“You whacked your head against the blacktop,” her father retorted.
“I did. The paramedic said my eyes were fine––equal and reactive. I have a headache, but I’m sure that’s stress-related. I just want to go home, shower, and wait for Ryker.”
“Your mom is going to love fussing over you.”
Brie snapped her head in her dad’s direction. “Ah, no. Not that home. I want to go to my home and wait for Ryker.”
“You mean Blay’s apartment?” Her father’s brow creased in confusion.
“Yeah.” She needed to talk to Blay to see if he’d be willing to sell his apartment to them. She shrugged off that thought. She should probably wait to talk to Ryker before making major decisions like buying apartments.
“You’ll be alone there. You could have a concussion.” Her father crossed his arms over his chest.
“How about I call someone to come stay with me until Ryker clears up this... case? Is it a case?” She tipped her chin and looked at her dad. The grey at his sideburns was more pronounced. Bekki and Blay’s fault, not hers.
“It is a lot more than a single case. Your man is on the point of one of the largest busts we’ve had in the history of Hope City.” He winked at her. “Damn proud of you for picking one of the best cops on the force to fall in love with.”
She melted into a wide smile. “He is a good cop... Oh, Dad. The car that brought me to the harbor—someone other than the guy who talked to Ryker drove it. I think it was a cop because there was a cage in the back like a police vehicle has, the metal sheet that prevents someone from getting to the front seat. The car was burgundy red. At least the portion of the back door I saw was burgundy.”
Her father’s brow drew into deep creases. “Burgundy?”
“Yeah, weird, huh?”
He looked past her and nodded. “Really weird. Use my phone and make that call for someone to come stay with you.”
Brie narrowed her eyes at her father. “Why are you suddenly giving up? Do you know something about that car?”
He chuckled. “No, but I need to be available if I’m needed.”
“I’m not buying it.” She smiled down at the picture of her mom that her dad kept as his home screen. “I really don’t need anyone to stay with me.”
Her father put a hand on her arm. “Brie, tonight, you saw one man murdered, you shot someone, you were kidnapped, knocked out, threatened, transported here with a hood on under the threat of death, and nearly drowned. Forgive me if I want someone with you when all of that crashes around you, because it will. Eventually, it will all land and you’re going to have to deal with it. I don’t want you alone.”
“Wow. Okay, hearing it like that...” She drew a breath. Now she was shaking again. Somehow, she hadn’t strung all the events together in her mind even after giving her statement. She trembled and wrapped the blanket someone had handed her earlier around her tighter. “Do you think Blay is working?”
“One way to find out.” Her dad took the phone from her hand and made the call. “Blay, sorry for calling so early. Are you working today?” Her father glanced at her as he spoke. “No, that would be perfect. I’m going to need you to swing by your apartment. I’ll explain it all when you get here. Good. Yep, see you then. Love you, Son.” He hung up the phone and pocketed it. “He’s just finishing up shift change. We’ll catch a ride to the apartment and I’ll stay with you until Blay comes by.”
“I’m sorry.” Tears formed in her eyes, but she had no idea why.
“Ahhh... there it is.” Her dad opened his arms. She dove into the enormous chest and powerful arms that had always protected her. “It’s okay, sweetie. Let’s keep it together for another couple minutes.” He rubbed her back and started her walking down the pier.
It took fifteen minutes to get to the apartment, and Blay was standing at the front door. His eyes widened when he saw her and then narrowed, hardening to a cold, frosty glaze. “I’ll kill the bastard.” Blay ground the words through clenched teeth.
“It wasn’t Ryker. Could you get the door, Son?” Brie sniffled as Blay opened the door. They all marched up the stairs together. She heard Blay ask her father what happened, but obviously, her dad gave him a look to shut him up. Blay unlocked all the locks on the apartment. She walked directly to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and stripped. She needed the stench of the harbor off her and she needed warm water. Lots of warm water.
Sitting down in the middle of the shower, she wrapped her arms around her knees to still the violent shaking. The warm water sprayed down on her aching muscles. She lowered her head to her knees and let the fear wash over her with the spray of the shower.
She could have been killed. The realization pulverized her hastily-shored-up emotional defenses. She let the tears flow. Cathartic and cleansing, that’s what her mother called these types of cries. Only the fear was still there, just under her skin. It crawled against her nerves sending constant messages to her brain. Panic, anxiety, fear... all of the emotions sat next to her on that tile floor. She could feel them as if they were living beings.
It was stupid to allow them power now. She knew she was safe. She wasn't alone, she had Blay and her father here, but how did she turn off what had happened? She quieted her sobbing and rocked a bit, giving herself something else to
