to the hospital?”
“There’s no need for that,” she said.
Riley crouched beside her and examined the gash above her temple. He was no paramedic. He wasn’t sure how deep it was or if she needed stitches. It was even possible she had a concussion, but she seemed coherent, and that was a good sign. He’d seen a friend get hit pretty hard during a football game in high school and could still remember how he’d repeated himself over and over and babbled on about strange things that weren’t even taking place.
Phoenix wasn’t doing any of that.
“What happened?”
“I told you...” Jake started, but Riley cut him off.
“I’d like to hear her tell it.” He wanted her perspective, but he also thought this might be a good way to judge whether or not she was thinking as clearly as it seemed.
“It was Buddy,” she said. “He was trying to run Jake off the road to get him to stop, and I was afraid...I was afraid he’d wind up causing an accident. So I got out, but it was just as the light turned green, which gave Buddy the chance to gun his motor and come straight at me. I jumped into the ditch, so he didn’t actually hit me and I...fell awkwardly and banged my head, I guess.”
“Then he took off?”
She nodded, giving him a wan smile. “I’m sorry about this. I never intended to put Jake in danger. We were only taking a ride in his Jeep.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said gruffly, so angry with Buddy that he could hardly speak. He could understand the terrible loss Buddy had suffered. He wasn’t unsympathetic to that. But Buddy had no right to drag the past into the present, to act as judge, jury and executioner. Phoenix had been through due process and served her full sentence.
“It sort of is,” she insisted, blinking back tears. “I knew he might have it in for me. He—he sent me a few letters, so it isn’t as if I was completely unaware. But I never dreamed he’d do anything to threaten Jacob or anyone else. To be honest, that never crossed my mind.”
“I’ll deal with Buddy,” Riley said. “But first, I’d like you to see a doctor, even if it’s not at the hospital.”
She touched her face. When there was more blood than she expected, she wiped her hands on the weeds and dirt to avoid getting it on her new clothes. “I’d rather go home,” she said. “I can make it.”
She started to stand, and Riley tried to help her, but she flinched when he took her arm and nearly fell back. “You’ll get blood on you,” she said, using the Jeep to support her weight. “You should take Jacob and Tristan home. I keep telling them they need to go in case Buddy comes back, but they won’t listen because they think I’m really hurt.”
She
looked
hurt. And she wasn’t very steady on her feet. She tried to disguise her wobbliness by leaning into the vehicle, but Riley could tell how shaken she was.
“And what will
you
do if he comes back?” he asked.
“I’ll hide and then keep heading home.”
“By walking.”
She wiped away the blood that was beginning to run into her eyes and looked around as if she wasn’t sure where she was or what direction she needed to go. “I’ll take my time. You know, walk slowly.”
“That’s bullshit,” he said, and addressed Jake. “Are you okay to drive?”
He nodded.
“Drop Tristan off and go home. I’ll take care of your mother.”
“I can’t believe Buddy did this,” Jake muttered.
“I’m sure he acted without thinking,” Riley said. But he planned to make sure Buddy thought about the consequences of his actions in the future.
Phoenix staggered away from the Jeep so the boys could leave, but she wouldn’t allow Riley to steady her. Every time he tried, she lifted her hands and said, “It’s okay. I’m all right.”
Jacob hesitated, still upset. “Shouldn’t I stay with her?”
“No, I’ve got this,” Riley said, and Jake reluctantly walked around to the driver’s side.
Phoenix waved to reassure their
“There’s no need for that,” she said.
Riley crouched beside her and examined the gash above her temple. He was no paramedic. He wasn’t sure how deep it was or if she needed stitches. It was even possible she had a concussion, but she seemed coherent, and that was a good sign. He’d seen a friend get hit pretty hard during a football game in high school and could still remember how he’d repeated himself over and over and babbled on about strange things that weren’t even taking place.
Phoenix wasn’t doing any of that.
“What happened?”
“I told you...” Jake started, but Riley cut him off.
“I’d like to hear her tell it.” He wanted her perspective, but he also thought this might be a good way to judge whether or not she was thinking as clearly as it seemed.
“It was Buddy,” she said. “He was trying to run Jake off the road to get him to stop, and I was afraid...I was afraid he’d wind up causing an accident. So I got out, but it was just as the light turned green, which gave Buddy the chance to gun his motor and come straight at me. I jumped into the ditch, so he didn’t actually hit me and I...fell awkwardly and banged my head, I guess.”
“Then he took off?”
She nodded, giving him a wan smile. “I’m sorry about this. I never intended to put Jake in danger. We were only taking a ride in his Jeep.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said gruffly, so angry with Buddy that he could hardly speak. He could understand the terrible loss Buddy had suffered. He wasn’t unsympathetic to that. But Buddy had no right to drag the past into the present, to act as judge, jury and executioner. Phoenix had been through due process and served her full sentence.
“It sort of is,” she insisted, blinking back tears. “I knew he might have it in for me. He—he sent me a few letters, so it isn’t as if I was completely unaware. But I never dreamed he’d do anything to threaten Jacob or anyone else. To be honest, that never crossed my mind.”
“I’ll deal with Buddy,” Riley said. “But first, I’d like you to see a doctor, even if it’s not at the hospital.”
She touched her face. When there was more blood than she expected, she wiped her hands on the weeds and dirt to avoid getting it on her new clothes. “I’d rather go home,” she said. “I can make it.”
She started to stand, and Riley tried to help her, but she flinched when he took her arm and nearly fell back. “You’ll get blood on you,” she said, using the Jeep to support her weight. “You should take Jacob and Tristan home. I keep telling them they need to go in case Buddy comes back, but they won’t listen because they think I’m really hurt.”
She
looked
hurt. And she wasn’t very steady on her feet. She tried to disguise her wobbliness by leaning into the vehicle, but Riley could tell how shaken she was.
“And what will
you
do if he comes back?” he asked.
“I’ll hide and then keep heading home.”
“By walking.”
She wiped away the blood that was beginning to run into her eyes and looked around as if she wasn’t sure where she was or what direction she needed to go. “I’ll take my time. You know, walk slowly.”
“That’s bullshit,” he said, and addressed Jake. “Are you okay to drive?”
He nodded.
“Drop Tristan off and go home. I’ll take care of your mother.”
“I can’t believe Buddy did this,” Jake muttered.
“I’m sure he acted without thinking,” Riley said. But he planned to make sure Buddy thought about the consequences of his actions in the future.
Phoenix staggered away from the Jeep so the boys could leave, but she wouldn’t allow Riley to steady her. Every time he tried, she lifted her hands and said, “It’s okay. I’m all right.”
Jacob hesitated, still upset. “Shouldn’t I stay with her?”
“No, I’ve got this,” Riley said, and Jake reluctantly walked around to the driver’s side.
Phoenix waved to reassure their
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