Page 31 of Bridge to Safety

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Interesting and could be very important. After reading the text from Shiloh, Rowan knocked on the door to the hospital room where the Nelsons were recovering from their attack.

“Come in.” They both sat upright in their beds. Mr. Nelson pressed the remote and turned off the television. “We made the news. Not exactly how I’d pictured it if it ever happened.” His voice sounded stuffy from the bandage covering the center of his face.

“Mind if I ask you a few questions? I didn’t feel as if you could yesterday.” Rowan sat in a guest chair.

“Sure, but I can’t tell you anything but what I said yesterday. The man wore a ski mask.” He glanced at his wife. “Can you add anything?”

She shook her head. “I was too frightened to notice much of anything.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I thought we were going to die.”

“Did you see any of his skin?” Rowan pulled a notepad from his jacket pocket.

“Caucasian,” Mr. Nelson said. “Dark hair on his arms. I could tell when he cut me. His voice sounded weird. As if he disguised it.”

“What can you tell me about his size and build? The color of his eyes?”

“Dark eyes,” the woman said. “Shark eyes?” She closed her and turned her head. “I’ll never forget them.”

“Large build.” Mr. Nelson nodded. “Seemed familiar, but then again, I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. Broad shoulders.”

“Do you think you’d recognize him if you saw him?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Would you be able to come in this afternoon and try picking him out of a lineup?” He’d heard they were being released and could pick Duke up because of the physical description.

“We can try.”

“I’ll send a car for you. After the lineup, the deputy will take you home.” He stood. “Thank you.”

After receiving the sheriff’s go-ahead, he drove to the garage to bring Larson in. He wasn’t at the garage. Rowan drove around until he spotted the man’s van at the school. He glanced at the clock on his dashboard. School would be out in thirty minutes. Larson would probably leave before that. Rowan settled in to wait and sent Shiloh a text asking if she’d take Rachel home with her.

She replied with a yes seconds before Larson exited the building. As the man pulled from the parking lot, Rowan followed, staying back a ways. He didn’t want to nab him at the school or any other public place. If Rowan was wrong about the man, although he didn’t think he was, he didn’t want to embarrass him.

Larson pulled into the lot of his garage. He turned and scowled as Rowan drove up alongside him. “Afternoon, Deputy.”

“Duke.” Rowan slid out. “I need to take you in for a lineup.”

“For what?’ The man’s face darkened.

“You match the physical description of the man who attacked the Nelsons. We’re bringing in four others.” He grinned. “If you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about.”

“You saying I hurt those people?”

“I’m not saying anything like that.” He opened the back door to his car. “Please.”

“I’ll follow you. I’m not getting in your car.”

“If you don’t follow me, I’ll arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Larson climbed into his van.

Rowan shrugged and slammed the door. The man knew the consequences if he didn’t follow.

At the office, he followed Larson inside and put him in the interrogation room until the other four men were brought in. He watched with amusement through the two-way mirror as Duke paced, every line of his body rigid. He’d give a hundred dollars to know what was going through his head.

The other two deputies, Deputy Shea Hatchett and Deputy Joey Hudson joined him. “He doesn’t look happy,” Matchett pointed out.

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