Page 11 of River Strong

She waited a few moments for her mother to ask how she was doing, if she’d healed from the gunshot that had almost killed her. But even as she waited, she knew all her mother’s concerns were elsewhere. “Nice new ramps out front.” If she’d had any questions about her brother’s health, she no longer did. “Where’s CJ?”

“He’s going to be staying in the guest room on this level. We need to discuss a few things.”

Oakley knew what that meant even before she heard the creak of a wheelchair coming down the hallway. She braced herself, knowing that nothing could prepare her for seeing her brother again. He’d told Tilly that shooting her had been an accident, a stupid impulsive act. That his horse shied when he’d fired a warning shot at her.

But as he wheeled down the hallway, she met his gaze and knew the truth. Her mouth went dry, her chest pressed against her lungs, stealing her breath. He hadn’t misfired, just as she’d suspected. He’d tried to kill her. Why?

She had to find out before he tried again.

THESHERIFFWOKEsprawled on an unfamiliar couch in a state of mental confusion. Through the thick fog filling his brain, he looked around at the unfamiliar setting. He wasn’t sure where he was or how he’d gotten there. Then he saw the photograph, the single one on the wall. He was in Abigail’s house.

“Abigail?” No answer. He tried to sit up, shocked that he’d fallen asleep on the couch fully dressed and even more concerned about how woozy he felt. He didn’t normally drink wine, but he was sure he hadn’t consumed more than half a glass.

He glanced at the time and felt even more confused. He’d slept all night on the couch? He remembered that look Abigail had given him after dinner. Had they made love? He didn’t think so since he was still fully dressed. Only his boots had been removed. He grimaced as he stood, wobbly on his stocking feet, and saw that sunlight now streamed in through the nearby window. It was even later than he’d thought.

“Abigail?” His head ached and his mouth felt like a desert. He moved toward the door to her bedroom, pushed the door open and saw that her bed was made. Either she’d gotten up early and left or hadn’t slept there at all.

There was no sign of her in the rest of the small house. His brain felt fuzzy, his thoughts random and hard to rein in. Back at the couch he put on his boots, thinking that she must have gotten called into work at the hospital.

As he finished pulling on his boots and started to rise again, he considered leaving a note, still shocked that he’d fallen asleep and slept through the entire night. Also a little surprised that he hadn’t found a note from Abigail. She must be furious with him for falling asleep last night.

He needed to call her. No, maybe he’d call her later when things felt clearer, he told himself. As he started for the door, he reached into his pocket and realized his keys weren’t there.

He turned back to the couch, thinking they must have fallen out. He spotted his keys glittering in the sunlight from where they lay on the end table at the far end of the couch.

Stu walked slowly toward them. The fuzz in his brain shifting to let a clear thought squeeze past. Had they fallen out of his pocket? Or had Abigail taken his keys from his pocket? Why would she go to the trouble to put them on the table at her end of the couch?

As he picked up his keys, he caught a scent that made him draw the keys to his nose. There was more than a hint of her perfume on them. He hadn’t smelled her perfume on his clothing—just on his keys. Something felt all wrong. Red flags were going off everywhere, especially in the less groggy part of his brain.

His last memory was falling asleep at the beginning of the movie. He’d been tired, but not that tired. He swallowed, his mouth still dry, but this time he tasted something familiar. Chalky chocolate mousse.

His heartrate jumped into high speed. What the hell had happened last night?

OAKLEYHADTROUBLEeven looking at her brother and not giving away the turmoil raging inside her. If anything, CJ looked more imposing, as if he’d been doing upper body workouts. She’d thought the result of his pickup rollover while fleeing the law might have humbled him a little. But CJ wasn’t one for introspection, never had been. If anything, he seemed angrier now, as if everything that had happened was Oakley’s fault.

“As you can see, there are going to be some changes around here,” her mother was saying, drawing Oakley’s attention thankfully away from her brother. Seeing what she had in his expression had made her shudder inwardly while at the same time, making her want to go for his throat for what he’d done to her. She was relieved not to have to look at him.

“The ramps are temporary,” her mother was saying. “I want your brother to be able to come and go at will. The van is retrofitted for his wheelchair. I’m sure he won’t have to use it for very long.”

“Is that what the doctor said?” Oakley asked.

Her mother glared at her. “The doctor doesn’t know. None of them know anything. Of course he will walk again. Never underestimate your brother.”

“Oh, I don’t,” Oakley said, shooting him a look. Nor should he underestimate her, she hoped her look conveyed.

“One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you is that our lawyer needs you to make a statement for the record.”

She felt a current of unease move through her at her mother’s words. “A statement?”

“About theaccident.”

Oakley felt her stomach roil. “Accident?”

Her mother’s look hardened. “Your brother’s rifle went off. It was an unfortunate accident. He never meant to shoot at you and since you have no memory of that day...” Oakley could feel the heat of the gaze. “You haven’t remembered anything, have you?” There was a note of worry in her mother’s voice. She could feel both her mother and CJ waiting for an answer. Oakley was struck by the fact that it appeared neither of them wanted her to remember.

She glanced over at her brother again. He had his head down, but she knew he was watching her out of the corner of his eye, waiting to hear what she had to say. “No, I can’t remember any of it.” She saw relief loosen the tension in CJ’s shoulders.

As his head came up, she was even more convinced there was something he definitely didn’t want her to recall.

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