Champagne & Chaps (8 page)

“Is she dead?” a man asked.

“I think so,” another man replied.

“Where is it?”

“I see headlights. Somebody’s coming. Shit.”

“I found it.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

“We should make sure she’s dead.”

“Doesn’t matter. No time and she doesn’t know us anyway. Get the hell out of here.”

Sabrina tried to open her eyes, but her head was throbbing.

Help
, she thought but couldn’t get the words out.

Dazed, she tried to gain her bearings, tried to put her thoughts together. What had just happened? Had been in some kind of accident? What were the voices she just heard?

She managed to blink her eyes open. Her head was to the side, against the steering wheel. The entire front window was gone.

Dust clouded the air and drifted into the car. She looked up and saw the passenger window was above her and it was shattered. She felt glass on her face and arm, and something sticky on her forehead. The headlights were still on, the light shining on the desert.

She tried to move but pain screamed through her left arm. Her arm was pinned between her and the door and from the intense pain, she wondered if it was broken.

Confusion continued to muddle her already cloudy brain. Hardly able to think straight, she thought she heard truck doors slam followed by the sound of tires spinning in gravel and the loud roar of an engine. The roar faded and a moment later she couldn’t hear it anymore.

Why had they left? They had left her for dead.

Groans and creaks came from the smashed vehicle. The tick of cooling metal met her ears along with a steady drip and the smell of gas.

She heard an engine again and the slamming of car doors followed by voices.

In moments the voices were louder and she thought she heard a woman calling out. “Hello? Is anyone in there?”

“Here,” she managed to get out.

“I hear someone!”

Sabrina’s body sagged with exhaustion. Not only did her arm hurt, but her whole body cried out in pain. The seatbelt felt like it was cutting into her chest and her legs were trapped and her head hurt.

A woman’s face appeared where the windshield had been, kneeling so that she was looking right at Sabrina. The headlights illuminated her features and her red hair.

“You’re alive,” the woman said when Sabrina’s eyes met hers. “Thank God.” The redheaded woman turned and yelled, “There’s at least one person alive in here.” She looked back at Sabrina and searched the SUV with her gaze. “Is anyone else with you?”

“No.” Sabrina’s voice cracked. She tried to shake her head but she hurt far too much.

Exhaustion started to overcome Sabrina and her eyelids fluttered.

“Stay with me,” the woman said. “We need to keep you awake in case you have a concussion, which you probably do after an accident like this. We’ve already called for help.”

Sabrina fought the exhaustion. “Okay.”

“I’m Jessie Cameron,” the woman said.

Sabrina grimaced as she took a breath then let it out. “Did you say Cameron?”

“Yes.” Jessie nodded.

“Then you know Wyatt,” Sabrina said.

“He’s my brother-in-law.” Recognition seemed to dawn in her eyes. “Is your name Sabrina?”

“Yes.” Sabrina was finding it hard to talk.

“Wyatt told us about you,” Jessie said. “You two are dating.”

Sabrina cleared her throat. “Yes.”

Jessie turned away and yelled again. “Zane, call Wyatt. It’s Sabrina, the one he was talking about last night.”

Sirens sounded fairly close. “That’s probably the Highway Patrol,” Jessie said. “It’s been about ten minutes so the ambulance will probably take another twenty to get here from Tucson.”

“Okay.” Breathing hurt, probably because of the seatbelt.

A man appeared next to Jessie and from the glow coming from the headlights she noticed he looked a little like Wyatt and had the same brilliant blue eyes. “I’m Zane,” he said. “Sure you’re okay, Sabrina?”

“I think so.” She winced. “My arm might be broken but I’m not sure.” She wanted to close her eyes so badly. “And I just want to sleep.”

“Nope.” Jessie shook her head. “Not happening.”

“Wyatt is on his way,” Zane said. “He was at a ranch a little over thirty minutes away taking care of some business, so it won’t take him long to get here.” He turned his head. “Highway Patrol is here.” He looked at Sabrina. “Jessie will keep you company and I’ll be right back.”

The sirens cut off as Zane left and Sabrina winced at another bout of pain.

