Briggs (Carolina Reapers 7)

“Yep.” She nodded. “I just didn’t realize the weather was going to be this bad.”

“None of us did. Hell, it even surprised the weather guy, right?” I flashed her a smile. “It will be fine. Fine, fine, fine.” I said those last three words to myself.

“I know,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I’ll just feel better once we’re in the air. Or on the ground in the city. Either way.”

“Me too.” This had the potential to be one of the biggest days of my life. The conference championship was on the line in just a matter of hours.

The trees overhead swayed and rocked with every gust of wind as we made our way down the mountain.

“At least it seems like the wind died down a little.” Bristol leaned forward, peering up through the windshield.

We passed the only other road—one that led to a private property, according to a wobbling sign, and rounded another corner. “Hopefully we’ll get there before the next band comes—” I slammed on the brakes at the first sight of the flashing emergency lights ahead of us.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” The Rover slid on the gravel-covered pavement, and I flung my arm out over Bristol’s chest to keep her from whiplashing forward as we skidded to a halt merely feet away from a police cruiser that was turned sideways, blocking the road.

My heart timed out the seconds in staggered beats before the car settled, rocking us both forward.

We’d barely missed it…and the officer that was unloading the trunk.

His head jolted upward, looking just as surprised as we were.

I threw the car into park and leaned over the console, taking Bristol’s face in my hands. Her eyes were wide, and her breath stuttered. “Are you okay?” As long as she was okay, that was all that mattered. Everything else was replaceable but her.

“Uh-huh.” She nodded quickly.

I pressed a hard kiss to her forehead and sucked in a deep breath, the shock and relief giving way to anger. “Stay here. I’ll see what’s going on.” There was no use in both of us getting wet.

She nodded.

I braced myself for the icy blast of rain as I got out of the Rover. The road carried the water straight into my shoes, drenching me down to the skin. Awesome.

“Are you okay?” the officer called out, walking between the few feet of space that wouldn’t have existed if I hadn’t reacted as quickly as I had. Another second, and we all would have been hurt…or worse.

“We’re fine. Why the hell aren’t there flares out beyond the curve?” I shouted. “We almost killed you!” My hands shook with the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush.

He arched a brow under a plastic-covered, wide-brim hat and waved two flares. “What do you think I was doing in my trunk?”

Okay, that was logical.

“Sorry, Officer—” I glanced at the badge on his hat. “I mean, Deputy. You just scared the shit out of us.”

“I’m glad I did. If you’d have kept going, you’d have been in the creek.” He nodded toward the road behind the patrol car. “A tree came down on the bridge.”

I blinked, like that would change anything he’d just said. “I’m sorry. I think I misheard you. Did you just say there’s a tree on the bridge?”

The Deputy’s silvering brow furrowed. “No, son. I said a tree took the bridge out. See for yourself, but don’t get too close. I’m going up the road to set the flares just in case some other tourist comes whipping around that corner like a bat out of hell.” He walked past me, following the road.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it as I looked over the deputy’s hood.

No. Fucking. Way.

I shook my head once, squeezing my eyes shut, then did it again.

There was a giant, toppled tree in the middle of the one-lane bridge. Not just on it, either—in the god damned middle of it. It had crashed through the rickety guardrails like they were toothpicks, smashed into the pavement, and dissected the bridge itself about ten feet past where the patrol car blocked the road.

I stared at the felled tree, my gaze sweeping the length to where the branches bobbed and drowned as they disappeared into the raging water of the creek, then back to the roots, which were taller than me and completely exposed.

My body rocked forward with another gust of wind, and I laced my fingers on the top of my head, scanning the distance to the other side.

“What happened?” Bristol asked, wrapping her arms around her middle as she joined me. “What is that?”

“You should get back in the car.” I tucked her under my arm, offering what protection I could from the wind.

“Is that a tree?” She jolted forward, her jaw slack.

I locked my hand around her shoulder, keeping her right where she was. “That is a tree. That is a giant fucking tree in the middle of the bridge.” I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Almost. “If it wasn’t for that deputy, we’d be a hell of a lot wetter right now.”