Page 53 of Karma

“Says the woman who drew desk duty,” he muttered, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

He shook his head and walked to the water cooler, filling his water bottle with cold water and guzzling it fast.

“A car just slammed into the center median in town,” Sally, the dispatcher, called out. “I sent Marsden over.”

Cara raised an eyebrow. “That’s something you don’t see every day. Wonder if it’s a drunk and disorderly or an old person who shouldn’t be behind the wheel?”

Sally shrugged and put her headset back on.

Dare’s cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. Sam’s number showed on the screen and every nerve he possessed screamed in warning.

“Talk to me,” Dare said.

“The accident in town? It’s Liza.”

Dare’s family history immediately flashed through his mind; his parents’ deaths, Faith being hit by a car while trying to push Tess out of the way, and the ever-present vision of Stuart Rossman as he lay dying on the floor.

“Hey, did you hear me? I said she’s okay.” Sam’s voice intruded on Dare’s run down memory lane. “I just thought you’d want to know.”

Dare ran for his car before Sam had finished his sentence, Cara yelling at him to wait as she caught up to him in the hall.

“What is it?”

“Liza’s car hit the center median.”

Cara’s eyes opened wide. “If it weren’t for bad luck, she’d have none. Give me a second to clear it, and I’ll go with you.”

“Move it, or I’m leaving without you,” Dare said. Sam and Cara were officially partners, and since Dare’s partner moved out of state, he’d been solo until the police chief, who just happened to be Sam’s father, Simon Marsden, handled reassignments and new hires.

Five minutes later, they pulled up to the scene to find Sam’s cruiser parked at an angle, blocking off Main Street, while another officer rerouted traffic around the side streets.

An ambulance pulled up seconds behind Dare.

He strode across the lawn and past the police barrier. By the time he reached the scene of the accident, his heart was permanently lodged in the back of his throat. Then he saw Liza’s small convertible wedged into the gazebo. The top was down, the front end had taken a beating, and the air bag had deployed. Liza sat on the ground, Sam by her side, and she looked fine.

As Dare approached, Sam was talking too quietly for Dare to make out what he was saying. Liza, on the other hand, was speaking loud and clear. “I’m fine. I do not need a hospital, and I just want to go home.”

Dare held back a grin, relieved that she really was okay and clearly feeling well enough to argue with Sam.

“What happened?” he asked, kneeling beside them.

Liza looked up at him and narrowed her gaze. “That’s who you called when you stepped away from me?” she asked Sam, accusation and anger powering her voice.

“If I didn’t call him, he’d kick my ass,” Sam explained.

Damned right,Dare thought. And though he understood why she didn’t want to see him, he’d be damned if he was going anywhere now.

“Well, I’m going to kick it now,” Liza said, and Sam held up his hands as if he needed protection.

“You don’t want him to have to arrest you for assaulting an officer,” Dare said to her.

“Go away.” She refused to look at him.

He muttered a curse under his breath. “Can’t do that.”

The paramedic strode over before Liza could reply. “What happened?” he asked.

“Ms. McKnight had an accident,” Sam explained. “Air bag deployed. No visible injuries and she’s been coherent and awake since I arrived on the scene.”

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