arrived an hour ago, following Steve’s call. He glanced over to the window where Steve was talking to Eduardo and Nancy for their statement, attempting to remain professional.
It wasn’t easy getting that call. It usually wasn’t, but this one felt personal. Racing here at three times the speed limit and keeping his car on the road was no effortless task either. But walking in and seeing her slumped on the floor, a bruise already forming on her perfect cheek, took every ounce of control he had to do his job tonight.
The men were all standing outside waiting for news, huddled together in worry. Doc Wilson—as everyone in town called the seventy-year-old man who had been the sole medical personnel in Small Rapids for forty years—had come and gone. Nick wanted her in a hospital, just to get checked out, but the closest one was in Madison. The old doctor’s hands were shaking as he checked her out, but everyone seemed satisfied with his judgment.
Trisha was leaning against her mother on the floor, an icepack to her cheek and a dazed look to her eyes. Yet, she hadn’t said a word. It stirred him. He cleared his throat and turned to Brad. “How long has Mike Peltzer worked on Eaton’s Orchard?”
“Why aren’t you out there looking for him?” Brad whipped out, eyes flaring.
Nick kept his tone even. “Don’t you worry, Wayne is doing just that.” Nick flipped his notebook open and tried to focus. “How long?”
Brad sighed and finally gave in to sit on the bed. “Almost a year. I told her not to hire him.”
“Did he ever threaten Miss Eaton before?”
Brad rose again. “Listen to you! Miss Eaton . As if you hadn’t been on a date with her, as if you hadn’t had a meal in this house with her family. I don’t know where you came from, but we’re not cold and emotionless…”
Nick sat Brad back down on the bed with a firm hand to his shoulder. He didn’t need to give this pest any explanations. And calling her Miss Eaton was the only thing keeping Nick detached right now. “If you think this is easy, it’s not. But I have a job to do and you’re not making it simpler. Has he ever threatened her before?” He drew out every word slowly.
Brad jerked his head aside, anger draining away. “No, not that I know of.”
Nick closed his notebook and replaced it in his back pocket. “I know you two are close friends, but don’t you start going off like a vigilante. Let us handle it.” He peered over at Trisha and was surprised to see her looking at him, her brown eyes clearing and seemingly hazel in color now.
Kneeling down in front of her, all the tension crept back into his body. He strained for patience as he tilted her chin gently to get a better look at her bruised cheek. “He clocked you good, didn’t he?” He turned to her mother. “Let’s get her back to the house. I need to talk with her alone for a few minutes.”
Hank and Mabel assisted their daughter in standing and, assured she wouldn’t fall back down, Nick walked over to Steve. “I’m going up to the main house with them to get a statement from her and make sure she’s settled.”
Steve rubbed at his thinning hair. “I’m done here. I’ll radio Wayne and catch up with him.”
Brad was still sitting on the bed slumped over, with his face now buried in his hands. Anger can take everything out of a person when it subsides. Nick knew his closeness with Trisha and bit back a sigh. Placing his hand to the man’s back, he leaned over. “We’re taking her up. Get some rest.”
Completely fatigued, he looked up. “She okay?”
Nick nodded and followed the Eatons outside. The men took one look at her curled under her father’s arm and dispersed inside, satisfied for now she was all right. Eduardo and Nancy came out and trailed them to the house.
Trisha stopped just inside the doorway, gaping at the staircase, and let out a groan. “I’ll walk you up,” he said. Nick turned to her parents, making sure he wouldn’t get
It wasn’t easy getting that call. It usually wasn’t, but this one felt personal. Racing here at three times the speed limit and keeping his car on the road was no effortless task either. But walking in and seeing her slumped on the floor, a bruise already forming on her perfect cheek, took every ounce of control he had to do his job tonight.
The men were all standing outside waiting for news, huddled together in worry. Doc Wilson—as everyone in town called the seventy-year-old man who had been the sole medical personnel in Small Rapids for forty years—had come and gone. Nick wanted her in a hospital, just to get checked out, but the closest one was in Madison. The old doctor’s hands were shaking as he checked her out, but everyone seemed satisfied with his judgment.
Trisha was leaning against her mother on the floor, an icepack to her cheek and a dazed look to her eyes. Yet, she hadn’t said a word. It stirred him. He cleared his throat and turned to Brad. “How long has Mike Peltzer worked on Eaton’s Orchard?”
“Why aren’t you out there looking for him?” Brad whipped out, eyes flaring.
Nick kept his tone even. “Don’t you worry, Wayne is doing just that.” Nick flipped his notebook open and tried to focus. “How long?”
Brad sighed and finally gave in to sit on the bed. “Almost a year. I told her not to hire him.”
“Did he ever threaten Miss Eaton before?”
Brad rose again. “Listen to you! Miss Eaton . As if you hadn’t been on a date with her, as if you hadn’t had a meal in this house with her family. I don’t know where you came from, but we’re not cold and emotionless…”
Nick sat Brad back down on the bed with a firm hand to his shoulder. He didn’t need to give this pest any explanations. And calling her Miss Eaton was the only thing keeping Nick detached right now. “If you think this is easy, it’s not. But I have a job to do and you’re not making it simpler. Has he ever threatened her before?” He drew out every word slowly.
Brad jerked his head aside, anger draining away. “No, not that I know of.”
Nick closed his notebook and replaced it in his back pocket. “I know you two are close friends, but don’t you start going off like a vigilante. Let us handle it.” He peered over at Trisha and was surprised to see her looking at him, her brown eyes clearing and seemingly hazel in color now.
Kneeling down in front of her, all the tension crept back into his body. He strained for patience as he tilted her chin gently to get a better look at her bruised cheek. “He clocked you good, didn’t he?” He turned to her mother. “Let’s get her back to the house. I need to talk with her alone for a few minutes.”
Hank and Mabel assisted their daughter in standing and, assured she wouldn’t fall back down, Nick walked over to Steve. “I’m going up to the main house with them to get a statement from her and make sure she’s settled.”
Steve rubbed at his thinning hair. “I’m done here. I’ll radio Wayne and catch up with him.”
Brad was still sitting on the bed slumped over, with his face now buried in his hands. Anger can take everything out of a person when it subsides. Nick knew his closeness with Trisha and bit back a sigh. Placing his hand to the man’s back, he leaned over. “We’re taking her up. Get some rest.”
Completely fatigued, he looked up. “She okay?”
Nick nodded and followed the Eatons outside. The men took one look at her curled under her father’s arm and dispersed inside, satisfied for now she was all right. Eduardo and Nancy came out and trailed them to the house.
Trisha stopped just inside the doorway, gaping at the staircase, and let out a groan. “I’ll walk you up,” he said. Nick turned to her parents, making sure he wouldn’t get
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