“See you then.”
He watched them go, then dropped onto the bed and clicked on the TV. It had been a long day and hewas tired, but he already knew sleep wasn’t coming easy. Every time he closed his eyes he’d see Blair.
He’d made a mess of things. He just hoped he could fix it.
The following morning, they loaded their bags into the truck bed, and Hud pulled out of the parking lot. Four hours to Autumn Falls. He merged onto the highway, the landscape stretching out flat and quiet around them.
His phone buzzed through the speakers about an hour in and he hit the button on the steering wheel.
“What’s up, Dave?”
“The man running the tire shop is Tanner Whitman. Rawley tracked it down.” Dave gave them the address and Creed jotted it in his notebook. “I told that man to rest and stay out of this case.”
Creed and Luke laughed. They all knew Rawley wouldn’t stop until it was solved. That was just who he was.
“Alright, Dave. We’re on our way to Autumn Falls now.”
“Be careful out there. I got you rooms for two nights, then I want you back.”
“Yes, sir.” Hud hit the button to disconnect and the truck went quiet. Creed called Abbie to let her know he wouldn’t be home until Saturday and Luke sent a text to his wife. The miles rolled by and nobody felt much like talking, each of them turning things over in their own heads.
After a while Hud spotted a diner sign off the next exit and nodded toward it.
“Food?”
“Yeah,” they said together.
He took the exit.
Chapter Ten
Blair sat on the sofa trying to get into a movie. It was Saturday, past two in the afternoon, and she hadn’t heard a word from Hud.
She got up and opened the front door. Beautiful day, not a cloud anywhere, and for the first time in a while the chill had finally lifted. She stood there a moment just breathing it in. Celine had warned her that Montana weather could turn without notice, so she wasn’t taking it for granted. Late May and actually warm. She’d take it.
She was still standing in the doorway when her phone buzzed against the coffee table. She went back inside and froze when she saw his name on the screen. She took a breath and answered.
“Hello, Hud.”
“Blair. How’s your day?”
“Beautiful out. Yours?”
“We’re still in Autumn Falls.” A pause. “I won’t make it back until tomorrow. I’m sorry.”
She leaned against the doorframe. “I thought you were coming back today.”
“That was the plan. But we’re too close to something to walk away now.” Another pause, quieter. “I was hoping to get back so we could talk.”
“Yes. We need to.”
“Blair, I never meant to hurt you. And I didn’t mean it the way it came out.” She heard him exhale. “This is a conversation I’d rather have in person.”
“Then we’ll have it in person.”
“I’ll call you the minute I’m back.”
“Alright.” She kept her voice even. “Be careful out there.”
