Defending Bridget - P.J. Fiala Page 0,41

tired and hungry, and she wanted to see her son. That didn't help her irritation one bit.

Finally, hours later, she was allowed to leave the station. Exhausted wasn't even close to a valid word for her present state. Her feet felt as if they had weights hanging on them and her vision was almost blurry.

An officer escorted her out of the hallway where the interrogation rooms were, and she was relieved to step into the hallway and see Axel still sitting there waiting for her.

Axel stood to his full height and his eyes watched her as she walked toward him. There was something about the way he looked at her now though that set her body tingling. When she neared him he stepped forward, the officer handed her a bag with her possessions in them, her cell phone and things that had been left in her vehicle and her range bag with her laptop in it.

Her arm dropped when taking her range bag, she'd not been prepared for the weight of it. Plus, her fatigue didn't help. She hated feeling helpless but was so grateful when Axel reached forward and took the heavy burden from her. He slung it over his shoulder and waited for her to say something.

First she addressed the officer. "Thank you."

The she turned to Axel. "Are you able to take me home?"

"Yes, that's why I waited." There was a bit of humor in his voice.

Two steps toward the door she stopped. "Hey, where's Josh?"

"I sent him to your place a few hours ago so he could sleep. Your mom gave us the keys and told us to feel free to stay while we were here looking for you. I figured if he slept now, when we get back, we can sleep, and he'll be rested enough to be on pseudo-guard duty. I wasn't sure how you would feel after what you've been through and felt the added security would help you rest. We have a plane coming for us all in the morning at 0800."

"Why? Won't Aidyn and my mom be coming back here?"

He stepped in front of her close enough that she had to tilt her head up to look into his eyes. "Bridget, we didn't get them. Not yet. They're still out there."

Her shoulders slumped forward and defeat consumed her, further weighing her down. "I thought police were on their way to the cabin to get them."

"All they found was a dead man."

Before she could gather her wits, tears streamed from her eyes. Angrily swiping at them she sniffed. "I'm tired."

He stepped aside, wrapped his right arm around her shoulders, which she allowed and enjoyed, and escorted her from the police department.

Stepping outside in the cool fresh air, she inhaled and enjoyed freedom. After all, she'd been captive for many hours, which by many standards was not long at all, and the enormity of how fortunate she was rained down on her. Tears flowed again but Axel said nothing at all. They walked across the parking lot to a vehicle that looked like hers. Wait, it was hers. Then she realized Josh had taken their vehicle and the police had hers here for forensic examination.

"They released it?"

"Yeah."

"What happened to the others?”

He chuckled lightly. "They've all been released and either had someone come and get them or hitched a ride to a hotel where the ladies from out of state have taken a couple of rooms together until they can get flights home."

"Will they be alright? Get counseling and such?"

"I don't know, honey. I did manage to find out that Skye's friend Riah has a husband who is anxious to have her back. Megan's friend, Carrie is going home to a husband who has been frantic and will see to her care and Yvette's friend, Bethany has parents to go home to. Jennie Lee and Sydney said they were bunking together for a while until they felt comfortable."

He opened the passenger door for her and waited for her to get in and buckle up. Closing the door once she was situated, she watched him walk around the front of her SUV to the driver's side. He was still handsome, even with that long hair, which she usually would balk at, but on him, it worked. She'd seen the hint of a long scar on his right cheek and remembered that he didn't have that when they were together.

He climbed in and his scent filled the SUV. It was calming and still sexy after a rather