Page 27 of One Night Years Ago

Natalie

Natalie watched her father slam his gun against Hunter’s head. The younger man fell to his knees, hunched over on his powerful arms.

What the hell are you doing, Dad?

She turned the engine off but left the headlights on. She stepped quickly out of the vehicle.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Go home, Natalie,” her father said in a tired voice.

“You’re talking to the sheriff,” she said, her voice tight with anger.

“Go home, Sheriff. We’ll take care of this problem,” Roy said, balancing a heavy bat in his hand.

Nobody stopped her as she made her way to the center of the circle, where Hunter kneeled. He was bleeding from his nose and the side of the head, looking slightly disoriented.

“Can you stand, Hunter?”

He winced as she touched his shoulder.

“I can stand, Sheriff,” he said, trying to do exactly that, successful as a newborn colt. When he was finally upright, she put her arm against his waist to steady him. He leaned on her gratefully. His body felt warm. He smelled of clean, manly sweat.

She looked at each of the men in turn. “Let us through. I’m taking this man to the hospital.”

James raised his wrench. “He hurt my baby. He needs to pay.”

Natalie straightened to her full height, taking half a step forward until she was slightly in front of Hunter. “Are you threatening me now, James?”

She saw in her eyes the crazed pain he was going through and knew he wasn’t aware enough to stop himself.

Everything happened as if in slow motion. James brought the wrench down towards her head. Her father screamed. A shadow stepped up from behind her. It was Hunter. He didn’t let the wrench strike home, but intercepted it with his hand around James’s forearm. Hunter’s muscles corded, and the wrench stopped in midair. James released the wrench, crying out in pain. Hunter released his wrist immediately.

Hunter groaned and staggered sideways. His hand cradled the side of his head and came back bloody.

“I’m taking this man to the hospital,” she repeated.

“I don’t need to go to a hospital,” Hunter said weakly.

She ignored him, glaring at the four men. James’s shoulders drooped. He couldn’t meet her eyes. The fight was gone from him.

“He’s a rapist, Natalie,” her father said quietly. “Our young women won’t be safe until he’s gone.”

“It’s not him, Dad,” Natalie said softly. “New evidence has come to light.”

“What new evidence?”

She saw how avidly Roy and Paul listened in the background. And James was the victim’s father. She couldn’t simply release details of an ongoing investigation, and yet this was going to keep happening. Somebody was bound to hurt Hunter eventually.

Then an idea came to her.

“I’m organizing a press release at the school gym tomorrow at noon. Everybody’s welcome. And now, if you’ll move aside, I’m taking this man to the hospital. Unless the four of you want to spend the night in jail. We can also do that.”

They moved aside, and she helped Hunter to the car. He was leaning heavily on her, so she opened the door for him and helped him in. His hands were shaking.

“Strap yourself,” she said automatically.

His hands shook on the seat belt, and she moved to help him click it in place. When her hand touched his, it was as if an electric current went through her. She inhaled a surprised breath and breathed in his clean, manly scent. A part of her that had been dead for almost thirteen years suddenly awoke.