“The state police said you were going about forty-five when you hit the tree,” Ford said.
“I lost control of the SUV by then and was just trying not to flip it. It’s better than seventy-five when I noticed the brakes were out.”
He pushed himself up on the bed, or tried to, so she gave him the remote to sit up better.
“Why doesn’t everyone give us privacy?” Blaze said, coming in with a nurse.
“They can stay,” Rory said. “Or Gale can.”
She caught her brothers all exchanging glances.
“I’ll move over here while you do your thing, Blaze.”
“Keep a lid on it too,” Blaze said.
She moved out of the way and ended up in the hall with Ford and Clay but could still see what was going on and hear some of the questions asked of Rory.
“He’s probably not going to be able to stay alone tonight,” she said. “And you’re all going to get pissy if I say he can stay with me.”
“That’s right,” Ford said.
“Bring him to the cabin behind my house,” Clay said. “He’ll be protected there. Whoever this is, they are a local and know not to test me.”
She hated the thought that someone they knew was doing this. Could have it in them to live within the community with no one knowing what evil lurked inside.
“He should have a say in where he is staying,” she said. “Maybe he doesn’t want to go there.”
“There is no way in hell you’re staying with him at his place,” Ford said. “I don’t even want you back there to visit him.”
She wasn’t so sure she wanted to go back herself.
“We’ll talk to him once Blaze is done. Maybe a hotel is the best thing. I’m assuming his car is totaled?”
“Yeah,” Ford said.
“So he has no transportation.”
“If he’s on the farm I’ll get him a vehicle,” Clay said.
“Why are you being so accommodating? That’s not like you.”
Ford, sure. He’d be this way. But not Clay.
“Because we see what is going on even if you don’t want to admit it,” Ford said.
“Meaning what?”
“If you can’t figure it out, telling you won’t make a difference,” Clay said. “You never fucking listen.”
“Come in, guys,” Blaze said.
They moved back in. Rory was sitting up now and drinking water.
“What’s the verdict?” she asked.
“Borderline mild concussion,” Blaze said. “Could have been a lot worse. Everything else is bruising.”
“Yeah. I know what a break feels like,” Rory said. “I’m sure I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
