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)
An ambulance pulled up seconds behind Dare.
He strode across the lawn and past the police barrier. By the time he reached the scene of the accident, his heart was permanently lodged in the back of his throat. Then he saw Liza’s small convertible wedged into the gazebo. The top was down, the front end had taken a beating, and the air bag had deployed. Liza sat on the ground, Sam by her side, and she looked fine.
As Dare approached, Sam was talking too quietly for Dare to make out what he was saying. Liza, on the other hand, was speaking loud and clear. “I’m fine. I do not need a hospital, and I just want to go home.”
Dare held back a grin, relieved that she really was okay and clearly feeling well enough to argue with Sam.
“What happened?” he asked, kneeling beside them.
Liza looked up at him and narrowed her gaze. “That’s who you called when you stepped away from me?” she asked Sam, accusation and anger powering her voice.
“If I didn’t call him, he’d kick my ass,” Sam explained.
Damned right, Dare thought. And though he understood why she didn’t want to see him, he’d be damned if he was going anywhere now.
“Well, I’m going to kick it now,” Liza said, and Sam held up his hands as if he needed protection.
“You don’t want him to have to arrest you for assaulting an officer,” Dare said to her.
“Go away.” She refused to look at him.
He muttered a curse under his breath. “Can’t do that.”
The paramedic strode over before Liza could reply. “What happened?” he asked.
“Ms. McKnight had an accident,” Sam explained. “Air bag deployed. No visible injuries and she’s been coherent and awake since I arrived on the scene.”
Christopher knelt. “We meet again.”
Liza wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.
“I took you from the fair to the hospital,” he explained.
Liza shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember you.”
Christopher smiled. “That’s pretty normal for a head injury. How are you now?”
“I’m fine. I just want to go home.”
“As soon as I check you out, I’m sure you can.”
Sam rose to his feet, and Dare followed him to a private corner while Christopher examined Liza. “What the hell happened?” Dare asked.
“She said her brakes felt spongy. She planned to pull over after the traffic light and had already slowed down some, but when she tried to brake for red, the car kept going, and all she could do was pick a fairly empty spot and brace for impact.” Sam shook his head in disbelief.
Dare was nauseous. “What kind of new car loses its brakes? I want that vehicle thoroughly checked out.”
Sam nodded. “You know I’m on it.”
“Thanks. And I appreciate you calling me.”
Sam smirked. “You owe me one. She’s pretty pissed at me now.”
“You’ll live,” Dare said wryly.
“Yeah, well, in the meantime, I called Mason’s Towing. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“Good. I’m going to go back and see how she’s doing.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t seem like the lady wanted to see you.”
Dare shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “Yeah, well, maybe I gave her good reason.”
But the minute he’d heard Liza had been in an accident, all the problems between them hadn’t seemed important. It would become apparent soon enough, though, that she didn’t feel the same way.
By the time he approached Liza again, Christopher had finished examining her and had given her the all clear. “Your neck will be sore tomorrow,” he warned her. “Your ribs and chest too. The air bag does a number on the body, but it definitely protected you.”
“What’s a few more aches and pains?” she asked, and Dare recognized the forced joke for what it was.
“And you’re sure your head is okay?” Christopher asked. “You do have a recent injury.”
“Yes. And if anything hurts, I’ll call Dr. Collins,” she promised. “May I go home now?”
“It’s fine with me. Officer?”
Christopher turned to Sam, who nodded. “I need to finish taking witness statements, and I’ll need you to come by later to sign yours,” he said to Liza. “But for now you can go.”
“I suggest you get some rest,” Christopher said as he gathered his equipment. “You’re probably more shaken up than you realize.”
Given Liza’s pale face, Dare had to agree.
“Do you have a ride home?” Sam asked her.
And Dare braced himself for the inevitable argument as he volunteered his services.
Chapter Ten
“I’ll take her home,” Dare said.
“Here we go again,” Liza mumbled. Today, she had her wits about her, and she’d also had the opportunity to experience the flip side of Dare’s do-gooder persona. It wasn’t going to happen again. “I don’t think so,” Liza said, responding to Dare. “But no,” she conceded to Sam, “I don’t have a ride home.”
Dare growled low in his throat.
“I have to take statements here. Why don’t you let Officer Barron take you home?” Sam actually sounded like he felt bad. “Since he’s on duty, it’s not like he can stick around,” he said to Liza.