Page 24 of Crossroads of Innocence
“Hey, Cruz,” Wade said, answering the phone as he slid the door closed. “What’s up?”
She listened to Wade as she opened her messages. Her heart fell to the floor. Wade’s words became garbled in her ears, his expression pinched with concern. Bile slid up her throat as she clicked through the messages, each more alarming than the last.
“Jude, Jude!” Wade’s hands were on her arms, his face right in front of hers. “What’s wrong?”
Her grip loosened on her phone as she let her arm drop and dangle at her side. “Matthew. He hurt Matthew. He hurt my brother.”
“I know.”
She blinked, bringing Wade into focus. “You know? How do you know? I can’t—” A sob caught in her throat, and she pitched forward.
Wade opened his arms and she fell against him. “That was Cruz on the phone. He’s at the hospital now. Matthew’s in surgery. Brandon found him unconscious in the living room when he got home. He didn’t have a ton of details, but the video feed from their doorbell confirmed it was Benji Blitz.”
“I need to get to the hospital. Now. I need to make sure he’s okay.” She buried her head in his chest. Tears spilled from her eyes.
Resting his chin on the top of her head, he tightened his hold. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
She pulled away, anger flaring hot in her chest. “I’m not asking your permission. My brother is in the hospital. I need to go see him. I told him I’d visit him once everything was all cleared up. Once it was safe. I put him off time and time again, always with some excuse about how I couldn’t come back. And now he’s hurt and it’s my fault. I brought the danger to town. Sent the bad guy to his door.”
“You couldn’t have known he’d go after Matthew.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I should have guessed. He went to my parents’ house. Talked to my mom. If he found them, Matthew wouldn’t have been too difficult to find.”
Wade frowned. “How do you know this guy went to your parents’ home?”
Ashamed she hadn’t thought to be insistent that Matthew stay safe and on alert, she dropped her gaze to the floor. “Matthew told me. Mom called him and was freaking out. She got the same story you did—a detective was in search of me. No other details. I told Matthew I was safe and not to worry. This is my fault. If I’d have told you or Cruz, someone could have done something to protect him.”
He reached for her.
She shook her head and took a step backward. “I have to see him.”
“It’s not safe. Matthew might live in Elm Ridge, but there’s only one county hospital. Benji might be watching—waiting for you to show up. Putting yourself in danger won’t do Matthew any good.”
His words made sense, but she wouldn’t be swayed. “You don’t understand. I haven’t seen my brother in twelve years. If he dies before I get a chance to make things right, I’ll never forgive myself.” Her voice cracked as years of regret slammed against her like a raging river.
Wade scrubbed a palm over his face. “Let me call Cruz.”
She lifted a shoulder and sniffed back her tears. “Go ahead. But if you won’t take me, I’ll find another way.”
“Trust me, the last thing I want is to tell you what to do. I know you won’t listen anyway.” He smirked, as if remembering a million times she’d done the exact opposite of what he’d wanted. “But if I take you to see Matthew, I want to be smart about it and Cruz will have a better understanding of how to do that.”
“Fine,” she said. “Call. I’ll be ready to go as soon as you get off the phone.” She said it with way more confidence than she felt. Because when it came to seeing any member of her family, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever really be ready.
* * *
Anxiety knottedWade’s stomach as he maneuvered Chet’s truck into the employee’s parking lot behind the county hospital. He was grateful his buddy was fine with swapping trucks for the afternoon—an added layer of protection against being spotted—but the anxiousness coursing through his veins wouldn’t leave until he had Jude far away from the hospital.
The stakes were too high, the possibility an ambush waited for Jude too prevalent in his mind.
Shutting off the engine, he hooked an arm over the back of the seat and let the tips of his fingers rest on Jude’s shoulder. “You ready?”
She bit her thumbnail and stared out the windshield. “Yes. No. Maybe. Hell, this is terrifying, but I know I need to be here.”
He nodded, understanding the desire to be by a loved one’s side when they were injured and scared. “Cruz is waiting outside the break room. He positioned several unmarked police cars around the perimeter to keep an eye out for anything unusual, as well as plain-clothed officers inside.”
She flipped down the visor and wiped tears from her face. Not like it helped.
Her red, puffy eyes made his heart lurch. Dropping his arm, he took hold of her hand, forcing her nubby nail from her mouth. Her fear was evident, but he understood her panic went much deeper than the external threat on her life. “I’m right beside you. Whenever you want to leave, just say the word.”
