Stepping back, he addressed the deputy and introduced them both, then explained what happened. Jo confirmed his story. The deputy asked for their identification and registration, the usual. Jo grabbed hers from her wallet while Cole grabbed his.
The deputy studied her ID, then looked between her and Cole. If he recognized them as being part of the incident involving a murder earlier today on the ferry, he said nothing.
“Please wait here.” He moved to his vehicle.
“Is he running our license plates and registration? We’re not the bad guys here. What’s going on?”
Cole shrugged. “He’s doing his job.”
She didn’t like standing out in the cold as the wind rushed off the strait, but thankfully the rain had shifted to mist and wasn’t soaking them at the moment. She pulled her jacket tighter, wishing she could just wait in her vehicle. Wishing that Cole would say something about what just happened. She assumed that he didn’t have answers about any of it, including the ferry today. But he was here with her. That was something for which she should be grateful.
Thank you,God.
She thought back to that moment when Cole had yanked the door open and might have pulled her out, except she’d moved instantly into his arms. Or maybe he had pulled her out. She wasn’t exactly sure, but now that she thought about it, she’d never seen Cole that shaken.
The deputy returned. “You’re free to go. Be aware, our office might contact you if we have more questions.”
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Cole said to the deputy but nodded to Jo, gesturing she could get back in her vehicle.
And she did just that but positioned her rearview mirror so she could watch them.
She imagined that Cole was talking to the deputy about keeping Jo safe and letting him know he wanted an update on anything they learned. They stood out in the weather, talking far longer than she would have thought necessary. But Cole—he had a way about him. He was good at this job. He was great at every job. But maybe he wasn’t so good with relationships.
Jo had once had a job she’d been good at, until her life had been threatened. She’d left everything behind, and for what? Someone had found her anyway. This was all on her—she’d been the one to go to the city to look for her father. Still, this venture out of Hidden Bay brought clarity and made her realize that she had been living in a dream world, where the outside world didn’t matter, and pretending that evil wouldn’t eventually come for her. Leaving Hidden Bay, even for one day, had put her back in danger.
She didn’t regret that decision. It was time to end this—one way or another.
Cole finished the conversation with the deputy, who then got in his vehicle. Had the other deputy who’d given chase caught up to her pursuer? The parked county vehicle suddenly raced away, sirens flashing. Cole approached her vehicle and knocked on the window.
She lowered it. “Yes?”
“I don’t like this, Jo. If the deputies don’t catch whoever pulled this stunt today, that means the guy is still out there and could come back. There’s only one road you can travel.”
He hadn’t meant those words to be philosophical, but part of her would mull that over later.
“What can we do about it?” she asked.
“Let me drive you home,” he said. “I can arrange for someone to get your vehicle and bring it.”
“You can ride with me if you want. My vehicle is big and has a lot of power under the hood. You can send someone for yours.”
His pursed lips and narrowed gaze told her he didn’t like her idea. “We’ll take your vehicle, then, but I’m driving.”
“What? You don’t trust me?”
“I trust you, but doyoutrust you? If they come after you again, do you want to be at the wheel?”
“You might be a former Green Beret, but do you have some kind of special training in road-rage warfare?” Maybe she should have laid off grilling him because now she was only making him mad.
He crossed his arms and angled his head to stare at her. Then the rain started. “It’s getting late. Are you really going to grill me about my experience now?”
Mom had always said she had to pick her battles—a metaphor for only fighting when the cost was worth it. This wasn’t a battle worth fighting. Her hands were still shaking after trying to stay on the road. Admitting she’d rather not be behind the wheel didn’t make her weak, it made her reasonable.
“Let’s head to the nearest town. You can leave yours in a grocer parking lot,” she said. “Safer that way. Let’s get out of here.”
She’d had two too many threats to her life today. She might not survive another one.
8
