Be With Me(38)

Other than a nagging buzz in her head that wouldn’t go away, she didn’t think she was any worse for the wear. Wel , unless you counted some seriously shot nerves.

“We have to cal this in,” she rasped. “Evidence.”

“Already done, baby. You just stay your ass in one place. In fact, I’m going to take you to the truck so you can sit down. If you so much as look like you’re going to sway, I’m hauling your butt to the ER.”

“Truck sounds pretty good right now,” she said.

Hutch picked her up and strode to his truck. Her fuzzy vision took in a large dent in his hood as they passed.

“Ah, f**k. Your truck.”

“I don’t give a shit about my truck. Just that you’re al right.”

He opened the passenger door, then shouldered it open wider before he settled her into the seat. Then he reached down and pulled the lever to recline it. He eased her down until she was nearly flat on her back.

“You’re a mess,” he murmured as he trailed a finger down her cheek.

“So is your truck,” she croaked. “And my SUV.” She sighed. “I saved up for forever to buy it. It was cute.”

“Cute? You’re actual y admitting to buying a cute vehicle?”

“Hey, I’m a girl. We’re supposed to have cute vehicles,” she grumbled.

“Now I know you’re suffering a head injury.” She reached a hand blindly up until it col ided with his face. She cupped his cheek. “I was so scared,” she whispered. “I thought . . .” Her voice cracked as tears suddenly wel ed in her eyes. “I thought maybe it was you. That the explosion got you.” Hutch leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. “No, baby, I’m fine. Don’t upset yourself.” He stroked a gentle hand through her hair. “God, I was fine. Just a cracked windshield and a dent or two. But you . . . Jesus, I watched you hit the door.” Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer with each passing second. She struggled to sit up despite Hutch holding her down.

“Let me up,” she said.

He hesitated but then relented and helped her sit up. She swung her feet around the seat to dangle close to the step down. After blinking a few times to clear her vision, she saw two fire trucks and three police units tear up her street.

Her car was stil a smoking mass of metal, but the flames had died down some. And then she saw what the explosion had done to the front of her house.

“My house,” she said faintly. “Look at my house.” The front windows were blown out, al three of them. There was debris on the roof and scattered over the lawn. The flowers that she’d lovingly planted were gone. Even the lone dogwood in the yard was now nothing more than a pitiful, smoldering stick in the ground.

The firefighters jumped out and quickly hosed down her SUV. Jeremy, Carl and the chief hurried over to the truck where Hutch stood.

“Regina, are you al right?” the chief demanded.

“I’m fine. Just shaken up.”

She slid off the seat, steadying herself by grabbing Hutch’s arm. He put his arm around her shoulders as her feet found solid ground.

“What the hel happened here?” Carl demanded.

Regina sighed and quickly related the sequence of events leading up to the explosion.

“Sounds like a delayed timer,” Jeremy said grimly.

“Christ, if you hadn’t gotten out to go back in, it would have exploded with you in it.”

Hutch paled, and he tightened his grip on her shoulder. She worked hard to keep her hands from shaking, final y bal ing her fingers into fists.

Her yard quickly got a lot more crowded as more police and first responders showed up. The entire frickin’ town would be there before the hour was out.

The whole area was cordoned off, and she and Hutch were pushed back into the street. She watched with a sense of detachment. It was just any other crime scene. It wasn’t her home and vehicle.

To admit that would be to admit how close she’d come to death. Again.

It was enough to make her religious.

Hutch kept his arm around her, rubbing his hand up and down her shoulder. Every once in a while he’d glance down, concern burning brightly in his eyes.

She stared dul y at the chief as he directed the activity around her vehicle. It had turned into a regular police party—locals, the county guys, state police, even a bomb squad guy from the city south of her podunk town. This had to be a first.

And just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Peter Fal on drove up in his black Mercedes.

On second thought, things could get worse. Her mother climbed out of the passenger seat and scanned the crowd until her eyes alighted on Regina.

“Fuck me,” Reggie muttered.

Hutch stiffened beside her then squeezed her arm reassuringly. “I’m here, baby.”

To her never-ending shock, and she’d truly thought the days of her parents surprising her had ended, her mother rushed over and threw her arms around Regina, hugging her tightly.

“Regina, thank God you’re al right.” Regina pulled away, blinking in confusion. “Mom.

What are you doing here?”

Lydia smoothed the tendrils of Regina’s hair, pushing them back away from her face in a decidedly motherly fashion. Hel , maybe Regina had died, or maybe this was some bizarre dream she hadn’t awoken from yet. She liked option number two.