“What happened?” Jessie asked.

“I don’t remember.” Sabrina’s head hurt to talk and she had a hard time thinking straight. “I got off I-10 on my way home from Tucson. And then…nothing.”

“An officer is here.” Jessie gave Sabrina a look of support and concern. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jessie moved away and a DPS officer crouched down so that he could see Sabrina. “I’m Officer McKinney.” He started asking her questions about how she was doing and telling her that the paramedics would be arriving soon. The radio on his shoulder squawked but she couldn’t hear what the dispatcher said or the officer’s reply when he turned his head to speak into it.

McKinney continued talking to her and she had the feeling he was asking questions not only to find out what happened but to keep her awake, too. She vaguely wondered what time it was. It had been nearly twilight when she’d turned off of I-10, but now she had no idea how much time had passed.

Jessie said to the officer, “When we came around a bend, up the road about a quarter mile, we saw headlights. As we got closer we saw a pickup on the highway in front of us, just driving crazy, crazy. His wheels were spinning in the dirt and when they hit the road I thought the truck was going to roll over. We braked hard and looked over at the headlights off the road and noticed right way the car had rolled and we stopped.”

“Can you give me a description of the truck?” Officer McKinney asked.

“It was hard to see, and happened so fast,” Jessie said. “All I can really tell you is that the vehicle was dark in color.

Sabrina heard the sound of sirens approaching at the same time tires screeched on the pavement. A vehicle door slammed and a couple of moments later Wyatt was saying, “I’m Sabrina’s boyfriend. Is she all right?”

“She’s alert and talking,” the officer said. “Why don’t you keep her talking? Don’t let her fall asleep.”

The next moment she saw Wyatt’s concerned face and she said, “Hi, handsome.”

“You’d better be all right, Sabrina.” His expression was fierce as he reached in and put his hand over hers that was still gripping the steering wheel. “I’m not losing you now that I’ve found you.”

“Ha.” She managed a smile. “You think you can get rid of me? I don’t think so.”

The sirens grew louder then cut off. The next thing that met her ears were the sounds of vehicles coming to a stop. Doors slammed and she heard voices.

“Paramedics are here,” Wyatt said. “Hang tight, sweetheart.”

The rest happened in a blur of frenetic energy and motion. Paramedics and DPS officers worked to get her out of the SUV and keep her neck motionless. It took maneuvering but they got her out of the wreckage on a board with her neck in a brace.

They carried her over the desert terrain to the waiting ambulance so smoothly and barely jostling her that it surprised her. She hadn’t realized just how far the SUV had rolled. Wyatt was at her side the entire way, his gaze so concerned and loving that it caused a lump to rise in her throat.

When they reached the ambulance they transferred her to a gurney and got her inside the vehicle. Wyatt wanted to go with her, but they said he’d have to follow.

The journey to the closest hospital in Tucson was about thirty minutes. The paramedics checked her over as the ambulance rushed her there.

“Unless you have internal damage or fractures, you’re looking pretty good,” one of the paramedics said with a reassuring smile. “You are going to have a lot of lovely bruising all over.”

“Just call me spot,” she said and both paramedics laughed.

She wanted to sleep so badly but no one would let her. Once they arrived in Tucson, she was taken into the ER and thoroughly examined. Wyatt was at her side every minute he could. The only moments he wasn’t were the times when he was told he’d have to wait in the curtained area that served as her room while she was taken somewhere for yet another exam.

Her mother and sisters arrived, and Carly was there not long after. Even Wyatt’s brother, Zane, and his wife, Jessie, were there. The only people they would let stay with her were her mom and Wyatt. She heard them talking in between doctor visits but didn’t really catch any of their conversations.

Everything was a constant blur of motion and every time she’d start to drift off and someone would make her wake.

By the time they had finished examining her, the doctors had determined that she hadn’t suffered any fractures and didn’t have any internal bleeding. She had a lot of bruising, sore limbs, a cut over her eye, scratches, and a moderate concussion, but otherwise she was going to be fine.

Immense relief crossed Wyatt’s features when the doctor gave the final prognosis.

