As soon as I rounded the bend by Laurel Creek, Ibraked. There was a pickup jammed half off the pavement, rear tires sunk in the mud. The bridge was barely wide enough for one lane, and the truck completely blocked it. The hazard lights blinked, and there, standing right in the middle, was William Hanlon, waving both arms like he was directing traffic in a hurricane.
He was a SkyArc rep and worked with their construction crews. I'd met him once before at a meet and greet SkyArc had hosted for local businesses.
Caden perked up inside me, immediately suspicious. I coasted up slowly, engine rumbling, and rolled down the window.
"You good?" I called.
He called back, "Sorry, man, didn't mean to block the whole bridge. The dog came outta nowhere. Big black mutt, maybe a stray. I swerved and caught the rail."
His voice was smooth as butter, all business-leader, nothing ruffled. I cut the engine and got out.
"Dog okay?"
He shrugged, rubbed the back of his neck. "Ran off. I didn't see any blood, but I'm worried it's hurt. Don't know if it belonged to anyone around here."
He looked frazzled, but not panicked. The kind of guy who's used to taking charge in a crisis, but rightnow, the only crisis was the mud sucking at his tires. I glanced at the brand-new truck, SkyArc logo on the side. The front fender was crumpled, and a streak of black fur was still tangled in the bumper.
Yep, the dog needed to be found. When I approached and crouched by the bumper, getting the scent of the dog, a wave of chemical mint crashed over me, so sharp I nearly took a step back.
This is a trap!Caden reared up, baring teeth inside my skull.
No, just a really horrible aftershave or mouthwash,I answered.
The smell was off, sure. Off in a way that made every muscle in my shoulders draw tight, but the smell of mint did that anyway.
"Wow," I managed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "That's some strong aftershave, Will."
He laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, man. My kid gave me this hand lotion. Mint and some kind of eucalyptus, I think. Supposed to help with eczema. Guess I overdid it this morning."
He shoved his hands in his pockets, but the smell got worse as he moved. Definitely lotion. It clung to him, a cloud of odor that burned all the way through my sinuses.
Drop him in the river?Caden suggested.
Not today,I answered, and focused on the problem.
"You called a tow yet?" I asked, keeping it casual.
"Nah. My phone's dead." He held up the brick to prove it. "Was about to hike up to the station, but then you showed up. Lucky me."
I pulled out my phone, thumbed the tow company's number from my contacts. "I'll get them out here. They owe me after last month's emergency bagel delivery." I let it ring while William paced near the side rail, peering down into the creek for signs of the dog.
The dispatcher picked up quickly. "This is Lenny. What's up, Chance?"
"A SkyArc truck on the Maple Bridge. Front's in the ditch. Can you get here soon?"
"Fifteen minutes, if Rod's on time."
I rattled off the details and hung up.
William was still at the rail, scanning the brush. "Are you sure you're not hurt?" I asked, coming up beside him. The lotion's smell was suffocating this close. It coated the back of my throat and made my ears ring.
"Nah. Barely felt a thing." He flexed his hands. Big, workman's hands, despite the management job. "I'm madder about maybe hurting the mutt than anything else. Thanks for calling a tow."
He reached out, offering his hand for a shake. I gripped it automatically.
The burn hit instantly. A chemical tingle, cold and sharp at the same time. The mint felt like it had acid behind it, and my skin almost went numb where our palms touched.
Caden recoiled, then snapped right back, hungry and pissed off.HUNTER.
