Ryan’s face was turning red. He shook his head with obvious aggression.
“Just tell me where it is,” he spat. “I know you’re—you’re working on it.”
Blake felt herself waver.
“What?” she asked, confused.
A guttural noise tore itself out of his throat. With the sound, Ryan moved again.
Blake was ready.
She let his punch go as far as it could before grabbing onto his arm with both of her hands. Then she turned into him, her back against his chest, and used his momentum and her balance to do something her previous trainer would have been proud to see.
Ryan didn’t have time to stop the flip. Blake felt his full weight for a split second while she pushed up as he went over her.
If they had been on hardwood or tile, she was sure she would have heard a loud thud. Instead all she heard was Ryan’s breath being knocked out of his chest. He wheezed. Then he was coughing on the ground, staring up at the sky.
Blake wasn’t through.
She took two steps over to him and grabbed his arm for the third time since they had come into the woods. It wasn’t easy to do in her dress, but she managed to flip him over. He kept coughing as she pinned his arm behind his back.
She wished she had her handcuffs.
Ryan started squirming. Blake thumped the back of his head. Then she winced as something stung her eye. It took a second to realize what it was.
She cussed low.
“You busted my eyebrow, Ryan. You better have a dang good reason for—”
Footsteps were coming fast from the tree line.
Blake tightened her grip on Ryan’s arm.
Someone had followed them. Had Ryan not been alone?
Suddenly Blake regretted running blindly after the man. She should have been more observant to who was around them.
Worse came to worst she could run toward the old Kmart and to the main road for help. Or hide if needed.
Or she could fight some more.
Blake was still trying to figure out her plan of fight, flight, or find a tree to hide in, when the new potential opponent entered the clearing.
She recognized him.
“Shirt Guy,” she said, the first thought coming out of her mouth.
Sure enough, it was the tall good-looking man from the gym’s lobby. He even still had the shirt he’d let her borrow in his hand.
It was close to the badge on his hip.
He must have been eyeing her while Blake eyed it.
“You’re the sheriff,” she realized.
The man was breathing hard but not out of breath. He nodded, then motioned to Ryan.
“And this is...?”
