Page 94 of Rescued Heart

Carter glanced at Eddie. “I tripped.”

“Tripped?” Bianca stood to her feet. “It’s not a good night to make jokes, Carter. Who was that? We heard…how much do you owe?”

Carter narrowed his gaze at the flashlight coming at them through the tree branches. “Leave it alone, Bia. Trust me, you don’t want it to become your business.”

Eddie moved in front of her and sent a glare to Carter. “You could’ve been killed.”

Carter spat out some blood that landed close to Bianca’s sandals. “They wouldn’t have killed me. Can’t get money from a dead guy, can you?”

Why was it always about money? Bianca put her shaking hand on her hip. “How much trouble are you in with them?”

Carter sucked in a breath as he grabbed his side. “Don’t worry, it’s not as much as your ex took.”

Her stomach tightened. Nathan had been talking about money over the phone the week before he was arrested. “This has to do with Nathan?”

Carter avoided her eyes.

Bianca stepped around Eddie. “How? Wait…is this somehow a debt to him? He did this to you? Is this why he keeps trying to contact me?”

Eddie rose to his feet. “He’s still bothering you?”

Carter stuck his hand out to Eddie. “Since you always seem to be around, help me up?” Then to Bianca, “You really are as naïve as they say you are, aren’t you? Here I thought it was an act.”

Eddie straightened without grabbing hold of Carter’s hand. “You should probably stay resting there until an ambulance arrives.”

Thad squeezed between two trees. He wiped his sleeve on his sweaty forehead. His eyes blinked wide, and he hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “Ambulance is three minutes out. Police, one.”

“Great. More police.” Carter sent a glare to Bianca. “Be ready to film tomorrow. Like the man said, money takes care of everything. And we both really need this movie to get done.”

Eddie pressed his shoulder against hers. “Thad, do you mind waiting with Carter? I’m going to make sure Bianca gets safely back with that man on the loose.”

Thad nodded, and Eddie held a branch out of her way. There was no way she wanted to even pretend to be in a relationship with Carter. He was nothing like Eddie. Nothing like the man God would want her to be with.

Eddie pulled out his phone. “I’m letting the police chief know that we’re going to wait in my truck until they need our statements. I figure that’ll be safer until we know the set is clear.”

Bianca kicked a rock along the sidewalk. “I’m tired of giving statements.”

Eddie turned and looked at her. Something must have been written on her face, because he simply opened his arms, and Bianca fell against his chest.

He traced one of his hands up her back. “It’s been a long day.”

Bianca pulled back. Eddie’s face was right before her—a place she wouldn’t mind him staying. “Eddie, I?—”

“Rice!” Office Ramble had his gun out and pointed at the ground. “Follow me to my car while the rest of my squad makes sure the set is secure.”

Eddie wrapped his arms around Bianca, and she shivered against him.

Bianca watched Office Ramble check the hidden points around them. The trashcan at the third row of parking spaces. Eddie’s truck parked in the front. “Officer, we heard parts of Carter and the attacker’s conversation. It’s something to do with the Duke.”

Officer Ramble nodded without taking his gaze off the path behind them and then opened the back of his car. “A name I’ve learned to dislike hearing.”

Bianca put her hand on the car door. “I know the jury didn’t believe my testimony about Nathan, but I’m sure he has a criminal connection. I’ve heard him mention the Duke before. And Nathan’s been trying to contact me.”

Both Eddie and Officer Ramble locked their attention on her, but it was Officer Ramble who said, “Then you might be the exact person we need to wear a wire.”

TWENTY

Eddie set the pan of perfectly cooked brownies on the hot pad in the firehouse kitchen. He’d managed to get the dessert into the oven on their lunch break before the start of the last session. Apparently, the mayor’s request for Eddie to be on the film set could be trumped by a safety webinar.

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