Chapter 18 Indie put her camera bag into the back of the car before sliding behind the wheel. The family photo shoot had gone overtime because the ten-year-old boy wouldn't smile for the first half hour. Just flat-out refused. It had taken a chocolate bar and a promise of extra TV time from the mom to get him to finally crack half a grin. Now it was almost dark, and Colt wouldn't be happy. She cringed when her phone rang. That would be him. "I know, I'm late," she said, before he could get a word in. "Where are you?" "I'm just leaving her house now." "Do you want me to come out there?" "No, I'll be home in fifteen minutes." "Fine." The single word was almost growled. "But no stops." "So you don't want me to pick up a pizza from Burt's?" Colt chuckled. They both knew how inedible those pizzas were. Heck, they were barely pizzas. "Not tonight. Maybe next week." "Or the week after, no rush." "Drive safe, Cricket." "Always do." She hung up and started the engine, and to her absolute surprise, it actually started on the first try. Well, maybe her evening was about to turn around. She'd ordered a new Subaru. Well, actually, Colt had, because he'd refused to let her put down the deposit, but it wasn't due to come in for another couple weeks. Colt had pushed for a new Volvo or BMW, claiming there were more safety features, while she'd been eyeing a secondhand Nissan. The compromise had been a new Subaru. She pulled onto the road and started heading home. Since finding out Sylvia had started the rumors about her, Indie was even less inclined to spend Colt's money. And yes, she knew she shouldn't be letting Sylvia have that effect on her, but she did. Indie had never wanted Colt for his money. If anything, it only ever made her more hesitant about their relationship, because she knew she couldn't match the monetary value that he brought to the marriage. After everything else, she shouldn't have been surprised the rumors were started by Sylvia. Still...it hurt. Maybe because it felt so malicious. And because she had no idea why Sylvia had done it, given Indie and Colt were already separated at the time. Just to hurt her? Or was there more to it than that? Was she trying to drive Indie out of town by ensuring she couldn't work in Amber Ridge? God, Indie had no idea. And the pathetic part was, even after everything Sylvia had done, Indie still felt guilty that Colt wasn't speaking to his mother. Sylvia called him every day. Some days he answered, some days he didn't. The rational part of Indie's brain knew it wasn't her fault. But there was also this other part that said if Colt had married someone else, maybe he wouldn't have had to choose between his wife and his mother. Maybe Sylvia would have accepted another woman. A loud bang from her engine made Indie jump. Then she saw smoke. Thick clouds of smoke that blocked her vision of the road. Shit. She quickly pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. Should she get out? She was still ten minutes from home, and there was nothing around her but forest. The smoke grew thicker and her pulse sped up. Could the engine explode or something? Damn, now she was scared. Out. Definitely out. She grabbed her keys, then her phone from the middle console and her camera bag from the passenger seat. She was stepping behind her car when lights appeared down the road. She expected the driver to slow beside her. Maybe roll down their window and ask if she was okay. Instead, they passed her and parked just in front of her car. She frowned, her stomach doing a little twist. Then she saw who it was. Gordon Sharp. He climbed out of a beat-up old Toyota Camry. No. She quickly lifted her phone and tried to unlock it, but the tremble in her fingers caused her to hit the wrong number. "Hey." He stopped in front of her and she took a big step back. His clothes were dirty, like he hadn't washed them in days, and the stench...God. Maybe it had been more than days. "Indie, right?" Did she have a weapon in her car? There was a wrench-she could use that. But how would she get there in time? "What do you want, Gordon?" "You look scared. You really don't need to be. I just want to chat." "Really? Is that why we're doing this on the side of the road while it's dark and there's no one around?" "Well, I went to see Colt yesterday at the park but he wasn't there, and some guy told me to fuck off. I've tried calling my son, and he won't answer. Not sure if he's listening to my phone messages, asking him to talk. So I found your address and got to your house just as you were leaving today. Thought I'd follow you." She gasped. "You've been following me? Wait-did you do something to my car?" "Like I said...we need to talk." "You want to talk to Colt? I'll call him right now. But I should warn you, he won't be happy you're here." "Exactly." Gordon stepped closer. "But the thing is, if I wanted to hurt you, I could have already. I don't want to hurt you...not right now, anyway. Consider this a little warning to my son. He can either hear me out and give me what I need. Or the next time I pay you a visit, I might not wanna just talk." Fear kicked her in the belly. "You're threatening me?" "I'm simply sending a message that I'd like to speak to my son, and if that doesn't happen, bad things will follow." One side of his mouth lifted, and he stepped back. "You have a good night, Indie. Hopefully your safe little town stays safe." Her heart still drummed frantically as she watched his Toyota pull onto the street. And the second he was gone, she grabbed the trunk of her car to keep herself upright. With shaking fingers, she lifted her cell and called Colt. "Indie, where are you?" "M-my car broke down." He cursed. "I'll come to you. Are you safe?" Noises sounded over the line. The rattle of keys. The click of a door opening. She pressed a hand to her chest, trying to slow her racing heart. "Your dad was here. He did something to the engine." "What?" Colt's voice was darker than she'd ever heard it before. "Colt...I need you." An engine roared over the line. "Send me a pin of where you are, Cricket. I'm coming now." Colt pressed his foot to the floor, rage battering his insides. His father had done something to her damn car? He'd approached her alone? If the man was here right now, he'd be breathing his last damn breath. But he wasn't, and in seconds, Colt was going to be with Indie. He needed to calm the hell down...for her. "You still there, Cricket?" He kept his voice soft even though he wanted to fucking rage. She'd been on the line the entire drive because there was no way he was cutting contact with her. "I'm still here." There was a tremor in her voice, and he hated it. He forced his Audi faster until, finally, her car came into view. The smoke coming from the hood was thick, but it was her that he focused on. The way she stood beside the Honda, arms wrapped around her waist in a protective gesture. Even in the approaching darkness he could see how pale she was. The fear in her eyes. His fault. This was his damn fault. Noah had said his father stopped by the park, wanting to talk to him. Colt had ignored it. Just like he'd ignored every call and voice message the second he realized the number was his father's. He pulled in right where Gordon had parked, and as soon as he reached her, he wrapped her in his arms. She was shaking. He cursed and tugged his sweatshirt over his head before helping her into it. Then he cupped her cheeks. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine." Not true. Not even a little bit. "What did he say?" "That he wants to talk to you. To tell you what he wants and if he doesn't get it, bad things will start happening in this town." Air hissed between Colt's teeth. He was going to kill him. Murder the fucker in broad daylight. "Did he touch you?" "No. But he did say that if he wanted to hurt me, he could have already." The son of a bitch. He lifted her camera bag. "Do you need anything else from the car?" He tried to keep his voice calm, even though calm was the last thing he felt. "No." "Let's go. I'll call a tow on the way home." He set a hand on the small of her back and led her toward his Audi. He set the camera in the back and had just opened the passenger door when he stepped on something that made a crackling sound. He leaned down and picked it up. A wrapper. "Big Sky Jerky," he read, almost under his breath. "It must have fallen out of your dad's car. He parked in the same place as you." The chill hit him so fucking hard, it sank right down to his bones. It wasn't that homeless guy, Milo. It was his father. He was the person staying in the old cabin at the park. Indie touched his arm. "Hey, are you okay?" "I'm fine." A damn lie if ever he'd told one. "Let's get you home." He waited for her to climb in before he closed her door and looked at the wrapper again. Then he crushed it in his fist. He knew where his father was now. And tomorrow, the asshole would be getting exactly what he wanted...a visit from Colt.