At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(32)

It wasn’t a question since Tina had probably seen the kiss, but Alexis answered it, anyway. “We both worked for the sheriff’s department as deputies. That’s how we met.”

“You don’t anymore?”

“No.” She sighed as she turned around and headed back up the road. “The new sheriff... It’s a long story. I became a bounty hunter. Culhane...well, he’s still figuring out some things.” She wondered how much Tina knew and realized there was no reason to hold anything back. In fact, telling a stranger felt freeing. Maybe if she said it out loud, then what was happening wouldn’t be so bad.

The rough road was jarring. She saw Tina wince in pain and tried to drive as carefully as possible to avoid the bumps. “His...wife—another long story—was recently murdered. Culhane is the sheriff’s number-one suspect.”

“Sounds complicated.”

Alexis chuckled as she reached the smoother dirt road. “You could say that.”

“You trust him?”

The question caught her flat-footed. She gripped the wheel, biting back her instant smart-ass response of Not a chance. She thought about it for a few moments. “I do.” Glancing over at Tina, she said, “Your life a little complicated, too?”

Tina let out a humorless laugh but quickly stifled it as she grimaced in pain.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Tina said, “I did something unforgivable, I’m afraid. Lars—”

“The baby whisperer?”

Tina nodded. “I love him, but a year ago I left him because he wouldn’t commit, even though we’d been living together for several years. In a weak moment, I met a man at the hotel bar and...” She sighed. “I realized my mistake at once and returned home. Not long after that, I discovered my one-night stand had resulted in pregnancy.”

She took a few shallow breaths. Alexis could hear the woman fighting tears. “Lars knew at once the baby wasn’t his, but he agreed to stay with me until the baby was born. But unfortunately, my one-night stand and pregnancy made him turn to another woman for those months.” More breaths, more tears. “The two of them had an affair that the whole town knew about. I thought he would leave the minute Chloe was born, but...” Her voice broke, and she began to sob quietly. “My precious baby. Lars...”

“I’m sure Chloe is fine,” Alexis said hastily. “Lars is fine, too. She’s with him.”

Tina nodded and tried to pull herself together. “Lars is wonderful with her.” Alexis nodded. She’d seen the two of them together. She’d held the baby in her arms. The thought made her reach down and put her hand protectively over her stomach for a moment.

“Today was the first time Lars and Shirley had come out in public as a couple,” Tina said.

She heard the woman’s pain. She wanted to say something to make it better but knew there were no words. She’d seen Lars with that other woman, Shirley. “You still love him.”

“With all my heart. My mother...” She cleared her throat and let go of her broken arm for a moment to wipe at her tears. “She keeps saying I need to—” she made air quotes with one hand “—kick him to the curb. I guess there is nothing keeping him from taking off with Shirley now—once I come back for my baby.”

“I doubt things are that clear-cut,” Alexis said. “I saw the way he was with Chloe and the way he came to your defense. I think he cares more than you think.”

“He really was all right when you left?” she asked. Alexis nodded. “And my mother?” She nodded again. “What about Bessie?”

“Earl Ray was taking care of her. An ambulance had been called.”

Tina seemed to relax. Ahead, Alexis saw a town appear on the horizon, this one larger than Buckhorn. She thought about Culhane and worried what would happen when he found the van. Please don’t get yourself killed. Would he be there when she returned? Or would he be long gone? She thought about the promise he’d made her and the look in his eyes. The tip of her tongue touched her upper lip as she thought about that kiss.

From the moment she’d met him, she’d known she could trust him with her life—just not her heart, but damned if he hadn’t stolen it, anyway.

AS THE VAN came up over the rise, Bobby had only a few moments to take in the scene in front of him. A river with rushing water and large boulders. A few dilapidated buildings off to one side. And what had once been a narrow wooden bridge spanning the deep, fast water.

End of the road, he thought. In more ways than one. In that instant, he felt a wave of relief as he slammed on the brakes. It was over.

“Get your foot off that brake, you son of a—” Gene screamed.

“It’s a dead end,” he yelled back.

“Take the bridge.”

Bobby shot him a look. The van was still moving too fast. If he didn’t get it under control soon... But it was what he heard in the hard gravel of Gene’s voice—and the sight of the gun pointed at him that made the decision for him.

Take the bridge.

Or take a bullet.

It wasn’t over. But it would be soon.

He let up off the brake, knowing that, either way, he was going to die, and tromped on the gas. The van jumped forward even as fast as he was already going. Hadn’t his mother warned him how it would end if he didn’t change his ways?