Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,17

They’re takin’ ’em back to my house.”

Iris and Frank. His aunt and uncle. Brantley’s parents. They would help. His mom would have help.

Good. That was good. “Someone should…”

Curtis’s big, firm hand slid over his shoulder, a gentle, calming touch. “Two deputies are with them, Travis. As are Kaden, Keegan, Jared, and Hope.”

Travis found his feet were moving as he let his father lead him to the Escalade still parked at the bed-and-breakfast.

He was vaguely aware of his father speaking every so often, but his mind was already miles ahead of them, in the back of that ambulance.

*

Juliet’s heart was pounding so hard she thought it would burst right out of her chest. Adrenaline-laced fear made her hyperalert, her foot on the gas as she sought a safe place.

She’d hit her with her car. Kylie.

Everything that had happened was still a blur, but Juliet recalled seeing Travis’s wife as she walked down the street, laughing at something the other woman said. Juliet had felt the rage boil up. How could that bitch be so happy? How could they go on with their lives like nothing had ever happened? Like Juliet hadn’t lost every damn thing she’d ever had?

And then it hit her. This was her chance. It wasn’t coincidence that Kylie had been put directly in her path. It was a sign from God.

The next thing Juliet knew, she was backing her car out of the spot. Once she put it in drive, she slammed her foot on the gas pedal, aiming the car for Kylie just as she stepped out into the street.

Her timing had been impeccable. Another sign, she figured.

It had happened so fast, she hadn’t had time to really process it, even after she’d rammed the other car, pinning Kylie between the two. Juliet’s fight-or-flight instinct had kicked in and she’d managed to untangle the car from the wreckage and speed away. It surprised her she hadn’t taken anyone else down in the process.

Now as she parked her wrecked car behind the cheap motel she’d gotten a room in earlier, Juliet knew she had to make a run for it. Only she couldn’t drive that car, which pained her. She had come to love that Mustang. Unfortunately, it was too noticeable. Someone would see it. There had been police at that park. Surely they weren’t far behind.

Leaving all her stuff in the room because she kept on her what was crucial, Juliet headed for the little office where she’d paid for the room. She remembered seeing a set of keys hanging in the office.

Luck was on her side because there was no one there when she stepped inside. The bells over the door jingled, and fearing it would alert someone, she darted through the open door, grabbed the key ring from the hook, and turned and headed back out.

“Can I help you?” a woman called from behind her.

Juliet shook her head, not looking back as the glass door closed.

She pressed the button on the key fob, and a horn honked. She smiled. Once more luck was on her side.

A few seconds later, she’d secured a getaway car. The older Chevy Cruze wasn’t in the best shape, but she prayed the engine would last long enough to get her someplace safe.

At the very least, it would get her out of the immediate vicinity until the heat died down.

*

JJ was standing still, watching as people continued to congregate around the scene of the accident.

She was still trying to wrap her head around what had happened, although deep inside she knew.

Baz was currently talking to one of the deputies, informing him they had seen the blue Mustang pulling into the parking space earlier. They’d been watching as Kylie was loaded into the ambulance when someone mentioned what they’d witnessed. In that moment, JJ had looked at Baz, her gut churning.

No one had confirmed that the woman driving the car was Juliet Prince, but she figured it was a safe assumption. After all, like Brantley and Reese, JJ didn’t believe in coincidence, and they had just been alerted that the woman was seen exiting the highway only a couple of miles down the road.

“Brantley wants us to come to the hospital,” Baz relayed when he joined her.

JJ frowned. “Why?” Realizing she sounded bitchy, she clarified. “I mean, I don’t have a problem with it, but won’t we be more helpful if we start searchin’?”

“A BOLO’s been issued,” Baz informed her.

JJ knew that was police speak for a be on the lookout notification.