Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(50)

I forced myself to step back, to put some distance between us. “I’ll get to work on that sandwich.” Spinning around, I headed for the kitchen.

In a matter of minutes, I had a turkey sandwich, a glass of orange juice, a bottle of water, and a couple of painkillers sitting on the coffee table in front of Taylor. She looked from the food to me and back to the plate again. Then she inhaled it all with a speed I would have thought impossible. When nothing was left but crumbs, she eased herself back against the pillows.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“Much. Now, I just need a shower.”

I stood, taking her plate to head back to the kitchen. “Do you want me to sit outside the bathroom in case you feel faint?”

Taylor’s head snapped in my direction. “Um, no I don’t want you to stand outside my bathroom while I shower. That’s just creepy.”

I chuckled, but inside, I felt something loosen. Taylor was back to her old self. “All right. I swear I’ll stay out here.” My tone grew serious. “But promise me you’ll sit down in the shower if you feel lightheaded. If you do, call, and I’ll come in. I swear I won’t look.”

Taylor snickered. “Sure, you won’t. Perv.”

I shook my head. At least she was giving me shit again.

As Taylor headed for her bedroom, my cell buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and saw Tuck’s name flashing across the screen. “What’d you find?” I answered.

“Well, your girl was definitely shot at.”

I ignored the ripple of pleasure I felt at the your girl comment. “Bring me up to speed.”

“At first, I tracked Taylor’s movements, which brought me to a tree that, low and behold, had a bullet in it. Looks like a .223.”

“Same caliber as the one found in the hiker.”

“One and the same.”

Letting out a litany of curses, I began to pace. “What else?”

“I tried to follow the bullet’s trajectory and was able to find the unsub’s trail. I tracked it for a few miles before I came to what I think were ATV tracks. Unfortunately, I lost that trail in the rocky shoreline of the creek. I have no idea where the shooter went.”

A muscle in my cheek ticked. “So, we have a probable bullet match but not much else.”

“That about sums it up.”

“Okay, let’s reconvene tomorrow morning at my office. Let’s say, ten? I want to bring Frank Pardue in for questioning.”

“Sounds like a plan, but good luck finding Frank. I’ve been by his place three different times. He’s never there.”

I popped my jaw. “I’ll sit an officer at his place until he returns if I have to.”

Tuck’s voice grew serious. “We’ll get this guy, Walk, I promise you.”

“I know we will.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if anything changes.”

Rinsing Taylor’s plate, I bent to stick it in the dishwasher. “Will do. Stay safe.”

“Always. You do the same.”

“Always.” With that, I hit the end button on my screen.

Leaning back against the kitchen counter, I set my phone aside and scrubbed both hands down my face. What a fucking day. Images flashed through my mind, memories of how worried I had been for Taylor. Things could have ended so differently.

I could have been studying a crime scene of her dead body right now. I saw the mangled remains of the hiker in my mind’s eye. Remembered the glimmer of blonde hair in the afternoon light that had reminded me of Taylor. I rubbed at my eyes, trying to clear away the picture filling my brain. Taylor’s stubborn streak was going to get her fucking killed.

The squeak of a door sounded. Taylor shuffled out with her damp hair piled atop her head. She wore a flimsy tank and sleep shorts that cupped her pert, heart-shaped ass. My jaw tightened. “We need to talk.”

She padded towards the couch and dropped down onto it, pulling her knees to her chest. “Okay.” Her eyes trailed over my face as if searching each micro-expression for signs of what would come out of my mouth next.

I took a seat on the opposite end of the couch and tried desperately not to stare at her ass and legs, or worse, the juncture between her thighs. I gave myself a mental slap. This was not what I needed to be thinking about. I refocused on the subject at hand. “Do you realize today could’ve ended very differently?”

Taylor straightened in her seat. “I’m not stupid, I know I screwed up.”

“So you’ll agree to never go hiking or running without a buddy again? And you’ll always tell someone else where you’re going?”

Taylor let out an exasperated sigh. “I won’t be going hiking in that area again anytime soon. I have zero desire for a bullet in the brain. But I am going to run on my own.” I started to interject, but she held up a hand. “I promise that I will text Jensen and let her know when I leave, the route I’m taking, and when I expect to be back by. I’ll bring my phone, and text her if anything changes. But I need to do my long runs alone.”

I fisted my hands and tried to keep my tone even. “You were almost shot today.”

Taylor rose to her feet. “I know that! I know that better than anyone. But I’m not going to let some psycho hunter who thought I was Bambi keep me from doing something I love. Something I need to stay sane.”