Page 66 of Something’s Brewing

Garrett exhaled hard, and his shoulders relaxed slightly. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“I scared myself,” she admitted.

His jaw hardened. “Someone did this.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you see who?”

“Truck. Black. Big. Grille guard. That’s all.”

He swore quietly.

Above them, headlights flared across the road. Red-and-blue lights began to strobe through the rain. Nick.

Garrett helped Madison unclip her seatbelt. When she shifted, she winced.

“Easy,” he said.

She planted a foot on the ground and pushed herself upright. The world tilted.

He caught her before she could stumble.

“I can walk,” she insisted.

“I’m sure you can.” He slid an arm firmly around her waist. “You’re just not doing it alone.”

“Fine.”

Keeping most of her weight against him, Garrett guided her up the embankment one careful step at a time. The rain turned the weeds slick beneath their boots, and he steadied her by grabbing saplings whenever she faltered.

His pulse hadn’t slowed since the phone call.

Nick’s cruiser screeched to a stop, lights flashing wildly across the trees. He jumped out, already assessing the situation. He reached for Madison, slipping an arm around her. “I’ve got her. Madison, were you hurt?”

“Mostly sore,” she said. “The airbag got me.”

“It was a hit-and-run. They ran her into the ditch,” Garrett said.

Nick’s expression went sharp. “The ambulance is right behind me.” As if summoned, sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder.

“I really am okay,” she insisted.

“Good,” Garrett muttered. “Then you won’t mind getting checked out.”

She huffed a weak laugh.

Garrett pulled her close and guided her to the cruiser so she could sit down.

Nick shone a flashlight toward her wrecked vehicle below. “Is anyone still around?”

“No,” Madison said. “They left.”

Garrett’s arm tightened around her.

“They won’t get far,” Nick said quietly.

Lightning flashed again, briefly illuminating the storm-dark road, and just as suddenly as the downpour came, the rain eased to a faint drizzle.