his head.”

I’m holding my breath. I don’t want details right now. The only thing that matters to me is if he’s going to live or not. “He’s going to be okay?”

The man seems to notice me for the first time. “Cassie?”

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