Page 4 of Out of the Shadows
Five minutes later the first officer arrived, followed by a fire truck and ambulance. The firefighters got her out of the seat but wouldn’t let her walk until the paramedics checked her out. They wanted her to go to the hospital, but after she walked a few feet back and forth, she knew nothing was broken. She might be a vet and not a medical doctor, but she would know if she was seriously injured.
Laura talked to the man who had stopped to help them—Melvin Janson. He stayed with them the entire time, helped to calm the kids, and gave a statement to the police that was clear and concise.
“The truck passed me about two miles back, just past the old church that shut down a few years back, they use it as an event center now. I flashed my lights at him to slow down, but he didn’t slow.”
“Did you see the driver?” the officer asked.
“No. There were two people, though—I saw someone in the passenger seat. I got a sense that the driver was a man, large build, but I barely caught a glimpse of the passenger.”
The officer took notes. “And then?”
“Ms. Barrett was in the left lane, and when the truck came up on her, she moved over to the right. He immediately followed and rear-ended her—then hit her again on the left corner of the car, causing her to spin out and roll. They didn’t stop, didn’t even slow down, just continued down Carefree Highway heading west.”
“Did you get a good look at the make and model?”
“A dark pickup. I think Ford, but I can’t swear to it. I didn’t get the license number, but it was a California plate.”
“That gives us something. Thank you.”
Laura called Logan and told him they’d been in an accident and asked for a ride. She could have called a friend, but she was shaken and wanted her brother.
She tried to figure out why someone had hit her.Twice.Maybe she’d cut them off and hadn’t realized it. Road rage was real. Or a couple of drunks messing around. But if they were drunk, why had they hit hertwice? Unless the second time was an accident as they were fleeing. Maybe mistaken identity? Were they trying to hurt someone in a similar car?
Whoever they were, she was grateful that she and the kids were okay.
“Did you call Dad?” Sydney asked as they sat in the back of the police car waiting for Logan.
Laura hadn’t thought of it. Her first thought was her brother, the one person who never let her down, never disappointed her. And if she was honest, she was still upset with her ex for canceling his weekend with the kids. He was supposed to pick them up on Friday after work and have them all weekend. They’d been looking forward to it, and this wasn’t the first time he had canceled last minute.
“Of course, I’ll do that now,” Laura said.
Her phone was cracked from the accident, but that was minor considering that she doubted her 4-Runner was salvageable. She called Charlie.
It went immediately to voicemail. That irritated her—once again, he’d let his phone die. What if she had needed him? What if one of the kids had been seriously injured?
“Charlie, it’s Laura. Give me a call as soon as you can. The kids are fine, but we were in an accident. I’ll tell you what happened when we talk. Bye.”
“He didn’t answer?” Sydney said, her voice cracking.
“It went to voicemail. You know Dad forgets to charge his phone.”
Sydney looked glum and put her head on Laura’s shoulder.
Laura should have accepted long ago that Charlie would continue to disappoint their kids. But every time, it was another knife twist in her heart.
Her brother talked to the police, to Melvin—who had waited with them until Logan arrived—and then finally they left the accident. By the time Logan pulled into her driveway, it was nearly midnight and Laura was exhausted.
But she was home.
Obi and R2—their four-year-old Labs—ran up to the car, even more excited than Laura that the family was home.
The dogs shouldn’t be out.
Her first thought was that Cody had left the back door unlatched—the dogs had been known to open the door if they heard or smelled something interesting. But Cody was diligent about the animals, better about his responsibilities than any other nine-year-old she knew.
Cody was the first out of the car. “How’d you boys get out?” he asked firmly, sounding more like a man than a little boy, making Laura’s heartstrings tighten.
They didn’t let the dogs out alone at night because of the coyotes and foxes that prowled Desert Hills after sundown.
