| |
Veri knew something was wrong ten minutes after she left the gas station. She’d stopped in there to buy some soda and something to microwave in the morning. She hadn’t had time to hit the grocery store yet. And she never had been into the stereotypical doughnuts that somehow always ended up in the break room.
Thunder cracked overhead. Veri shivered. She wasn’t a storm wimp, but she hated driving in it at night. And she was forty-five minutes from her home.
Veri had learned a long time ago to depend on herself. And to put on her big-girl panties and just deal.
When her car started shaking in that familiar pattern that told her she should have gotten her tires replaced months ago, Veri bit back the instinctive rush of panic.
It was wet, dark, storming, and her tire was most likely flat. And she was all alone.
No. She wasn’t stupid.
Veri pulled off the road in the first safe space she could find. It was the road to the old McGareth place. If she was stuck out there too long, she’d just hoof it to shelter. That little Lacy Deane may have even rented the place out by now. There could be people there.
But the first thing she needed to do was call someone and let them know where she was.
She thought about calling Jeff, but he was more than twice as far away by now no doubt. And on the clock.
She didn’t want to divert one of her boys when they were needed on the roads. She knew how strapped her county was.
She dialed Bailey. The girl would be off work by now—and the closest to where she was. The Dillon place was not that far away as the crow flies.
She’d spoken with Bailey herself at almost nine thirty, telling the girl to go home. What she and Clay were working on could wait a bit. The girl needed to rest. Clay had agreed, then argued with Bailey and sent her home, promising to go himself.
Her girl hadn’t liked it, but Bailey had gone.
She was just going to tell Bailey what had happened and where she was.
Veri had worked law enforcement long enough not to be stupid with her own safety. Anything could happen to a woman alone alongside an empty highway this late at night.
And there was a killer out there. Veri bit back the panic again. Panicking had never gotten her anywhere before.
Bailey answered on the first ring.