Page 135 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Aspen was out there, somewhere.

He swiveled when he overheard Cote speaking into his radio, ordering an APB on a car, presumably Aspen’s.

Did he really think she’d done this?

When Garrett had followed Cote up the mountain, he hadn’t passed any cars headed down. If Dean had only been stabbed minutes before, then that meant Aspen and her captor must have gone the other direction.

Cote could have cops all over the state looking for Aspen’s car, but they weren’t going to find it. Because her car wasn’t headingtowardcivilization but away.

He pushed out the front door and down the three steps, where he spoke to the uniformed cop who still stood there. “They had to have gone up the mountain.”

The man nodded. “We’ll find her. Wasn’t that your uncle?”

Garrett recognized the cop as someone he’d gone to school with. He nodded.

“We’ve already notified your aunt. Why don’t you head to the hospital? Give me your number, and I’ll call you when we find the person who did this.”

That made sense. Deborah would need him. If the worst happened, if Dean didn’t pull through, Deborah would need him all the more.

Garrett pulled a business card from his wallet and handed it to the cop, Gladstone, according to the name tag on his uniform. Gladstone gripped the card, but Garrett didn’t let go.

“Aspen Kincaid, the woman who lives here”—he leveled his gaze at the man—“she didn’t do it. My uncle said it wasn’t her.”

“We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Maybe, but when? When would they start looking for her? At the moment, they seemed more intent on figuring out what had happened than they were on finding whoever had attacked Aspen and Dean. “She didn’t do it. She’s not a danger to anybody. She’sindanger.”

“I understand.”

Did he? Or was he placating him?

The cop tugged the card. “Go on to the hospital, Garrett. We’ll be in touch.”

Sure they would. But to tell him what?

Garrett let go of his business card and jogged to his pickup.

He should be with Deborah. She needed him.

But Aspen.

Police cars had blocked him in. He engaged the four-wheel drive, yanked his wheel to the side, and drove across the snow-covered yard.

While he bounced over the terrain, he debated. Left to town and the hospital? Or right to Aspen?

As soon as his wheels hit pavement, he yanked the wheel to the right.

Dean had paramedics and EMTs and nurses and doctors and Deborah.

Aspen had nobody. Nobody who cared enough to find her. Nobody who believed in her. Nobody but Garrett.

And You, Lord. Protect her. Lead me to her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Aspen had been whispering a constant stream of prayers ever since she’d been locked in the trunk. The first couple of verses of the ninety-first Psalm filled her mind and her heart as she begged God for help.I dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I abide in Your shadow. You’re my refuge. I trust in You.

She couldn’t remember the rest of the words, only that the Psalm promised protection.Protect me, Father.

---