Things Made Right by Tymber Dalton Read Free Book Online Page A

reporter was on the scene, where ambulances, fire trucks, tow trucks, and Highway Patrol cars were parked next to a section of road. The footage cut away to an aerial scene that looked like it had been filmed from a traffic chopper just after daybreak, smoke still rising from the charred husk of a vehicle lying at the bottom of the hundred-foot drop and in the center of a blackened circle of burned brush.
    “…And they still haven’t retrieved the bodies yet due to the hazardous conditions. Authorities needed to wait until daylight so they didn’t risk personnel…”
    Another cutaway to an interview conducted with a patrolman before daylight hit. In the background could be seen the glow from down in the valley, the wrecked vehicle still burning.
    “By the time someone saw it and called it in, the car was completely engulfed, as was some of the brush around it. We couldn’t get anyone down there fast enough or close enough without risking their lives. All we could do was dump water on it from a tanker truck up on the road. Still trying to put everything out, as you can see. Recovery will have to wait until daylight.”
    The camera cut back to the reporter. Loren couldn’t remember her name, but suspected she’d never forget the striped blouse and dark blazer the woman wore. “Once the fire was extinguished, they sent a man down the steep embankment to check the wreckage. He found the four deceased victims in the car, which had landed on its roof. Authorities will be sending more men down within the next hour to begin the grim recovery task. Roger.”
    “Kallie, do authorities know what happened yet?” the male anchor in the studio asked.
    “Well, Roger, from the evidence, it would seem the car was going at a high rate of speed on this dirt road, and plunged off the road just before the guardrail started.”
    “Is alcohol suspected as a contributing factor?”
    “Authorities at the scene declined to comment on that since they haven’t even officially identified the victims yet. That will have to await the autopsy results, but they assured me all avenues of investigation will be pursued. This is Kallie Swanson for NBC7. Back to you.”
    “Thank you, Kallie. She will remain on the scene throughout the morning, and we’ll be updating our viewers with any news we receive. Stay tuned to—”
    Loren shut the TV off, her left hand still jammed in her mouth.
    She knew who the victims in the car were.
    With certainty.
    Would have known exactly who they were even if the reporter hadn’t identified the car’s owner.
    What had Ross said when he arrived?
    I made something right tonight.
    Walter Kessling.
    Charles Van Hardy.
    Lawrence Busch.
    David Corning.
    Their beds would be empty this morning.
    And remain that way.
    Then the giggles started, staying with her as she walked into the bedroom, one hand still jammed in her mouth as she grabbed her clothes for her shower. She finally pulled her hand out of her mouth as she stripped to get into the shower, the giggles turning into laughter that at some point turned into relieved sobs, heaving, quiet ones as she rested her head on her arms against the cool tile of the shower wall.
    Never again would she have to look over her shoulder.
    Never again would she have to worry—however remote the chance—about facing them at a trial.
    Never again.
    He made it right.
    He couldn’t fix it, but he kept his promise to make it right.

Chapter Eight
     
    Now…
     
    Sully slowly stirred his iced tea with his straw. No way in hell would he ever reveal what Loren had just confessed to him.
    Not to mention he now respected Ross even more than before.
    Was he a retired cop? Yes.
    Did he blame Ross for what he did?
    Nope.
    Had they been friends at the time, Sully would hope he could have been the kind of friend Ross could have asked for help. Because he would have gladly helped those four asshole rapists make their way into the hereafter. Men like that used women, thought nothing of them,