Wyatt kissed her gently. “That doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“I think my lips are the only place that don’t hurt,” she said with a smile. “So kiss me all you want, cowboy.”

The doctors wanted to keep her overnight at the hospital and Wyatt insisted on staying with her the whole time. Eventually her mother and sisters and Carly were allowed to come in and then her aunts showed up. They didn’t stay long so that they wouldn’t wear her out.

When everyone had left the private room but Carly and Wyatt, an officer came in who introduced himself as Deputy Marks from the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.

“I’d like to ask you a few questions, Miss Holliday,” Deputy Marks said.

Sabrina still didn’t feel like she could nod so she just said, “Okay.”

The deputy asked her about the accident but there wasn’t much she could tell him. She just didn’t remember anything after turning off of the I-10 and onto Highway 83.

“Oh.” She frowned as something started to come to her. “When I first came to I heard men’s voices. I was really out of it so I don’t really remember what they said…except that one asked if I was dead and the other said he thought so.”

She could almost hear a low growl coming from Wyatt as Marks scribbled something down in a notebook.

Deputy Marks said. “Has your vehicle ever been in an accident prior to this one? Any damage to the driver’s side door?”

“No,” Sabrina said. “It was in excellent condition. I had a couple of door dings taken out a few weeks ago so there weren’t any dents.” She sighed. “Until now.”

Deputy Marks kept a calm expression. “We found quite a bit of green metallic paint on the left rear quarter panel and the left portion of the rear bumper, paint that belonged to another vehicle. We also found glass from a broken headlight in the road.”

Sabrina’s looked at the deputy, trying to make sense of what he was saying.

Wyatt stepped closer. “Are you saying that someone intentionally ran Sabrina off the road?”

“Hard to say exactly, but it could be.” Marks said. “We found pieces of a taillight that didn’t belong to Miss Holliday’s vehicle, not far from where she rolled off the road and we’ve got pieces of a headlight in the same location. And then there’s the paint on the door of a vehicle that, according to Miss Holliday has never been in an accident. There’s also the report from the witnesses that men in a dark truck had stopped at the scene and then left.” He looked at Sabrina, “And you also believe that men did come up to the vehicle after the wreck.”

Wyatt’s expression was thunderous. “Who the hell would want to run Sabrina off the road?”

“Do you have any kind of enemies?” the deputy asked her. “Anyone who would like to hurt you?”

“Not that I know of,” Sabrina said with a frown.

“Do you remember anything else that happened before the accident?” Marks held his pen over his notebook. “What did you do during the day?”

Sabrina’s mind started whirling. “I went to my mother’s—”

“Don’t forget that Derrick guy.” Carly came up to the bed. “He came over and gave you that package.”

“What package?” Wyatt snapped out the words.

“I don’t know what was in it,” Sabrina said. “He just asked me to deliver it to his sister, Izzy, in Tucson.”

“As far as I know, Harper doesn’t have a sister,” Wyatt said.

Deputy Marks put up one hand. “Let me ask the questions.” He proceeded to ask her about the package, the delivery, her mother, and her day. He mostly concentrated on the package and then asked her questions about the one she picked up.

“They were just packages,” she said. “As far as I know.” Then her eyes widened. “I can’t believe I forgot.”

“What’s that?” Deputy Marks asked.

“I think two men tried to break into my SUV.”

“What?” Wyatt said. “Break into your vehicle?”

Marks held up his hand again. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

She explained how she’d gone into the convenience store and when she came out she saw the men messing with her SUV. “They saw me and took off,” she added.

“Do you think the men followed you?”

“I don’t know.” Sabrina started to shake her head again and grimaced from the pain. “I still don’t remember anything after I turned off of I-10.”

“One more thing,” Marks asked. “Where is the package you picked up for Mr. Harper?”

“In my SUV,” Sabrina said. “It was on the floorboard. Who knows where it ended up inside though.”

“I don’t know if the package is related to what happened, but we’re going to look into it,” Marks said. “I’ll see if it has been found in the wreckage.” He gave Sabrina a business card. “You remember anything, you give us a call.”

“I will,” she said.

The deputy gave her a nod. “Get some rest, Miss Holliday.”

