Free Duty Bound by Samantha Chase Page B

happy?”
    Her jaw worked as she tried to come up with some sort of snappy comeback, but obviously none came to her.
    “You should go to the doctor today and get it checked out. Probably shouldn’t go to work either. You need to keep it elevated and wrapped.” She silently seethed beside me as I continued, “If you have crutches at home, it would be smart to use them. You know, don’t put any weight on the foot.”
    Still nothing.
    “And you definitely shouldn’t wear any of those ridiculous shoes that you normally do. Don’t you own anything without five inch heels?”
    I smacked my head against the window as she turned into the parking lot where I’d left my truck. I guess I had that coming, and I should have been prepared. “Damn it, Harper! What the hell?”
    She jerked the car in park and turned in her seat to look at me. “Get out.”
    “That’s it? Get out? That’s all you’ve got to say?”
    She smiled that familiar smile—the one that didn’t quite make it to her eyes. “I’m sorry. Get out, please? ”
    I rubbed the spot where there was sure to be a lump and leaned in toward her. “What is your problem?”
    A small growl began in the back of her throat before she lashed out. “You are my problem! As usual! You show up at my house without warning, make me drive you to get your truck, and instead of being thankful that I’m doing it, you sit there and lecture me on what you expect me to do.”
    “It’s what anyone would expect you to do. You hurt your ankle, for crying out loud! All I’m saying is—”
    “Stop saying, Levi! Stop telling me what I need to do and where I need to go. And don’t you ever tell me what I should and shouldn’t wear! I am telling you for the last time that I can take care of myself. I don’t need you hovering around, dictating how I should live my life!”
    I leaned in real close and chose my words for maximum effect. “If it weren’t for me,” I snarled, “you might not have a life to be living this morning. Or have you forgotten that someone tried to run you over last night?”
    Her eyes went wide and she paled. Mission accomplished.
    I didn’t wait for her response, I pulled back and reached for the door handle. “Go to the doctor, Harper,” was all I said before climbing out and slamming the door. I had barely gotten two feet from her car before she was backing up and speeding out of the parking lot.
    Great. With my luck she’d kill herself before whoever was after her made their next move. Good thing she could take care of herself.
    ***
    “Did you get the license plate number?”
    “No.”
    “Did you get the make and model of the car?”
    “No.”
    Randy Jenkins looked at me and threw up his hands. “Seriously, Levi, you’ve got to give me something here. Do you have any idea how many cars there are in town? Was it dark colored? Light colored? A sedan? A truck? Something, anything, man.”
    I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. Okay, focus . “It was a dark colored sedan. Two doors.”
    He nodded. “Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere. What time did this happen?”
    “I don’t know. Sometime between ten and eleven last night.”
    “And this was outside of McCall’s Pub?”
    “Not directly. We were a little down the block and were crossing to get to the public parking lot. We were maybe about thirty or forty yards from the pub.”
    “Okay.” He jotted down some notes. “How fast would you say the car was going?”
    “Jesus, Randy,” I said, cursing under my breath. “It all happened so damn fast. One minute this car was blocks away and the next it was speeding up and heading for Harper! If I hadn’t been there—”
    “I know,” he said and really seemed sincere. “I have to admit, when you first came to me a week ago and mentioned the trouble you thought Harper was in, I didn’t give it much thought. She’s has a tendency to—” He paused as if carefully choosing his words. “She rubs people the wrong way