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The truth shouldn’t have hurt. But it did.
“I said get in.” He tried to ignore his ridiculous regrets. If he’d never gone down this path of crime, he wouldn’t have met Emily in the first place. And while that would have been better for her, he couldn’t imagine not ever knowing her. He softened his tone with an effort. “I’ll drop the truck someplace it will be found later. But not until I’m sure you’re safe.”
After another moment of hesitation, Emily gave a curt nod and ran around to climb into the passenger seat. He slid in behind the wheel, started the truck, and backed away from the building. Scanning the parking lot, he took the exit farthest from the door, driving slowly as to not draw anyone’s attention.
Then he wound through town to the highway. They needed to get out of Greybull and there was nothing but wide-open spaces around them. He wished now he’d stayed in Cody, but it was too late to head back there.
No, he needed a different plan.
“Where are we going?” Emily’s voice cut into his thoughts.
“Doc’s ranch.” It was really the only viable option. At her confused expression, he explained. “Doc Martin is a retired veterinarian. He and his wife, Dee, live on the Double D Ranch. They took me in when my snow machine ran out of gas and were kind enough not to turn me over to the police.”
She frowned. “They lied to the police?”
Her comment grated on his nerves. “Only by omission. The police never showed up at the ranch looking for me.” He shot her an arched look. “I guess your brother assumed I’d died out there. And with the blizzard covering the snow machine tracks, I’m sure the authorities didn’t spend too much time searching for me.”
She winced and looked down at her hands. “I think you’re right about Doug assuming you were dead. To be honest, that’s what I thought too. I’ve watched patients die of sepsis, an infection that gets into the bloodstream. You were so sick. I didn’t see how you could survive out in the elements in your condition.”
He shrugged. “Chalk it up to pure stubbornness. I clung to that machine for as long as possible, desperate to avoid being tossed in the slammer. When it died, I pushed through the snow on foot. If not for Doc Martin finding me, I’m sure I would have died that night.”
“God was watching over you.”
He flinched. “I highly doubt that.”
“God is always watching over His children. And you should know I prayed for your safety often over the past few months.”
He glanced at her in surprise but didn’t say anything.
As if realizing he didn’t want to discuss God, Jesus, or faith, she went back to the original subject. “I’m glad Doc rescued you. He sounds like a wonderful man.”
Wonderful wasn’t the word he’d have chosen. Doc had been curt and no-nonsense, his wife, Dee, slightly more approachable. It was clear they’d purposefully kept to themselves, living off the land and going to town only rarely.
Owen owed the retired veterinarian and his wife his life and had made sure to do all the outside ranch chores before heading back to town as payment for their services. He’d chopped wood until he’d thought his arms would fall right out of his shoulder sockets. If he were honest, those last three weeks of doing ranch chores had been a balm to his soul.
Best of all, Doc and Dee had been grateful for his help.
He wasn’t sure what to say in response to Emily’s praying for him. In truth, he didn’t know a single soul on the planet who would have done such a thing.
“Tell me about them,” Emily suggested. “The doc and his wife.”
He shrugged. “They’re true westerners. Salt of the earth folks. Doc is a tough old bird, who, according to his wife, Dee, prefers animals over people. They didn’t have any visitors the entire time I stayed with them, giving me the impression they stick to themselves. Maybe that’s part of the reason they didn’t turn me in. Maybe if the cops had shown up, they would have said something. Doc knew right away that I’d been shot. And mentioned that gunshot wounds were an automatic report to law enforcement. Then he’d laughed and said that rule was for practicing doctors not veterinarians and that he’s retired.”
“I guess that makes sense.” She nodded thoughtfully. “People out here tend to be self-sufficient. And hunting accidents aren’t uncommon. Maybe they didn’t want to get involved.”
“Yeah, Doc and Dee made it clear they preferred to mind their own business.”
“I’m glad they were there for you.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He drove in silence, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror. The more he talked about Doc and Dee, the more he wished he didn’t have to go back to the Double D Ranch. He didn’t want to put them in danger.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he considered his options. Rather than leaving the stolen vehicle near their ranch, maybe he could borrow their truck long enough to get to the next town. Emily could drive their truck while he took the stolen one someplace far away so as not to implicate them.
Or better yet, why not just have Emily borrow their truck long enough to drive back to the Sullivan K9 Search and Rescue Ranch. From his brief experience with Doug Bridges, Owen knew the DEA agent would make sure to return the vehicle to the rightful owners. Then he could disappear on his own.
Yeah, the more he considered the possibilities, the more he liked the latter option. Emily would be safe driving Doc’s truck, and he could always steal another car.
His most pressing concern was keeping Emily safe from the guys hunting him. That thought gave him pause. His main goal should be his brother, Oliver, not a woman he barely knew. His entire reason for being in Wyoming was to seek revenge for his brother’s murder.