Page 95 of Rescued Dreams

That same gleam in his eyes, but a little different. More reminiscent of the calls Truck 14 went on where they met drug addicts, whether on the street or squatting in a house. They helped everyone they could, passing on information about local services available to help those who wanted to change their lives. So many were stuck in a hopeless cycle.

He had that same edge in his gaze.

“What do you want?” She held herself very still.

“You’ll find out.” He stared at her, so still that she had to move just to break the anxiety-filled tension.

Amelia’s sore muscles protested.

The knot on her head pounded through her skull.

She bit the inside of her lip. “Just tell me. You owe me that much.”

His eyes flashed. “I do owe you. But not what you think. This is going to be the worst punishment you’ve ever received.”

“Why? I’ve been gone for years. I have nothing to do with you—not anymore.”

“You cost me everything. You ruined my life.”

“I didn’t do that.” She had to say it. “You did that to yourself.”

“You’ll pay.”

He turned and strode out of the room, his footsteps echoing up to the ceiling. She heard a heavy door shut, the thud practically shaking the house. A few moments later, headlights flashed across the front of the house, moving across the floor through the open front window.

Freedom, so close she could see it.

But there was no way out…back to Ridge. Where she could finally tell him that she was in love with him.

God, help us.

THIRTY-TWO

“Come with me.” Kane’s statement was more of an order than a request.

Ridge watched his cousin stride to the break room at the police department. Olivia said, “Go see what he wants.”

He needed answers, but if Kane wanted to pull him aside, it had to be important.

“Shut the door.”

“Are you going to keep ordering me around all day? I have things to do. We need to keep pestering the cops until we have a lead on where Amelia might be. Now that we know it was Nicholas who took her?—”

“Interviews take time. Elam isn’t going to give up his only ticket to a deal easily.” Kane dumped his backpack on the small round table, which wobbled under the weight of it. He drew out a roll of bandage. “Maria told the twins what happened. Now take off your shirt.”

Meg might have confirmed that the man she’d seen was Amelia’s ex, but what did that get them? They still had no idea where to find the guy. “We don’t have time for this.”

“You don’t want to go to the hospital, you take off your shirt.”

Ridge stared at him.

“I’ll cut it off and give you another one.” It might not have been meant as a threat, but with Kane’s broody stare, Ridge wasn’t sure.

The guy was mad that Ridge had been hurt, the truck had exploded and a man was in critical condition at the hospital, and Amelia had been taken. Not exactly under his nose. Kane knew he wasn’t responsible for what’d happened. Him or Maria, who was currently at the town house with the twins, keeping them safe.

“I can get it off.” He had ditched the turnout pants and found tennis shoes, so there were no suspenders. Ridge got one arm through the hole, ducked his head, and moved the shirt to the left, where he drew it down his arm.

“You should’ve gotten an X-ray.”