took a deep breath, finally allowing the pain and terror of the last hour to grab hold. Her ankle ached, her head pounded and every muscle in her body felt like stone. But she was free. She’d escaped a killer. And she owed her life to this man and his daughter.
She settled back against the seat, closed her eyes and listened to the hum of road as the darkness she’d been fighting finally took her.
“Daddy, she’s out!” Meghan yelled.
Bryce turned and saw Lucy’s head bob as she lost consciousness. He pulled the truck to the shoulder, then turned to check Lucy’s pulse. It was weak. “Lucy, wake up,” Bryce said, shaking her petite shoulders. Her dark hair slipped over her face. All he’d seen of her face earlier that wasn’t covered in dirt and blood was a pair of frightened green eyes staring back at him. He wished she would open them now. He was just noticing the dark bruise forming on her face, along with multiple scratches and a busted lip. Someone had beaten her. He tried to reassure his daughter. “She’s been running on adrenaline. It’s wearing off. She’ll be fine once we get her to the hospital.” He put the truck back into gear and took off again.
They were taking a longer route to town around the river, but he wasn’t about to turn and go back the other way, not when a maniac with a gun was out there. He was probably long gone by now, having missed his chance to follow them, but Bryce wasn’t taking any chances.
He dialed 911 on his cell phone, told the operator who answered what had happened and where they were headed, and she promised to have someone from the police department meet them at the hospital.
“Dad, the guy that attacked Lucy. Was it...?” Meghan’s voice was low and soft and she couldn’t finish the question, but he knew she was asking about the killer on the loose. It was a sad day when even thirteen-year-olds had to be worried about their own safety.
“We don’t know that,” he said, trying to reassure her, but was implying someone else was out there preying on women any better than knowing one killer was on the loose? His stomach rolled at the thought of what she’d escaped from. “Probably,” he conceded.
Bryce’s heart hammered against his chest. They’d encountered the man the press had dubbed the Back Roads Killer, the man who’d caused the deaths his brother was accused of. His gut churned thinking how close his daughter had been to that madman. His next thought was anger as he realized he couldn’t even identify the man who’d shot at them. Another opportunity to bring the real killer to justice, and he’d missed it.
Or maybe they hadn’t. He glanced at the woman on the seat beside him. What tale would she have when she awoke? Would she be able to describe her attacker? To his knowledge, she was the first to escape, the first who might be able to put a name and a face to the man who had terrorized this town for over a year.
His eyes fell on his brother’s contact number on his phone, and dread pumped through him. He pushed the speed dial for Clint’s number, each ring sending waves of worry through him. Finally the call rolled over to voice mail, and Bryce left a message telling his brother to call him ASAP.
He shouldn’t be making so many calls while driving, but reaching his brother was important. The local police had zeroed in on Clint as their prime suspect in the murders because his girlfriend, Jessica, had been the first victim, but his brother was no killer. Would someone from the FBI with no preconceived ideas about Clint have a fresh perspective and see this case for what it was? That had been his hope when he’d reached out to her for help. Would she be able to finally clear his brother’s name? She already had an advantage no one else had had before. She’d seen and escaped the attacker. He’d been burned before by government types who’d promised to help him then did nothing, yet he still dared to hope this time would be different. It was all he could do.
Police lights in his mirror caught his attention. A police cruiser pulled up beside him and motioned for him to roll down the window. He recognized the officer in the passenger’s seat as Jacob Newell.
He rolled down his window and Jacob spoke to him over the roar of the road. “Follow us to the hospital. We’ll escort you.” The police cruiser turned on its sirens and roared away. Bryce hit the accelerator and followed, all the while sending up prayers that when this beautiful brunette beside him awoke, she would be able to point the finger at her attacker, catch a killer who had preyed on his town for too long and clear his brother’s name once and for all. It was a lot to ask, but she’d already proven she was strong. Strong enough to escape a killer.
They arrived at the emergency room, and Lucy was whisked away on a gurney while Bryce was ushered into a curtained area to have his ear examined. He hadn’t even realized he’d been shot until Lucy pointed it out. His own adrenaline had gone on high alert when he’d seen the gunman. It hadn’t been his first firefight by any means—he’d seen plenty during his time as a marine and while working covert security for the CIA as part of the Special Operations Abroad team, or SOA—but his daughter had been with him and his main concern had been getting her to safety...her and the woman who’d pushed Meghan to the floorboards before he could even react. He hadn’t missed that unselfish act. She’d escaped a killer but had thought of another person when the shooting started.
Meghan stayed close by his side, her worry evident despite his assurances that he wasn’t hurt badly. He put his arm around her and pulled her to him. She was shaking, and rightly so. No one so young should ever have to witness what she had, or experience being shot at.
“We’re okay now,” he assured her.
“What about Lucy?” she asked.
The curtain flung open and Cassidy Summers, Bryce’s longtime friend and a nurse at the hospital, stood there looking surprised and worried. “What happened?” she asked as she walked in and removed the gauze the first attendant had placed over his ear to stop the bleeding.
“We found a woman on the road,” Meghan told her. “She’d been attacked and kidnapped, but she escaped and flagged us down. Then he started shooting at us!”
Cassidy shot Bryce a look. “It’s true then? I’ve heard people saying someone escaped the Back Roads Killer. The whole hospital has been in an uproar about it since the call came in.”
Bryce nodded. “It is true. Her name is Lucy Sanderson. She’s an FBI profiler. I asked her to come to town to help me prove Clint’s innocence. Instead, she was nearly killed by that maniac.”
Cassidy examined his ear. “It’s only a graze. You don’t even need stitches. I’ll bandage you up, and you can head home.”
“Daddy, can’t we stay and check on Lucy? I want to make certain she’s okay.”
He had the same concern. “We will, Meghan. I want to know too. Besides, I’m the one who invited her here. I feel responsible.”
A commotion in the lobby caused Cassidy to push back the curtain. Several reporters with TV cameras and sound equipment were setting up in the waiting area. Cassidy groaned. “The newspeople are here already. That was quick.”
He stood and pulled on his jacket. “News spreads fast in this town. Wait until they learn she’s with the FBI.” He turned to Cassidy. “Thanks for patching me up. Do you know where they took Lucy?”
“Down the hall to the last room on the left.” She grabbed his arm, pulling him back from barreling ahead. “Bryce, Meghan really shouldn’t be here
