* * *
“What?” Emma couldn’t believe her ears.
“Jonathan is at the hospital. He survived, but I don’t know his condition.”
Relief flickered through her. She’d thought he’d died twice in less than twenty-four hours.
Fresh dread and awareness followed. What did this mean for them now?
“I can’t believe it.”
Emma’s pulse ratcheted up a notch. If Jonathan was still alive, maybe Carly was, too.
Cap’s gaze hit the ground as if he’d read her last thought, crushing her hope.
“Carly,” she whispered.
Those dark eyes of his radiated sympathy, making her eyes water.
He pulled her to him. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
When her tears dried, he released her and gave her a comforting peck on the forehead.
“Let’s get to the police station. You can tell me what happened along the way.”
Cap scooped up her hand and led her to his truck and opened the passenger door for her. She climbed in, and then he shut her door.
He drove to the end of the driveway, paused, and then he hung a right.
“Tell me what happened.”
Emma took a long breath and let it out slowly as she put her thoughts in order.
“It started when I heard a knock on the bedroom window. Jonathan was there with a gun. I was shocked to see him…and with a gun. I wanted to yell for you, but I thought he’d shoot me, or you, if I did.”
Cap reached over and took her hand. His skin was warm. His hold was comforting. He wove his fingers among hers and rested their hands on the truck’s console.
“He said I needed to come with him to save Carly.” Her throat closed while saying her friend’s name.
Cap squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“He needed his spare set of truck keys that I still had and he planned to exchange drugs for Carly. At least that’s what he said. He needed my phone to contact those men.”
“Your phone? He had more drugs?” Cap asked.
“Yes. Apparently, he was set to make a delivery to someone else. He lost his keys and phone when he was in the water.”
“Dammit!”
“What?” Emma asked.
“The chief called for a tow for Jonathan’s truck so it could be secured, but none of the tow companies could do it right away because of a big accident up north. If the truck had been impounded, Jonathan wouldn’t have had drugs to make a new deal, and all of this may not have happened. Carly might still be alive. Where are the drugs now?”
Her stomach dropped. How stupid was she? She hadn’t given a thought to telling Cap about the drugs in the truck. She just wanted to get out of there and be out of danger.
“They’re on the front seat.”
Cap released her hand and dialed Chief Mertz.
