Delivering Justice. Barb Han

her. Just how badly injured was she?

      The blow she’d taken to the head looked bad. He’d give anyone that. But her panic looked like she was in one of those horror flicks being chased by an ax murderer.

      “It’s okay. I know these men. They’ll take care of you,” he tried to reassure her. Tyler had known the EMTs, Andy and Shanks, for years. They were good guys. Dougherty would be piloting the chopper. Tyler didn’t need to see him to know that.

      So what was up with the way she kept squeezing his hand, looking like she was trying to say something?

       Chapter Two

      The heel of Tyler’s boots clicked against the white tile floor in the hospital hallway as he neared room 367 to check on Red.

      He removed his gray Stetson before crossing the threshold, pausing long enough to finger comb his hair and chew on the facts. No one had reported the mystery redhead as missing or reported the accident. That had not been the news he was expecting and it made him worry that some other outsider was on his property, hurt, lost or just a damned fool who was hunting illegally and ditched the redhead when her ATV overturned. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on had his radar on full alert and it was more than just finding her in the condition he had.

      Tyler pushed open the door at Bluff General and walked inside Red’s room. Her eyes were closed. The bed had been raised so that she was halfway sitting and she had an IV attached to her left arm. He’d seen enough of the inside of hospital rooms to know the IV most likely contained fluids and possibly antibiotics to stem infection. All good things that her body needed to recover.

      In fact, the fluids seemed to be working magic already because there was a rosy hue in the creamy complexion on her cheeks now. Her forehead had a proper bandage on it and his makeshift head wrap had been replaced with clean, white gauze.

      Since she looked to be resting peacefully and he didn’t want to disturb her, he figured this would be a good time to visit with her doctor and find Tommy to see if he’d managed to get a statement or put a name to Sleeping Beauty here.

      Her eyes fluttered open and he felt like a fool for staring at her.

      “How are you?” he asked, for lack of anything better to say. Even through the gauze and tape she was stunning.

      “Better,” she managed to squeak out. Her throat sounded scratchy. It was the dry air.

      He set his cowboy hat down on the chair and moved next to her bed. Now that she seemed able to speak, maybe he could find out if there were others on his land or if he should call off the search.

      “What’s your name?” he asked.

      She made a move to speak but coughed instead. Her gaze locked onto a large white mug situated on the wheeled table next to her bed just out of reach.

      “You thirsty?” he asked as he moved to the mug.

      “Yes, please” came out on a croak.

      At least she was talking and making sense. Those were good signs.

      “Were you alone earlier?” he asked as he held the oversize mug filled with ice water toward her. She eagerly accepted but didn’t answer.

      After a few small sips, she leaned her head against the pillow, but her eyes never left Tyler’s face. Those sea-green eyes stayed fixed on him, panic and fear still there.

      “Do you know who you are?” he asked, setting the mug down on the tray and then repositioning it so that she could reach water whenever she wanted.

      “Jennifer,” she said, throat still scratchy but sounding much better. Her voice had a nice pitch to it. “Who are you?”

      “Tyler O’Brien. My brothers and I own the land you were on earlier.”

      Her gaze darted toward the door and then her eyes widened in fear, so Tyler turned to follow her line of sight.

      A decent-looking man in his early thirties walked in. His gaze ricocheted between Jennifer and Tyler. He was several inches shorter, so Tyler guessed he was around five foot eleven. He was on the thin side, built like a runner, and had sandy-blond hair. A fresh-looking pink sunburn dotted his tanned nose and cheeks.

      Tyler didn’t recognize him.

      “Honey,” the man said with a sigh and he seemed to pour on the drama if anyone asked Tyler. “I’ve been so worried about you.”

      Tyler glanced at Jennifer in time to see a moment of sheer panic, so he stepped in between them, blocking Tan Face’s path.

      “Name’s Tyler.” He stuck out his hand.

      “What happened to you, honey? Are you all right?” Tan Face said, sidestepping Tyler and his hand.

      “Hold on there, pal,” Tyler said, placing his hand on Tan Face’s shoulder, ensuring he couldn’t get to Jennifer’s bedside. “I didn’t catch your name.”

      “James Milton,” he said, puffing out his chest like a cobra, looking none too thrilled that Tyler had put a hand on him.

      “Do you mind?” he asked. “My fiancée is lying in a hospital bed and she’s none of your business.”

      Fiancée? Tyler didn’t normally misjudge situations. His instincts were usually spot-on. Red seemed scared of the man. But if the two of them were engaged then he needed to take a step back. Some lines shouldn’t be crossed no matter how irritated the man’s presence made Tyler.

      He let go of the man’s shoulder. It might be better to take a wait-and-see approach to this one. Tyler told himself that he’d leave as soon as he knew she was going to be fine. Besides, he needed to make sure she had no intention of suing him for having an accident on his land. As crazy as that sounded, he’d heard of people doing that and more.

      He ignored the little voice that said he was lying to himself about why he was sticking around and that it had to do with an attraction.

      Milton made a dramatic scene of rushing to Red’s side once he was free of Tyler’s grasp. The man was fresh-from-a-shower clean and had on dress slacks and a button-down shirt. Not exactly the kind of clothes one would wear on an ATV adventure, so the logical question was why would he let Red go alone if he cared about her as much as he professed?

      “I didn’t know what to think when you disappeared,” Milton said to her.

      Tyler folded his arms and leaned against the wall. The panicked expression on Jennifer’s face intensified. He’d probably regret this later, but he had to ask, “About that, James. What happened exactly?”

      “I’m fine,” Red interjected, her gaze darting from Tyler to Milton.

      Tyler didn’t have a strong reading on the guy other than general dislike and her reaction wasn’t helping. Milton’s concern came off as insincere. Tyler had learned long ago to trust his instincts. This guy looked like he was putting on a show.

      The door opened and the sheriff walked in.

      Milton turned and the look on his face when he caught sight of the sheriff was priceless. Also, it strengthened Tyler’s intuition that this guy was up to no good. This was about to get interesting.

      Tommy introduced himself to Jennifer and Milton, and then shook Tyler’s outstretched hand.

      “I’ve been worried sick about you, darling,” Milton said, turning to Jennifer, and Tyler thought the man was overselling.

      She managed a weak smile.

      Tyler noticed that she stiffened when Milton took her by the hand. Not exactly a warm reception for her fiancé, and that got Tyler’s mind spinning with scenarios, none he liked.

      “Do you have ID?” Tommy asked.

      “Did we do something