The Final Tap Read Online Free Page A

more than once since the reenactment ended in July. So far, I’d been able to avoid giving him a direct answer. I wasn’t sure that I was ready to bring another adult into Hayden’s life. My five-year -old just had his father’s engagement to twenty-something Krissie Pumpernickle sprung on him, and the thought of a new stepmother was a lot for a kid to handle. I didn’t want to bring up the possibility of a new stepfather—even though Chase and I were nowhere near that—this close to his father telling him about his upcoming wedding. I needed to protect my son from being hurt again.
    My best friend, Laura, would argue that I wasn’t protecting Hayden. I was protecting myself. I hadn’t been on a single date since the divorce was finalized three years ago. A tiny part of me would admit only to myself that I thought she might be right. I’d never tell Laura that. She would hold it over me for the rest of my life and into the hereafter. But I had good reason to want to protect myself. Hayden’s father, Eddie, had been unfaithful. I could not go through that again.
    Despite all my logical thoughts about why dating Chase was a terrible idea, I felt my cheeks grow hot when he made eye contact with me. If I was asked, I planned to blame my blush on the harsh winter wind.
    Chase wore a black hip-length ski jacket over his navy uniform and sturdy snow boots that looked like they were used for hiking or kicking in doors. “Are you okay?” he whispered as he kneeled next to me.
    I gave him the slightest of nods. “Dr. Beeson isn’t great.”
    He saw the drill sticking out of the man’s chest and winced. As he did so, he checked Beeson’s pulse. “He’s still alive, but we don’t have much time.” He waved over his colleagues and they placed a fold-up stretcher on the snow. “Kelsey, I’m going to have to ask you to back up.”
    I stumbled to my feet and shuffled back to where Benji stood on the edge of the trees. As I did, a young police officer—Officer Sonders, who I’d met the last time someone died on the Farm—broke through the trees. He nodded to me. “What happened? Has there been a crime?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I managed to say. I nodded to Dr. Beeson and the EMTs kneeling around him.
    He shuddered. “I’d better call this in.” He stepped away from Benji and me and removed his radio from his belt.
    â€œHe’s a big guy,” one of the other two EMTs said. “How are we going to carry him out? The snow’s too deep to pull the ambulance into the woods. It’ll get stuck for sure.”
    â€œPull the ambulance around as close as you can get it to the tree line on this side of the pasture, and we will have to carry him that far,” Chase said. “Sonders can help.”
    â€œBenji and I can help too,” I said.
    My assistant nodded. Her dark skin had a gray cast to it.
    One of the EMTs moved off toward the pasture to move the ambulance into position, and the other knelt beside Chase to stabilize Beeson for transport.
    â€œAre you okay?” I whispered to Benji.
    She swallowed. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
    â€œMe either,” I admitted. “Chase and the other EMTs will take care of him. He’ll be okay.”
    Benji twisted her mouth as if she wasn’t so sure about that. I had to agree with her. I knew Chase and the others would do everything they could for the professor, but it was hard to believe he would survive his injury.
    The EMTs gently rolled Beeson onto the stretcher. Chase placed an oxygen mask over his face and tightened the straps around his body so that he wouldn’t fall off the board.
    â€œAre you going to leave that drill sticking out of his chest like that?” Benji’s voice was accusing.
    Chase’s dark eyes glanced at us for half a second. “The surgeons will remove it at the hospital.