Evans Creek Book 2: In Good Hands

Chapter 27

Rowdy shook his head.

"The feds will go over your car, but I'm going to have Jimmy give it a look. Remember a while back when your car broke down and Jimmy towed it?" She nodded and he went on. "Well, he gave it a once over to check for any urgent repairs or safety issues. He'll be the one to know if anything is different than when he looked at it."

"I remember everything." Suzie frowned thoughtfully and closed her eyes again. Her head was pounding and the light was an irritant. "Well, almost everything."

Rowdy waited quietly while she took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"I remember the brakes worked when I left Baker House. That is, the pedal was a bit soft when I stopped at the end of the driveway and I remember thinking that it was just one more thing I needed to find the money for." She gave a shrug and winced. "I have to stop doing that. Anyway, the car worked as good as that hunk of junk ever did."

"And after you left the driveway? Did the brakes make any noise or give you any reason to think...?"

"I don't remember if I used the brakes much as I drove, but I guess I probably did a little. When I turned or slowed down maybe? If I did notice anything before I got to the top of the hill, I don't remember. When I tried to slow down the pedal went to the floor. I remember being shocked and...well, it's a bit of a blur after that. It happened so fast." She finished, covering a yawn.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Rowdy stood and reached to pull the covers up, but she slapped his hand away.

"Don't you have some paperwork to do?"

"No. I was off duty." He shrugged, looking at her face. It was obvious she was annoyed...with him? "I actually will have to give a statement or two before this is through."

"Can't you go and find someone else to pester?"

"No." He still didn't know if she was annoyed with him personally, but the distraction seemed to help her cope with the pain. He gave her half a smile. "The chief called me right before they brought you here. You are officially under police protection again. And that means that for the foreseeable future, you have 100% of my attention."

"Oh goodie." Suzie mumbled before covering another yawn.

"Sleep." All joking aside, concern softened his command.

"I can't with you...hovering." She waved him away.

"I'll step out for a few minutes to make a call, but I won't be far, and I'll come back in a little bit. I'm staying with you until I can take you home again."

"Fair enough." Her eyes closed and she waved him off again. "Go away."

---

Rowdy went far enough away that he wouldn't disturb anyone with his call, but kept his eyes on the area around her curtained off bed. From his spot in the corner, he would be unobserved, but could see anyone who approached her.

"Dennis, it's Rowdy."

"How's our girl?"

"I haven't talked to the doctor yet, but she looked good, all things considered. She was in good spirits. I only saw bruising and minor cuts. There was one cut on her arm that needed stitches and they are waiting on results for everything else."

"That's promising. No news is good news and before you ask, Brody is fine. Ebony is upstairs in Suzie's room with Jazlyn. That girl was so excited over the chance to use her new sleeping bag... Brody is sleeping soundly in his little bed. I hope you don't mind, but I let Winchester climb up on the bed and snuggle with him. They both seemed to need it."