“I will.” Sabrina felt exhaustion straight through to her bones and she suddenly had a hard time keeping her eyes open.

“I’m going to let you sleep.” Carly came to the side of the bed as the deputy left. “I can come back and give you a ride.”

“I’ll take care of Sabrina and get her back home when she’s released.” Wyatt’s hat was sitting on a table and he pushed his hand through his hair, a tired look on his face. “You go on home, Carly, and get some rest.”

“It’s pretty late.” Sabrina caught Carly’s hand. “Are you going to be okay driving at this hour?”

“I’m fine.” Carly squeezed Sabrina’s hand in return. “I’ll get some coffee and some sugar and I’ll be set.”

“Peanut butter M & M’s?” Sabrina asked with a grin.

“You know me.” Carly smiled then bent down and kissed Sabrina on the cheek. “I think I’m leaving you in good hands.”

Sabrina smiled and Wyatt said to Carly, “I’ll walk you out to make sure you get to your car all right.”

“Thanks.” Carly gave a little wave to Sabrina. “See you when you get home.”

When they left, Sabrina closed her eyes, feeling exhaustion pouring over her. No one had let her sleep yet because of the concussion and she was so tired.

In moments everything faded and she slept.

* * * * *

The hospital released Sabrina sometime before noon. Her mom had visited her again before she was released and she and Wyatt got along great. Sabrina loved the easy way that Wyatt talked with her mom and got her to laugh.

“Thank you, Wyatt.” She touched his arm as he drove his truck into Patagonia and headed for Carly’s house. “It means a lot to me that you were there.”

“You couldn’t get rid of me.” He caught her hand and put it on his chest. “Not even if you tried.”

She smiled. “I’m lucky. Just scratched, bruised, and sore.” And she had a killer headache.

The expression on Wyatt’s face darkened. “It could have been a lot worse.”

She turned her hand around in his and squeezed his fingers. “But it wasn’t. I’m fine.”

He looked from the road to her for a moment. “Thank God.”

They turned onto Carly’s street and pulled up to her house next to her red Jeep. She was on the porch, an agitated expression on her face. The moment she spotted Wyatt and Sabrina, a relieved expression came over her.

“What’s wrong, Carly?” Sabrina asked the moment she was out of the truck.

“Derrick Harper.” Carly scowled as Sabrina looked at her in surprise. “He keeps coming back, asking for his package. He doesn’t believe you were in an accident and thinks you took off with it.”

“What the hell?” Wyatt nearly growled. “He’s been harassing you?”

“You could definitely call it harassment, yes.” Carly nodded.

“He thinks I ran off with his package?” Sabrina looked at them in confusion. “Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, but I aim to find out.” Wyatt looked grim. “I’m going to find Harper and have a talk with him.”

“Thanks.” Carly looked even more relieved. “I’d hate for the bastard to come around and start in on Sabrina when she’s still recovering from the accident.”

A rush of anger came over Sabrina. How dare he put her in the position he had and bother Carly? And if all of this had something to do with those packages, she was going to kill Derrick herself.

“I’ll be back.” Wyatt kissed Sabrina. “You relax.” He looked at Carly. “Just wake her once an hour if she falls asleep. It still hasn’t been twenty-four hours.”

“I’m fine. Doctors didn’t say anything about that. I need my rest so please don’t wake me.” Sabrina gave her best pouty look and then a little smile.

Carly smiled. “Okay. I will be checking on you though.”

Wyatt kissed Sabrina again, then climbed into his truck.

Carly turned to Sabrina. “Your white knight.”

Sabrina smiled as they headed up the steps of the house. “He is, isn’t he?”

It didn’t take long for Carly to make Sabrina lie down on the couch after getting her a glass of iced tea.

“You can stop fussing over me, Mother Hen,” Sabrina said as she settled on the couch.

“I only do that for people I love.” Carly said. ”I’ll be watching you.”

“Thank you.” She closed her eyes immediately drifting off…asleep before she could count to five.

It seemed like she had barely closed her eyes when there was a loud banging at the door.

