Page 17 of Shelter for Martina

“Oh, no. Please, don’t answer—”

“I’m not. I’m just checking it. It could be…” Bud stopped and stared at the text. It took a second for the words to register in his mind, and then he jumped up and started grabbing clothes.

“What? What’s going on?”

“I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know what’s going on.”

“What? What’s happened?”

He didn’t have time to face her as he answered. “MartyBurgess just walked out of the woods.”

“I’m coming with—”

“No. You stay here. God only knows what I’m going to find when I get there. I’ll let you know as soon as I know something, okay?”

“Albert, please—”

“I know, baby. Trust me on this. You don’t need to be there.” He was buttoning his shirt as he slipped on his shoes, then tied them quickly. “There’s no telling what he’s going to say.”

Chapter 3

Bud drove as carefullyas he could. It was two o’clock in the morning, and he had no details, just that Burgess had stepped out of the woods on JimisonRoad and into the path of a car. The vehicle’s occupants had gotten out and called police when they realized who he was. What had transpired from that point, he had no idea.

There were law enforcement vehicles all over the place when he got there. Two KSP cruisers sat beside the road, lights flashing, and he wasn’t sure who they belonged to. In seconds, he recognized Trooper TedOkerson. “Hey, whaddya got?”

“Their MP walked out of the woods and into the path of a car, but they didn’t hit him. He’s hypothermic and scratched up.”

“Yeah, I bet. He’s been out there five fucking days,” Bud growled.

“Honestly, I have to say, he looks pretty good for a guy who’s been stomping around in the woods for almost a week,” Okerson announced. Bud heard what he wasn’t saying—loud and clear. “I knew you were working the MP on the Anderson woman. That’s why I made sure you got that text from dispatch. I knew you’d want to talk to him.”

“They’re taking him to the hospital?”

“I think so.” Okerson pointed. “SheriffYoung’s right over there.”

“Well, fuck me,” Bud mumbled. “Thanks, trooper.”

“Sure thing, detective.” Bud gave him an offhand wave as he walked away and headed toward Young.

“Well, well, well! Looks like somebody got you out of bed! Whatcha doin’ here, detective?” Young asked in his usual smug way.

“I want to question your MP about the Anderson girl.”

“You’ll have to wait until we’re finished with him.”

“No. I won’t. I’ll be there while you’re questioning him.”

Young folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t think you will.”

Bud mirrored his stance and, with his height advantage, he knew he was a bit more imposing. “Oh, I think I will. I can press the issue if you’d like, but I guarantee the judge isn’t going to like me calling him in the middle of the night because you’re being a dick.”

“Oh, so now I’m a dick?” Young spat, his eyes hardening.

Bud fixed the shorter man with a glare of his own. “You don’t have to be a dick. You can be a cooperating member of law enforcement and let me be there too. That’s totally up to you. We can do this the hard way, or we can do it the easy way. Your choice.”

Young looked away, effectively flinching. “Have it your way. You’re in. Just don’t take over. This ismyMP, not yours.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. As long as I’m there, you can piss in whichever corner you prefer.” Bud headed for the ambulance, Young struggling to keep up with him.

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