“Did you notice what kind of car?”

“Black, four-door sedan. I don’t really know cars, so I don’t know the make, but I think a luxury car. It looked new, but I’m not sure.”

“Okay, he knocked you down, then what?”

“He called me Zane’s whore, said something about seeing my truck.”

“The lights came on just after three,” Zane put in. “I saw taillights heading back down when I got up to check. He must’ve driven up here, seen I wasn’t alone.”

“He’d have seen me and the truck at the Ledbeckers’, put that together. Wait, he said he’d needed me to let him in while Zane was in town. The broken window at the office.”

On a hiss, she tapped a fist to her head. “I played right into it. Well, he didn’t get away with it, did he? He was going to make sure I stayed quiet, stayed down, and he came at me. I got up. I have to say he seemed amused and pleased I was going to fight back. But he didn’t know I could kick his sorry ass.”

Tears trickled out, had her pressing her fingers to her eyes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t you be sorry,” Lee ordered. “We can do this later.”

“No, no, I’m good. He doesn’t really know how to fight, just how to punch and hurt. I hurt him first, but he kept coming. I knocked him down, and started to run, but I realized I didn’t have my phone, and maybe I could lose him in the woods, but I couldn’t warn Zane, call the cops. So I decided to finish it.”

She took a minute to swipe away tears, drink more water.

“He got up, and I did—finish it. When he was out, I ran out to the truck. The bungee cords were handy, and I wanted to get him restrained in case he woke up before I could call for help. And that’s about that.”

She started to get up; Zane pressed her back.

“I want a Coke.”

“I’ll get it. Sit down.”

When he walked to the kitchen, he saw Dave rush in with his partner, Jim, behind him. And Graham sitting up, hands cuffed behind his back, his face a mass of blood and bruises.

“Good to see you, Graham.” Dave paused to give him a sneering look. “Good to see you just like this. You take him, Jim. I’ll take the lady.”

He started back, his eyes meeting Zane’s for a long moment. Then he crossed over to Darby, crouched, smiled. “How’s it going, champ?”

“I’m okay.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Any dizziness, nausea?”

“No. I had a little of both right after, but it was just reaction.”

He opened his kit, took out a blood pressure cuff. “Your knuckles are swollen and bruised. You’ve got some bruises coming up on your left arm.”

“I blocked a punch. He’s strong.”

“He likes to gut punch.”

“He didn’t get one in. He only got one by me—I think—adrenaline blur. In the shoulder—and it was feeling it from the block. I’m a little rusty or he wouldn’t have gotten one by me.”

“If that’s a little rusty,” Lee commented, “I’d like to see what you can do when you’re all in.”

“I’m with you,” Dave agreed. “I need to see the shoulder.”

When she started to take off her shirt, Lee pushed up.

“Sports bra,” she said. “You see more at the gym—don’t worry about it.”

Her shoulder protested, but setting her teeth, Darby peeled off her T-shirt. Twisting her head, she got her first good look. “Okay, shit. He got one by me all right.”

“Her back’s bruised and scraped.” Zane’s voice came out deadly calm, in direct opposition to the blood rising hot under his skin.

“It’s a little sore, that’s all.” To prove it, she lifted her elbow, then her arm, rolled the shoulder back, rolled it forward. “Nothing’s pulled or broken. Full range of motion. I know what it feels like when it’s really hurt. It’s not. A couple of Motrin will handle it.”

“After a visit to the clinic,” Lee said.

“I don’t—”

“I’ll take her,” Zane interrupted.

“It only adds to the case against Bigelow if you’re under a doctor’s care for injuries he inflicted,” Lee pointed out. “It would help us out.”

“Okay, okay. But I need to get the crew started. They’re probably here and wondering what the hell.

“Give me a minute.”

When Dave went out to consult with Jim, and Lee walked away to answer his signaling phone, Zane got a bag of peas out of the freezer. “Never eat them,” he said as he handed Darby the Coke, laid the cold bag on her shoulder. “Always have them.”

“Hey, me, too. It’s just bumps and scrapes, Zane.”

“I know.” Still he stroked her hair. “But you’re going to the clinic.”

“We’re taking Bigelow into Asheville,” Dave said. “Jackie Chan here did a number on him. Broken nose, black eyes, a few loose teeth. Jaw may be broken. His balls are nicely black-and-blue. Lee’s having two officers ride with us.

“And you.” Dave walked over, framed Darby’s face, kissed her on the mouth. “We’ll let the clinic know you’re coming in shortly.”

He walked over to Zane, gave him a hard, one-armed hug. “Don’t worry about this. We’ve got him.”

When she stood up, Darby felt some twinges, a lot of stiffness she wasn’t ready to admit. “I need a fresh shirt. I need to talk to my crew.”

“I’ll get you a shirt.”

“Moving’s good, otherwise you stiffen up.”

He worried he’d snap, just snap. “Let me take care of you.”

“You have been, from the second you drove up at light speed. Believe me, it made a difference. But okay, you can get me a shirt, then drive me to the clinic after I talk to the crew.”

“Zane.” Lee stepped back in. “I need a minute.”

“What?” He could see it, see something coming.

Darby took a step back. “I’ll just—”

“No.” Zane took her hand, held her in place. “What is it?”

“I got a call from Raleigh. The locals gained access to the Bigelow residence. Eliza’s dead, Zane. Probably a few days dead. They’ll do an autopsy to determine that and cause of death.”

Darby edged in closer, took a harder grip on Zane’s hand.

“I should feel something, but I don’t. Maybe later.”

“I don’t want you to worry about this. I’ll handle it.”

“Emily. My grandparents.”

“I’ll handle it. You take care of your girl, and leave this to me.” He put a firm hand on Zane’s shoulder. “Leave it to me.”

Dulled, numb, Zane just stood where he was. “I want the details when you have them.”

“You’ll get them. You get checked out now, Darby, and I want the details on that. I need to take some pictures of your injuries.”

“Sure. Fine.”

“I’m going to go up, get her a fresh shirt.”

Nodding, Lee took out his phone. “You let him take care of you now, you hear? It’ll help him.”