Page 35 of Deadly Attraction
Chapter Eight
“Sorry, agent.” The state trooper looked haggard, deep creases around his eyes and bracketing his mouth as he studied Mitch’s credentials. “Roads west and south are closed because of the fires.”
Emma sighed silently, feeling slightly claustrophobic at the mass of cars and people. All four lanes in both directions were backed up. No one was moving.
“What about north?” Mitch said.
“Ten-car pile-up five miles from here has shut down evacuation efforts for now.”
Her bodyguard gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. “How soon before it’s cleaned up?”
“Could be hours. Lot of people injured, possible fatality from what I heard on the radio. Emergency medical personnel can’t get to them because of this traffic jam and they’re already tied up with other casualties.”
Emma wondered if she would have to pry Mitch’s fingers from the leather-covered wheel. He held his agitation in tight, most likely from his training but possibly a learned response from his upbringing.
His gray eyes cut to the jam-packed road of cars and trucks stretching from one horizon to the other, back to the trooper. “Thank you, officer.”
He wheeled the truck around and they headed back toward the way they’d come, going off-road to get around the tangle of cars trying to merge onto the highway.
“What now?” Emma asked. “Back to the ranch?”
“We passed a motel a mile back, didn’t we?”
“The Lazy 8? I wouldn’t board my horse there.”
“Goodsman and Brown wouldn’t suspect you’re there either, I’m guessing.”
Her cell rang and she jumped, not expecting a call, especially since the towers were so hit and miss. “It’s from the ranch,” she said checking the ID.
“You’ve got service?”
“3G, but yes.”
He wheeled farther off the road and parked, pulling out his cell as she answered.
Will sounded out of breath when she answered. “I’ve got a problem,” he said. “I wouldn’t have called, but…”
“You saw the stranger again?”
“No, not him. It’s Second Chance.”
Emma’s stomach plunged. In her peripheral vision, she saw Mitch do a fist pump as his call must have connected. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s listless. Keeps sitting on her haunches and won’t let Hope nurse. I called the vet, but she can’t get out here. Said the roads are shut down.”
“They are.”
“Hell in a hand basket, I’m so sorry.”
She so didn’t need this right now. “Will, this is not your fault.”
“I’m cursed, Emma.”
“You’re not cursed, for Heaven’s sake.”
Mitch bailed out of the truck, but the driver side window was still down from his conversation with the deputy. “Coop?” she heard him say. “Yeah, I’ve been trying to get through to you and Dupé. We can’t get out. I finally convinced Miss Bullheaded to split, and now we’re stuck. The highway’s jammed front to back.”
Miss Bullheaded?He should talk.