“Knock it off,” Carly grumbled and Sabrina blinked her eyes open to see her friend peeking out the curtain. A look of anger molded Carly’s pretty features. “Sonofabitch. It’s Derrick.”

She jerked the door open and Sabrina sat up on the couch and swung her legs to the floor.

“Where is she?” Derrick bellowed, causing Sabrina’s headache to intensify.

“Get the hell off my property,” Carly shouted. “Or I’m calling the sheriff’s office.”

Derrick looked past Carly and saw Sabrina. He shoved past Carly who shouted again for him to get out. His expression was furious as Sabrina stood up to face him.

“Where’s my package?” His voice was menacing.

“You’ve been told,” Sabrina said. “I was in an accident and they haven’t found the package. They think someone forced me off the road and then took it.”

“Bullshit.” Derrick’s fists were clenched at his sides. “You have it.”

Carly was in the background and Sabrina heard her ask for the sheriff’s office. Derrick swung around and grabbed the phone out of her hand, threw it onto the floor, and ground it under his boot.

Fire flashed in Carly’s eyes. “You sonofabitch.”

“Give me the money.” Derrick’s eyes had a crazy light to them and she smelled alcohol on his breath. “I need that twenty-five grand you stole from me.”

“Twenty-five grand?” Sabrina’s eyes widened.

“You know what was in there,” Derrick shouted.

From the corner of her eye, Sabrina saw Carly holding a baseball bat. “There was that kind of money in that package?” Sabrina asked.

“Don’t fuck around with me, bitch.” Derrick raised a fist. He turned to look at Carly just as she swung the bat at his head.

His hand snapped up and he grabbed the bat out of her hand. He held it like he was going to swing it at her.

“I don’t have your money.” Sabrina was frantic to get Derrick’s attention off of Carly. “I didn’t even know there was cash in that package. You said what I dropped off was for your sister. Why would she send back that kind of money to you through me?”

“You’re lying.” Derrick took a step forward, his fist drawn back and aimed at Sabrina. “Do you know what they’ll do to me if I don’t get them that money? Do you know? They’ll kill me.”

And then Derrick spun around. Sabrina looked in time to see a thunderous Wyatt holding Derrick by the collar. She hadn’t even seen Wyatt come in through the door.

Wyatt’s fist slammed into Derrick’s face. He stumbled backward and landed on the glass-topped table. His hat went flying. Wood and glass shattered. Blood poured from Derrick’s nose.

Before Derrick had a chance to get up, Wyatt reached down, grabbed him by the collar, and punched him again.

This time Derrick landed on one of the couches. He threw himself forward and bull rushed Wyatt who stepped out of the way.

Carly had been standing to the side and she swung the baseball bat at Derrick’s head and it glanced off his temple.

Derrick cried out from the impact and fell to the floor on his hands and knees. Wyatt jerked him up again and shoved him toward the front door and out onto the porch.

Sabrina ran to the door and watched as Wyatt marched Derrick down the steps and then shoved him toward his truck. Derrick dropped to his knees. Blood dripped from his temple, one eye was swollen shut, and his nose was bloody.

“Come near her again,” Wyatt said with fury on his face and in his voice, “and I’m not going to be so easy on you. Now get the hell out of here.”

Derrick scrambled to his feet. He started around to the driver’s side door. “I’m going to get my money from the bitch.”

“Get out of here.” Wyatt took another step toward him but Derrick was already in his truck. He started it, spun his tires as he stepped on the gas, and then shot forward down the street.

Wyatt turned and jogged up the stairs. He looked at Sabrina and then Carly who were now standing side-by-side. “Are you two all right?”

“He didn’t touch me, but he shoved Carly into that table.” Sabrina said, her arm around her friend’s shoulders.

Carly was still holding the bat. “So help me, if he comes near us again, I’m going to break his head open.”

Wyatt stepped between them and put his arms around their shoulders. “Sure you’re okay, Carly?”

She nodded. “Just pissed.”

Wyatt leaned down and kissed Sabrina on the head. “Thank God you’re both all right.”

Carly moved away from Wyatt and stomped on Derrick’s hat before picking it up and flinging it out the door.