Redemption

Part 1 - Sideways

The heat rising from the pavement played tricks on Finn's eyes as he rounded the bend. It promised to be a beautiful day, and he had his heart set on racing through the backfields with the new mare after he finished repairing the broken fences.

The thoughts of riding took his mind off the road as he sped through another sharp turn. Something caught his eye in the distance, a glint of sunlight on metal and glass. The grim reality made his stomach churn as he drew closer and registered the mangled car. A hit-and-run. By the length of the skid marks, whoever did this pushed the car into the guardrails and took off, leaving the driver for dead.

He skidded to a stop, leaving his door open and the truck idling as he jumped out. As he raced over to the black SUV, his heart dropped as he took in the wreckage. Fragments of glass littered the ground. Smoke billowed from the hood. A steam leak hissed and whistled under the hot summer sun. The driver's side buckled from the impact.

He tensed when he realized who was behind the wheel. Little Miss Uppity Lili James, who always thought she was too good for him. The last time he ran into her in town, she refused to acknowledge him and walked by without saying a word.

Although elusive, something about her terrified Finn, like a memory that always flitted away. Maybe it was her mannerisms: standoffish and aloof. Perhaps it was her beauty. Her freckled cheeks that blush easily, her smile, or her gorgeous wavy red hair. No! It was her eyes that bore into his soul, constantly warning him to stay away.

Nothing mattered now! None of it! He needed to focus on her and not on his past feelings. He wasn't the type to leave someone in need because his ego had been bashed and bruised. His emotions for her didn't matter, and he'd be damned if she died on his watch.

"Yeah, this is T.J. Finnegan. There's been a serious accident on Highway 43. It's Lili James. I don't know how bad she is. Send an ambulance ASAP."

After calling 911, he set the phone on her car and said, "OK, Lili. I'm going to knock the remaining glass from the door."

He rolled down his flannel and pushed the shards off the window frame. When a jagged edge pierced his arm, he tried not to flinch. The door refused to budge, so he tugged on the twisted metal. Using his foot for leverage, he yanked the handle until it swung open, then slashed the airbag, deflating it.

Desperately trying to free herself, she was in the middle of a panic attack as their eyes met. He wasn’t sure of the extent of her injuries because her blood-soaked hair was matted, concealing what was likely a severe gash.

"LiIi! Lili James! I need you to stop struggling and remain calm."

"Mr. Finnegan, don't remove the victim from the vehicle. If her neck or spine is damaged, you could do more harm. Is she conscious?"

"Yes, she's conscious. I understand. I won't move her," he said as he held her hands.

"OK, stay with me. Help is on the way."

Lili stammered and started to go into shock. Finn attempted to inspect her injuries again and put pressure on the most serious ones.

"Lili, look at me. I need you to breathe. That's it. Keep breathing and stay with me." He wanted her to know she was safe and he wouldn't leave her until help arrived. Blood streamed down her face and into her eyes, mixing with her tears when he carefully wiped them away.

She leaned toward him and said, "Hal. It was Hal." Closing her eyes, she let out a small and desperate cry.

Finn tensed when she mentioned Hal's name, and thoughts of teaching the bastard a lesson consumed him. He'd never spoken to that jerk, but when he found him, he planned on talking with his fists, not words. It didn't matter if it sent him spiraling back into the darkness from which he came. He'd lose his soul for her.

"Finn, he..." Shutting her eyes, she tried again. "He abused me for years. Escaping." She squeezed his arm, leaned on his shoulder, and cried.

His sense of helplessness grew as he looked into her soft brown eyes. He brushed her hair away from her eyes, trying to comfort her. "We'll deal with that bastard once we get you fixed up. He'll never hurt you again."

The sirens faded as the ambulance pulled up. Finn turned toward the approaching footsteps and heard Jude ask, "Finn, could you please step aside. The EMTs will take over."

Before he backed away, he said, "Lili, you're safe now."

While the rescue workers evaluated her, he approached Detective Billy and Jude.

"What happened? Are you hurt, too?" Billy asked as he registered Finn's blood-soaked clothes.

"I'm fine. You need to focus on her. It looks like this was an intentional hit-and-run. Her vehicle was on the side of the road by the time I got here, pushed into the guardrail."

"Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of."

Billy nodded. "Head home and take a shower. I don't want you running around town until I come by for a statement. I don't want you calling around and spreading gossip."

Finn ignored Billy's warning as he was getting ready to leave. Halfway to his car, he said, "Almost forgot. Hal hit Lili's vehicle. He's the bastard that left her for dead."

"What the bloody hell is going on with those two?"

Giving way to his frustration, he took his cowboy hat off and banged it on his knee. Finn shrugged, unsure of what more to say.

Before he hopped in his truck, Jude called him. "Finn! Come here for a moment."

They had Lili out of the car. A team of medics triaged her as they prepared to take her to the hospital. When they placed an oxygen mask over her face, her eyes grew large with fright.

As she struggled, he wanted to run over and protect her, but he restrained himself and walked over to Jude, asking, "What's up?"

Jude looked toward Lili, and Finn's eyes followed. His heart felt like it was being strangled as he saw the caked blood mixed with her red hair smudged across her face. Taking everything in, it took him a moment to process Jude's words.

"She wants what?" His eyes turned to Jude and back to Lili's, and he felt his heart skip several beats. It didn't take him long to decide how to react to her request. "Can you take my car to the hospital, and I’ll go with her?"

Without giving Jude a chance to reply, Finn started walking to the ambulance. "Hey, the keys are in the ignition."

As he settled into the back of the ambulance, he wondered what he was doing. He hardly knew her, but this felt right. She needed someone to be with her as she recovered. It wasn't as if he had a social life beyond work or was entangled in a relationship.

Once he had buckled his seatbelt, he touched her shoulder. "I'll stay by your side as long as you want me to."

Lili's eyes revealed her lingering fear, mixed with relief, at Finn's words.

As the ambulance doors shut, Finn heard tires screeching and the echoes of a gun popping off rounds. He watched in horror as the glass shattered into a thousand projectiles.

Glass rained through the air until there was utter silence.