Deadly Chase - Chapter 14
Miriam didn’t have the strength to argue. The aches and pains from the crash buffeted her body and her head hurt where she had hit the side window.
“The bedrooms are upstairs, but I need to feed Lily and walk her again,” she said.
“I’ll take care of that. Right, Lily,” he said, and the dog’s ears perked up at the mention of her name.
“Thank you,” she said and sat in nearby wing chair to wait for him.
When he returned from feeding and walking Lily, he unleashed the pit bull who went straight to Miriam. She checked out her canine partner to confirm she was okay after the crash and then commanded her to get in her crate for the night.
Once Lily was comfortably settled, Miriam gave her a treat as a reward. After, Miriam walked up the stairs, Alex following her, but her steps were stilted due to the hurt in her body.
When they reached the second-floor landing, she motioned to one door. “That’s a guest bedroom.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up first,” he said, and with a wobbly nod, she walked to the bathroom and removed a first aid kit from the medicine cabinet.
He urged her to sit on the toilet seat and plucked items from the kit.
“This is going to sting,” he said but she still jumped as he cleansed her wound. With gentle strokes he wiped away the traces of blood on the side of her face and applied a butterfly bandage to the cut.
“Thank you,” she said and slowly rose, but a sudden wave of weakness had her laying a hand on the vanity to steady herself.
“Let me help,” Alex said and slipped an arm around her waist.
She didn’t argue. Together they did the short walk to her bedroom where he helped her to the bed. “I’ll be okay,” she said, but he shook his head.
“Get comfortable, but I’ll be back,” he said, rushed to the door and closed it for privacy.
Aware Alex wouldn’t relent, she quickly changed into her pajamas and slipped beneath the covers. “You can come in,” she called out.
*
Alex peeked inside. Seeing that she was tucked under the covers, he grabbed a wing chair by the door and dragged it over so he could sit by the bed.
He took off his shoes and socks, and released a sigh of relief, dragging a laugh from her. “You always did like to be barefoot.”
“Feet were meant to feel the earth,” he said with a smile.
“Some things never change,” she said, but then winced. They were no longer the carefree fifteen-year-olds who had thought they had their whole lives ahead of them.
Her hand rested on the bedspread, and he took it in his and twined his fingers with hers. “We did.”
“But was it for the better?” she said, determined to finally talk out the feelings she’d had for nearly a decade.
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out. You and I have a lot to do together.”
They did, but it was all police business and nothing personal. And yet, it had gotten personal in the few short hours that he’d been in Jasper. It had been impossible for it not to since someone was clearly trying to kill them.
“We do have a lot to do,” she admitted reluctantly. “We should get some rest.”
He reached to snap off the light on the nightstand. As he did so, she said, “You might be more comfortable on the bed.”