The Deputy's Redemption. Delores Fossen

across the bridge not far from here, she smacked right into me with her car.” He tipped his head to the front of his truck. “I want to find her because I’ll need to make an insurance claim.”

      The man made it sound so innocent. As if it was all her fault. And it wasn’t.

      “You ran me off the road,” Elise shouted out to him. Colt glanced back at her, scowled, but that didn’t deter her. “You acted like you were trying to kill me.”

      The man took his time answering, and if he had any outward reaction to her accusation, he sure didn’t show it. “Well, little lady, it seems we have a difference in opinion as to what happened.”

      His condescending nickname irritated her almost as much as his smug attitude.

      “Just give me your name, and I’ll be on my way,” the man added. “I’ll let the insurance company sort it all out.”

      “You already know my name,” she snapped. “Because you were watching me at the grocery store earlier today. It’s Elise Nichols.”

      Again, he didn’t jump to respond. “Seems you’re mistaken about that, too. It’s my first night in town. Never been here before in my life. Maybe you’re not thinking straight after the little wreck you caused.”

      Again, he was cocky. And that tone chilled her even more than the night air. It must have done the same to Colt, because he stepped in front of her.

      “Let’s drive back to the sheriff’s office on Main Street,” Colt ordered. And there was no mistaking the fact that it was an order given by a man with a badge. “I’ll follow you. I can get your statement and call for a medic to come and check out Elise.”

      The moments crawled by, and Elise figured the guy would flat-out refuse. But he didn’t. Gambil finally nodded, then shrugged and, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, he strolled back to his truck.

      “Just follow the signs to town,” Colt instructed Gambil. “It’ll take you straight to Main Street.”

      Colt got her moving again, staying just slightly ahead of her so that he was between her and Gambil. Once the man was inside his truck, Colt practically stuffed her inside his and hit the master switch to lock her door.

      “Any chance what he’s claiming is true?” Colt asked, taking out his phone. He didn’t reholster his gun, and he didn’t take his eyes off the other vehicle that was parked just a few yards ahead of them.

      “No chance whatsoever,” Elise insisted. “He ran into me, and when he got out, he was coming right at me with a gun.”

      “But he didn’t shoot? And he didn’t say anything to you?”

      “No.”

      That’s where her explanation ground to a sudden halt. Because he’d certainly had time to shoot her. Or at least verbally threaten her. She’d had to get out from beneath the air bag, exit on the passenger’s side and then start running.

      He could have put a bullet in her at any time.

      So maybe this had all just been an accident. Except it hadn’t felt like one.

      And still didn’t.

      Colt started the engine and turned on the heater full blast. Until the warm air started to spill over her, Elise hadn’t realized she was shivering. He also punched a button on his phone.

      “Reed,” he said a moment later. Reed as in Deputy Reed Caldwell from the Sweetwater Springs Sheriff’s Office. “I need you to run a license plate.” And Colt rattled off the number of Gambil’s truck. Waited.

      Looked at her.

      Of course, no look from Colt was ever just a mere look.

      They shared too much history for that, and those bedroom blue-gray eyes always had a way of cutting right through her. Elise tried not to let that happen now. In fact, she tried not to think of anything from their past—including the sizzling-hot attraction that’d once been between them.

      No.

      Best not to think of that.

      Even though her body always reminded her of it whenever she was within breathing distance of him. Thankfully, over the past decade or so there had been plenty of distance between them, but she couldn’t rely on that any longer. Not with them both in the same small town.

      “Toby Gambil,” Colt repeated. “Yeah, that’s right. Anything suspicious on him, like maybe an arrest warrant?”

      She couldn’t hear what Reed said, but judging from the way Colt’s mouth relaxed, the answer was no. Nothing suspicious. Well, nothing except for his behavior after he’d crashed into her with his truck.

      “I’m on Ezell Road right now. I’ll be bringing both Gambil and Elise Nichols in to take their statements about a car accident,” Colt said to Reed. “Run a quick check on Gambil for me. And have a medic come to the station.” He paused. “No, but Elise might need a few stitches.”

      She certainly hadn’t forgotten about the cut on her head. It was still throbbing. But a few stitches were the least of her concerns.

      Colt ended the call, put his truck into gear and flashed his headlights to let Gambil know they were about to leave. Elise held her breath, to see what the man would do, but Gambil eased out onto the road, and Colt followed right behind him.

      It seemed, well, normal.

      “You think I’m crazy,” she mumbled. Heck, she was beginning to think that, too.

      But the words had barely had time to leave her mouth when she heard the sound that she didn’t want to hear. Tires screeching on the asphalt.

      Ahead of them, Gambil’s truck sped away.

      “Hell.” Colt tossed his phone into her lap and slammed on the accelerator, too. “Call Reed. Tell him we might have a problem.”

      Elise didn’t have time to feel even an ounce of justification that she’d been right about this situation. Ahead of them, Gambil fishtailed, his back tires skirting across the wintery road, but he quickly corrected the truck and went even faster.

      Colt was right behind him.

      “Let Reed know that I’m in pursuit of Gambil’s vehicle,” Colt said, his attention nailed to the road and the truck.

      Even though her hands were shaking, Elise managed to pick through the numbers and find Reed’s. The deputy answered on the first ring, and she began to relay Colt’s message.

      “Tell Colt to back off,” Reed said before she’d even finished talking. “I believe Toby Gambil is an alias. I don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

      Elise knew. They were dealing with a man who’d tried to kill her. A man who was now trying to flee the scene. A man who’d likely given a fake name to a deputy sheriff who was questioning him.

      There weren’t many good reasons for a person to do that. She relayed what Reed had said to Colt.

      “He could be dangerous,” Reed added. “I’m on my way out there now, and I’ll see about setting up a roadblock.”

      The moment Elise pressed the end call button, Gambil slammed on his brakes. Colt cursed again, hit his brakes, too, but had to swerve into the oncoming lane to stop himself from plowing right into the back of Gambil’s truck.

      “Don’t you dare say I told you so,” Colt grumbled.

      The thought hadn’t crossed her mind. Right now, she was only worried about what Gambil might do next. After all, the man was armed, and Colt’s and his trucks were now practically dead level with each other. Gambil could fire right into the cab and kill them both.

      That’s probably why Colt threw his truck into Reverse to drop back behind Gambil. But they didn’t hold that position for long. Gambil hit the accelerator again, shooting forward like a bullet.