Colt shifted beside her, silent but steady. She glanced at him, and he met her gaze. No words passed between them, but she saw the same thing in his eyes that burned through her. Frustration, exhaustion, and that quiet, pulsing need to finish this.
They had Wallace. He was alive. In the hospital. Under guard. For now, that was going to have to be enough until they either got a break in the investigation. Or the killer struck again.
Beck looked over at Colt. “You want me to take a look at you?”
Colt shook his head. “I’m good.”
Brenna snorted softly. But she didn’t call him on the lie.
He offered her a hand that she took, even if she tried not to lean on him as much as she wanted to. “Please don’t insist on driving back to your place in San Antonio tonight.”
She considered it. And decided she wouldn’t insist.
Colt must have seen that in her expression because he added, “You’re welcome to stay at my cabin on the grounds. I have a guest room,” he tacked onto that after a second’s pause.
She opened her mouth, then closed it just as quickly. It was a different kind of danger to spend the night under the same roof with Colt. She should be resisting him, but at the moment, with the fatigue rolling through her, she couldn’t remember why resisting was necessary.
“All right,” she said, and she saw the quick surprise go through his eyes. Then, the slow grin that only a Greek god and Colt could have managed.
“Good. You got a go-bag in your vehicle?” he asked. “Because if so, Noah had it brought here.”
“I have a go-bag,” she confirmed, and it would have everything she needed for an impromptu sleepover. Well,everything but the mental strength to resist Colt. There was no gear, or cure, for that.
They walked out together. Or more accurately, she limped out. Her knee ached. His ribs had to be worse.
Noah and Harlan stood just outside the door. Noah took one look at them and raised a brow. “You two all right?”
“We’re fine,” Colt said.
Brenna gave a nod. “Just a few bruises.”
Noah didn’t even pretend to believe it. “For the record, I know that’s bullshit. But I’m going to trust you both to know your own limits.” He paused barely a heartbeat and continued. “I just got off the phone with Sheriff Chase. She spoke to Wallace. He says he doesn’t know who took him. Claims the person stayed behind him the whole time and wore a mask.”
“Of Naomi?” Brenna asked.
Noah nodded. “That’s what he said. The explosives have all been collected and are on their way to the lab. The CSIs are working through a small cabin near the shed and the water tower. It’s probably where he was being held.”
Brenna didn’t say anything right away. She glanced at Colt. His jaw was tight. Hers probably was too.
Because none of this felt like a break.
Not yet.
“What about Gary?” Colt asked.
“He’s scheduled for an interview in the morning,” Noah replied. “Sheriff Chase’s team will handle it, but I’ll be there.”
“I want to be there too,” Brenna said.
“So do I,” Colt agreed.
Noah gave a quick nod of approval. “Then I’ll loop you in when I get the exact time.”
With that, they said their goodbyes and headed outside. They stopped by her car first so she could get her bag, and thenColt veered toward one of the Crossfire Ops SUVs. He opened the passenger door for her.
“My cabin’s not far,” he explained. “Quarter mile at most, but I’m not letting you walk on that knee.”
“And I’m not letting you walk with those ribs,” she fired back, sliding into the seat.
