Page 69 of Guarding Over You
He threw his weight into it, the iron groaning under pressure until the damn thing finally broke loose. One down. The rest came easier, but not by much.
By the time he had the last nut off, sweat ran down the back of his neck, dirt streaked his knuckles, and one had a shallow scrape bleeding just enough to sting. He didn’t care. He’d felt worse.
Twenty minutes later, the donut was on, the slashed tire tossed in the back, and his frustration ready to pop its cork on the next person to piss him off.
Arden stood a few feet away with a security guard, giving her statement. The guard promised to check the cameras, but Blaze already knew what they’d find. Nothing. The spot she’d parked in was a blind zone. A perfect cover.
Too perfect.
Which made him wonder if whoever did it knew exactly where she’d be.
Or if they’d been watching more closely and taken advantage of their opportunity. Like many, she moved around the lot to whatever spot was available. Something to think about.
A police cruiser pulled into the lot, the blue lights bouncing off the hood of Arden’s car, witnesses in the parking lot stopping and staring. Not exactly what anyone wanted.
He lifted a hand, waving them over, and felt a rush of relief when he recognized the driver.
“Blaze,” Tate Lancaster said as he climbed out. The guy was a brother of one of Ash’s friends. One of the Lancaster clan that had half grown up on the Ridgeway farm. “Didn’t know it was you calling it in.”
“It’s not,” he said. “It’s Arden Bellamy. She’s talking to security.”
Tate’s eyes flicked toward her. “Girlfriend? You’re not dressed for work.”
He followed Tate’s gaze. Arden was standing tall, her expression tight, composed, but he could see the fear just under the surface. The fatigue. The frustration equal to his.
He turned back to Tate, lowering his voice. “Getting there.”
“Got it,” Tate said, all business now. “Someone slashed her tire?”
“Yeah. And left a note.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his jaw tight. “It’s the second one. But this time, it’smorepersonal. The edge of violence that can’t be ignored.”
Tate moved around to the rear, crouching by the ruined tire to take photos. “Did she report the first one?”
“No.” His voice hardened. “She’s still got the note, but she did nothing with it. I’m pushing her now. I think it’s tied to her ex, or the ex’s new girlfriend. But I’ll let her tell you herself.”
He glanced toward Arden again. She was still talking to the guard, her shoulders straight but trembling just enough to make his fingers flex.
Whoever was doing this… had just made a mistake.
Because now, they were his problem too.
“Thanks again,” Arden said, the guard taking his leave. “Hi, I’m Arden Bellamy.”
She held her hand out to Tate. Always the composed professional one when many others would be in tears. Or at least not letting others feel what she might be because he knew the signs.
He knew the tells.
She wasn’t just pissed off, she was getting close to terrified.
“Officer Lancaster. Blaze was filling me in some.”
“You know each other?”
“Tate’s brother is friends with Ash,” he said. “Show him the note and tell him about the other one.”
She unfolded it to hand it over. No way they’d get prints at this point. Arden, Blaze, the guard, and now Tate were all touching it.
Tate snapped a picture of that also. “Do you want to keep this or give it to us?”
