“That was no fucking accident,” I snapped. “That was attempted murder.”
“And until we can find something—a video showing Austin tampering with the brakes—we’ve got nothing to go on. I can’t drag him down to the station for an interrogation into an accident that I can’t prove he had any part in. His lawyer would laugh and walk out.”
My blood boiled at the thought of Austin getting away with thisshit. I knew in my gut he was behind it, but proving it would be fucking impossible right now.
“So, that’s it? Bailey’s life continues to be in danger?”
Maverick shrugged, but I knew he was just as concerned about this as I was. “Is there any way to end this feud? Anything you can do to…hell, I don’t know.”
I shook my head, knowing Pop would never give back the land. Not when he paid above and beyond the value just to help out the Callahans.
“Maybe your father would consider selling back the land.”
“Even if we wanted to, I doubt the Callahans have the means to buy it back. Besides, we started building on that side. We’ve already got the structure up.”
“I can do extra patrols around Bailey’s apartment,” Mav suggested. “I don’t know how much that will help?—”
“She stays here,” I interrupted, already thinking through every fucking possibility. “Until I can guarantee her safety, she’s not leaving my sight.”
Jeff barked out a laugh at that. “Yeah, I’d like to see you try. What are you gonna do when she has to go back to work?”
I didn’t fucking know, but the idea of her getting hurt because of a family feud that had nothing to do with her was unacceptable.
“Better come up with something fast,” Mav nodded toward the window. “She just pulled in.”
“Not a word of this,” I snarled at both of them. “Until I figure something out, I don’t want her to have any clue of what’s going on.”
“You don’t think she deserves to know that Austin tried to kill her?” Jeff asked incredulously.
My eyes locked with Maverick’s. I knew he understood, even if he didn’t necessarily agree.
“What good would it do?”
“Uh…she might be more vigilant,” Jeff ticked off on his fingers. “She would know to watch her back. She might be more wary around her boss?—”
“And that would tip off Wyatt,” Maverick deduced. “She can’t walkaround work thinking her boss is plotting to kill her. If Wyatt has anything to do with this, it might only speed things up.”
“So, we just say nothing?” Jeff asked right as the door opened.
Bailey struggled through the door with bags of groceries, and I hurried over, about to take them from her when she yanked them out of my grasp.
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” she asked, eyeing me like I was a naughty child. “Go sit down.”
Then her eyes slid to the sheriff. “Maverick. What are you doing here?”
Snatching two bags with my good hand, I headed for the kitchen. “Just updating me on the accident. Looks like everyone else is fine.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.” Walking over to the table, she set everything down before turning to me with a confused expression. “You never did tell me what happened.”
“Got hit by a semi,” I shrugged, regretting it as soon as I did it.
“Yes, but how did you get hit by a semi? Did you not see the giant vehicle bearing down on you?”
“I was trying to avoid someone turning at the last minute. I tried to go on the shoulder, but someone was passing on the right.”
“That’s illegal, so that guy is responsible for the accident, right?” Bailey asked the sheriff.
“It’s…a gray area right now.”
