Page 13 of Guarding Bristol

“Bye.And hey, don’t let it get you down if he doesn’t take you up on the offer.You tried.That was good of you, and way more than most people would do.”

“No promises.”

“Yeah, I know.Just felt the need to say it anyway.”

Good of her.

Those words rolled around in Bristol’s head as she drove home.Was it good of her just because she didn’t want to see a veteran who had served honorably with her brother live out the rest of a bleak existence and then die forgotten on the street?

She’d planned to go home and enjoy a glass of wine in the sunshine on her back patio, but now she felt restless and bored, the idea of going back to her empty place suddenly unappealing.If Eric was still here and he’d known about TJ, he wouldn’t sit back and wait for his friend to make a move.

She knew her brother.Knew he would have done everything in his power to help his buddy, to get him off the streets.TJ didn’t seem violent.She hadn’t seen any needle tracks on his forearms.He’d been sober at the site.If he had any addiction issues, he was high-functioning.That gave her hope.Made her believe it wasn’t too late for him.

A plan formed in her mind.It was impulsive.A bit invasive.A lot invasive, actually.

She considered it for another few minutes.Dismissed it.But after driving another mile, the feeling of rightness in her gut wouldn’t go away.

It was early afternoon.She had hours of daylight left yet.It wouldn’t be that risky as long as she left by the time it got dark.Besides, Cassie was busy.And Bristol was strong.She had done this before and could do it again now.For Eric.She could almost hear his voice in her head.

Help him.He’s got no one else.

She turned the car north and headed up the hill toward the freeway, determination taking hold now that she’d made her mind up to do this.She would start at the construction site and go from there.

The rest of the world might have given up on TJ.But not her.

Chapter Six

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TJ was in the midstof unrolling his sleeping bag when he heard someone approach his tent where he’d set up camp for the night.

“Hey, man.Apparently, some chick’s here looking for you.”

What?He pushed the flap aside and ducked his head out of the tent to follow the guy’s gaze.

At first, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.Just a small group of tents and some mattresses set up under one of the quieter overpasses near the city center, with seven or eight other guys sitting around the makeshift campsite.

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