Rita Herron - Cold Case at Camden Crossing

Irritated, she braked again, hoping the driver would pass her, but the jerk slowed slightly, then continued to ride her as she left town. The curve caught her off guard, and she skimmed the edge of the road, then the car passed, forcing her toward the ditch.

Sweat beaded on her hands as she clenched the steering wheel and tried to maintain control, but her tires hit another pothole, and the Jeep skidded off the road.

Her body slammed against the steering wheel as the SUV pitched forward, the front bumper ramming into the ditch.

The impact jerked her neck, her head hit the back of the seat and the world went dark.

Chapter Three

Chaz paid his bill at the diner, then checked in with his deputy, Ned Lemone, a young, restless guy who’d taken the job but made it clear he wanted to move to a big city and make detective. Not enough action around Camden Crossing.

At least he didn’t mind the night shift.

“Anything I need to know about?” Chaz asked.

Deputy Lemone shook his head. “A domestic out at the Cooter farm.”

“Wally and Inez at it again?”

His deputy nodded. “She threw a cast-iron skillet at him. Broke his big toe.”

Chaz shook his head. The couple fought like cats and dogs, but refused to separate. He’d been out there a half dozen times himself.

Chaz walked to the door. “Call me if anything comes up.”

Deputy Lemone nodded, and Chaz strode outside, went to his car and drove toward his cabin a couple of miles outside town on a creek, only three miles from White Forks.

And on the opposite side of town from his folks. Maybe he should relocate even farther away from them.

But he’d stayed, hoping being close might lead him to a clue about Ruth’s disappearance.

He wound around the curve on the deserted road, fighting thoughts of Tawny-Lynn when he noticed a battered, blue SUV had nose-dived into the ditch.

Tawny-Lynn’s SUV.

Dammit.

He swerved to the side of the road, threw the cruiser into Park and jogged over to her Jeep. His boots skidded on gravel as he rushed down the incline.

He glanced inside the driver’s side and saw Tawny-Lynn raise her head and look up at him. Blood dotted her forehead, and she seemed dazed and confused.

He pulled the door open. “Tawny-Lynn, are you all right?”

She nodded, then touched her forehead. He did a quick assessment. Her seat belt must have kept her from serious harm, but the Jeep was so old it didn’t have air bags.

“What happened?” Chaz asked as he lifted her chin to examine her for other injuries. The cut was small, and he didn’t think it needed stitches, but she could have a concussion.

“I... A car came up behind me,” she said, her voice hoarse. “I slowed to let him go past but he kept riding my bumper. And when he passed me, he was so close I ran off the road.”

“Did the driver stop?”

She shook her head. “No, he raced on by. He seemed like he was in real hurry.”

“Did you see who was driving?”

“No.”

“But you said ‘he.’ You’re sure it was a man?”

She dropped her hands to her lap. “No. The car had tinted windows.”

“What kind of car was it?”

Tawny-Lynn shrugged. “I don’t know, Chaz. It was dark and the lights nearly blinded me.” She reached for her keys. “Do you think you can help me get out of here?”

“Sure. But I’m going to call a medic to check you out. You might have a concussion.”

“I’m fine,” Tawny-Lynn said. “I just want to go back to the ranch.”

He grabbed the keys from her. “You’re not driving until you’re examined by a professional.”

She glared at him. “Chaz, please—”

“It would be irresponsible of me to let you drive when you might have a head injury.” He grabbed his phone from his belt and made the call.

“Racine, there was an accident on White Forks Road. Send the medics out here now.” A pause. “Yeah, thanks.” He disconnected then punched the number for Henry’s Auto Repair. “Henry, can you send a tow truck out to White Forks Road? A car accident, Jeep in a ditch that needs pulling out.”

“Sure. I’m on my way,” Henry said.

Chaz disconnected, his chest tightening as he glanced down at Tawny-Lynn. Her face looked pale in the moonlight, and she was rubbing her chest as if she might have cracked a rib.

He didn’t like the fact that she’d had an accident the very day she’d come to town. Or the fact that the driver had left her in the ditch.

Had it been an accident or had someone intentionally run her off the road?

* * *

TAWNY-LYNN STRUGGLED to remember details about the car. The driver was probably some joyriding teenager, or maybe a drunk driver.

But the message on her mirror at home taunted her.

Someone didn’t want her here. Actually a lot of people didn’t want her here. Had one of them run her into that ditch to get rid of her?

She unfastened her seat belt and started to climb from the car, but Chaz took her arm and helped her out. For a moment she was dizzy, but he steadied her and the world righted itself.

“You are hurt,” he said in a gruff voice.

“I’ve been through worse,” she said, then immediately regretted her comment when his gaze locked with hers. They both knew she’d barely survived that crash. Although no one knew how she’d escaped the burning vehicle.

Chaz started to say something, but the sound of a siren wailing rent the air, and red lights twirled in the night sky as the ambulance approached. A second later, the tow truck rolled in on its heels, and Tawny-Lynn had to succumb to an exam by the paramedics.

Meanwhile, Chaz spoke with Henry, the fiftysomething owner of the auto repair shop, and supervised as the man towed her Jeep from the ditch.

“Your blood pressure’s a little high, miss,” the blond medic said.

“Wouldn’t you think that’s normal after an accident?” she said wryly.

He nodded, then listened to her heart while the other medic cleaned her forehead and applied a small butterfly bandage.

“Heart sounds okay,” the medic said. He used a penlight and examined her eyes, instructing her to follow the light.

“I’m really fine,” Tawny-Lynn said. “I was wearing my seat belt so I didn’t hit the windshield.”

“How about the steering wheel?”

She nodded. “My chest did, but nothing is broken.” She had suffered broken ribs in the bus accident and knew that kind of breath-robbing pain.

“We should take you in for X-rays.”

Tawny-Lynn shook her head. “No need. I told you, I’m fine.”

The medics exchanged looks as Chaz approached. “If you won’t go in, you need to sign a waiver, miss.”

“Then let me sign it. I just want to go home.” Not that she considered White Forks home anymore. But she didn’t like people hovering over her.

She’d had too much of that after the bus wreck. Of course, the hovering had been people demanding that she remember, pressuring her, wanting answers that she couldn’t give.

“Maybe you should go to the hospital for observation,” Chaz suggested.

She’d been taking care of herself far too long to welcome attention, especially from Chaz Camden.

“I don’t need a hospital,” she said. “It was just a little accident.”

The medic handed her a form attached to a clipboard, and she gave them her autograph.

They packed up and left just as Henry finished dragging her SUV from the ditch. The thing was old and beat up, so a bent fender with a little body damage didn’t faze her. Not as long as the car would run.

“You shouldn’t drive it until I check it out,” Henry said. “Front end probably needs realignment. And that back tire is as bald as a baby’s butt.”