Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
He was embarrassed, she realized. Men and their egos.
“I hope we can get back to where things were before?” Jeff asked.
Liza smiled and nodded, admiring his honesty. “Of course we can. And I appreciate the flowers. They really were beautiful.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re better. And now I should get upstairs to work.”
“You’ve got a tough boss, so yeah, you probably should.”
Jeff laughed, and Liza joined him. “I’m heading for Mystic, so I probably won’t see you back here until tomorrow.”
“Okay. Let me know when you’re ready to move forward there.”
“I will.”
She raised her hand in a wave and walked out to her car again.
The sun shone down, and Liza put the convertible top down for the ride. Maybe some fresh air and a road trip would help settle her mind and her mood. She ignored the urge to check her phone to see if Dare had called. It wouldn’t matter if he had since her brother would always be an issue.
Which shouldn’t matter if what she wanted from Dare was a quick fling. That was all she would allow in her life. So why were all these unwanted feelings and emotions rioting around in her head? Why did her heart feel like it was breaking a mere morning after just because Dare had walked away so easily?
She ground her teeth in frustration and pulled out of the parking lot, heading through town. Her brakes felt funny—mushy-like—and she narrowed her gaze.
She’d just had the car inspected last month. At the end of the road, there was a stop sign and she decided to test the brakes before getting onto the highway. At the intersection, she slowed and still didn’t like the squishy way the brakes felt. And when she attempted to bring the car to a stop, nothing happened.
The vehicle still rolled, and she began to pound on the brakes. Still nothing. Panic filled her, and she hit the floor harder with her foot. Still nothing.
Someone was looking out for her because no more cars were coming on either side of the street, but her heart picked up speed since the main traffic light in town was ahead of her. Cars would be coming from all directions.
Liza glanced around frantically. To her left was a row of shops. To her right was the main lawn and the beautiful flowers lining the street. With no alternative, she cut her wheel right and held on as she deliberately turned her small car onto the lawn.
She shut her eyes and screamed as the car hit the gazebo.
* * *
Dare walked into the station, hot and annoyed. His first call of the day was spent arguing with the Delaneys, an older couple, over the fact that, yes, their barking dog was creating a disturbance and either they’d have to agree to take him inside or Dare would be forced to call the pound. As it was, he issued them a citation for animal cruelty for keeping their pets outdoors for so long in ninety-eight-degree heat.
“You look like you’ve been through the wringer,” Cara said from her seat behind her desk.
“Says the woman who drew desk duty,” he muttered, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
He shook his head and walked to the water cooler, filling his water bottle with cold water and guzzling it fast.
“A car just slammed into the center median in town,” Sally, the dispatcher, called out. “I sent Marsden over.”
Cara raised an eyebrow. “That’s something you don’t see every day. Wonder if it’s a drunk and disorderly or an old person who shouldn’t be behind the wheel?”
Sally shrugged and put her headset back on.
Dare’s cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. Sam’s number showed on the screen and every nerve he possessed screamed in warning.
“Talk to me,” Dare said.
“The accident in town? It’s Liza.”
Dare’s family history immediately flashed through his mind; his parents’ deaths, Faith being hit by a car while trying to push Tess out of the way, and the ever-present vision of Stuart Rossman as he lay dying on the floor.
“Hey, did you hear me? I said she’s okay.” Sam’s voice intruded on Dare’s run down memory lane. “I just thought you’d want to know.”
Dare ran for his car before Sam had finished his sentence, Cara yelling at him to wait as she caught up to him in the hall.
“What is it?”
“Liza’s car hit the center median.”
Cara’s eyes opened wide. “If it weren’t for bad luck, she’d have none. Give me a second to clear it, and I’ll go with you.”
“Move it, or I’m leaving without you,” Dare said. Sam and Cara were officially partners, and since Dare’s partner moved out of state, he’d been solo until the police chief, who just happened to be Sam’s father, Simon Marsden, handled reassignments and new hires.
Five minutes later, they pulled up to the scene to find Sam’s cruiser parked at an angle, blocking off Main Street, while another officer rerouted traffic around the side streets.