Page 151 of You Found Me

It was his mother’s voice. Calm, with a hint of laughter. He’d had a game, a final to study for, and a date all on the same day.

“Spencer says he’s headed this way,” Brick said as he opened the door.

“Get Diggs out of there and away from the car in case there’s a fire.” Ward pointed at the man as he and Brick got out of the truck. “I’ll get Annie."

“On it!” Brick called out as he rushed to the back of the upside-down SUV.

Ward raced to the driver’s side. The door was crunched and mangled near the hood as if it had been hit by something much bigger and harder than a tree. Airbags hung limp from the side and the front, like popped balloons.

All of the damage appeared concentrated. Like they’d been T-boned, but toward the front edge of the car, instead of the center where it would have caused more damage.

If someone had deliberately aimed at the front edge of the car to stop them or run them off the road, Annie would have tried to angle away to reduce the impact.

It was bad luck that the side of the road here sloped just enough to flip the vehicle.

Or the stalker had picked this particular place on purpose.

It was perfect, from a strategic point of view, if someone wanted to cause a non-deadly crash.

He glanced at the back seat on the way to the driver’s side door, but he knew what he’d see.

Nothing.

Della was gone. Not dead.

He had to believe that. He had toknowit. She was not dead. He could save her. Hewouldsave her.

He focused on Annie. She lay half under the steering wheel and deflated air bag, half draped across the center console as if she’d been trying to exit out the other side of the car and ran out of steam.

He yanked on the door, but it was mangled and bent and didn’t budge. The glass had cracked and bowed inward, but hadn’t broken. He turned to go around to the passenger side and caught sight of Brick jogging back toward him.

He’d left Diggs leaning up against a tree a few feet away from Ward’s truck.

Ward pulled open the passenger door. “Diggs?”

“Your man looks like he got hit by the entire offensive line, but I think he’ll be okay. He just got his bell rung. Fire department’s on the way, but it’ll be slow. Festival traffic.”

“Good.” Ward leaned in and touched Annie gently on the arm. “Annie.”

She blinked up at him. “Took you…long enough.”

Her voice was weak. She had a bruise blossoming across her forehead, angry red marks on her neck, and blood dripping from her nose.

“You look like hell.”

“Oh good. Matches…how I feel. He got her. I’m…sorry.” She tried to shift, then winced.

“Hey, stay put.” He put a hand on her shoulder to keep her still. “Help’s on the way.”

She cleared her throat. “Bastard hit us…with a stunner.”

Ward brushed her hair off her face. “You get a good look at him?”

“Yeah.” She licked her lips. “It’s Hume. Stunt guy. Not trying to hide. Arrogant. Driving…big Ford truck. With a…grill guard. Dark blue. Plate…F4S…something. All I saw.”

“That’s great work, Annie.” He tapped it all out into a quick message to Spencer.

“Ward,” Diggs said from behind him.