You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

—Psalms 32:7

“Ah, so you’re awake now?”

The voice to her left made her start. Abby felt a surge of fear, but in light of the yellow curtains, white walls and the very pregnant woman staring down at her, she managed to swallow that fear and ask, “What happened? Where am I?”

“You’re in my home. I’m Fiona Whitley. My mom and my brother, Cal, rescued you when you passed out at the bus station.”

Abby sat up and regretted the quick action when the room spun. “When was that?”

“Three days ago. Today’s Friday. Your fever finally broke yesterday.”

Abby remembered her self-diagnosis in the bus station. And with that memory came the vision of the man who’d been following her. “Oh, no,” she whispered.

“What’s wrong?”

Did she dare burden her? Abby looked around the cozy apartment and realized she couldn’t just blurt out she thought someone was following her. A person who had evil intentions toward her….

Holiday Hideout

Lynette Eason

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To my family, I love you all.

ONE

Dr. Abigail O’Sullivan stepped off the bus and felt the hair on the back of her neck spike. It was all she could do to hold back the groan climbing up her throat as she looked around, trying to pin down the source of her uneasiness.

It’s nothing, she told herself, you were careful. There’s no way he could have followed you. You’re just sick.

The fever had started yesterday. Monday, right? She thought so. The aches and pains had followed shortly thereafter. She needed something to drink. Some water. But she’d been on a bus for the past three hours fading in and out. During a lucid moment, she wondered exactly how high her fever was.

But was it truly just illness causing her to feel so out of sorts?

Even now, exhausted and sick, she felt watched. How? her sluggish mind cried. She’d taken buses, crisscrossed states, paid cash for everything. Her dry eyes burned as they canvassed the area around her. How could he still be behind her?

He’s not, he couldn’t be.

His parting words made her shudder. “I’m going to make sure you suffer for the rest of your life.”

Cutting words. Hurtful, hateful words.

But that’s all she’d thought they were.

Just words.

Until someone tried to run her off the road and the police blamed her and chalked it up to reckless driving.

And then there was the series of incidents that frightened her terribly. Coming home to find her house had been searched was terrifying. Then her car had been broken into and her office searched.

Subtly. Very carefully. But she’d known it. And she’d reported it to the police.

Who’d done absolutely nothing.

She snorted. The police. A lot of help they were.

So was it him? Or someone else? Possibly someone he’d hired? A chill shook her, and she pulled the edges of her coat tighter. Her tongue snaked out to lick dry lips. Snagging her purse, she rummaged through it until she found a crumpled bill and some change. Surely there’d be a drink machine somewhere in this bus station.

Her mind hopped back to the person after her.

If he’d hired someone, then she’d have to keep running no matter how awful she felt. Swallowing hard, she grimaced at the pain the action brought. She felt sure gulping razors wouldn’t hurt as much. Vaguely, she wondered if she had strep in addition to the flu.

Probably. She thought about the young boy on the last bus. He’d been coughing, flushed and complaining his throat hurt. Abby had wondered if he had the flu or strep.

Now she knew.

“Are you all right, dear?”

Abby turned to look at the woman who’d posed the question in a light Irish accent and had to fight off a wave of dizziness. When her head stopped spinning, she took note of stylish salt-and-pepper hair before landing on the green eyes glistening with concern. Abby guessed the lady was in her mid-fifties.

Feeling a cough coming on, Abby turned her face into her elbow until the spasm passed. Using the tissue she’d found in the bottom of her purse, she dabbed the cough-induced tears from under her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just sick.

The flu, I think, and maybe strep, too, so you might want to keep your distance.”

But the gentle lady smiled. “I’ve had my shot. And I’ve never had strep in my life. Guess I’ll take my chances. I’m waiting on my son to pick me up. Been visiting my sister over in Bryson City.”

Dizziness swept over Abby again and she closed her eyes to ward it off. She didn’t bother telling the woman she’d had her flu shot, too. Fat lot of good it had done her.

When she opened her eyes, her new friend placed a hand on her arm and led her to a nearby bench. “But you don’t care about all that. Here, why don’t you sit here while I get you a bottle of water?”

Before Abby could protest, another wave of dizziness attacked her and she sank onto the bench with a grateful groan.

A shiver racked her and she huddled deeper into her thick down winter coat. The middle of December in North Carolina was cold. Of course the fever didn’t help. Squinting, she fought sleep even though she wanted nothing more than to curl up and sink into oblivion.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that. She had to stay awake, keep her eyes peeled. Stay alert. He would be waiting for her to show weakness, catch her off guard.

But she’d been so careful.

She reached down and patted the small bulge in the lower part of her jeans. The reassuring feel of the wad of cash soothed some of her anxiety.

She looked around again and another tremor shook her as the faces blended, merged, then separated. Abby blinked fast to clear her vision.

Yes, she’d been careful.

At least she thought she had. But what if she hadn’t been? What if her paranoia wasn’t fever-induced? After all, what did she know about running from someone who caught criminals for a living? Not that she was a criminal, but the process was the same wasn’t it?

Visions of her brother-in-law’s stony glare as Abby clutched her dead sister’s hand stumbled to the forefront of her brain.

Her sister and baby girl … dead because of Abby …

Grief racked her. “My fault.”

“Here, darling. Here’s your water.”

Abby felt liquid slip between her lips to cool her fiery throat. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“What’s your name?”

“Abby.”

“Well, Abby, I’m Justine McIvers and I think we need to get you to a doctor. Are you meeting someone here?”

“No, I’m alone. But I’ll be all right.” The water did seemed to revive her a bit. She took another swallow and nearly cried at the pain the action caused.

Then her eyes fell on a man behind the woman and she gasped, shoved aside the water and lurched to her feet. She stumbled, got her balance, then fell headlong into a hard chest.

Strong hands grasped her upper arms. “Whoa, there, little lady. What’s going on?” The deep bass voice rumbled in her ear.

“She’s very sick, Cal,” the woman behind her said. “I think she needs an ambulance.”

“No, please,” Abby gasped. “No, no ambulance, no hospitals.”

The darkness started closing in and she fought it. She couldn’t pass out! Not now. He was here! He’d found her. She looked again and didn’t see him.

Or was he just a hallucination?

Panicked, she looked up into the blue eyes of the man who kept her from landing face-first on the floor at his feet. “Don’t let him get me.”

And then she lost the battle as blackness coated her.

Deputy Sheriff Callum McIvers held the sick woman against him, his eyes scanning the gawking crowd. Who was she afraid of?

Don’t let him get me. Her words echoed in his ears.

Who? In a town the size of Rose Mountain, Cal prided himself on knowing just about every resident by name.

Except during the holiday season. Christmas was right around the corner, and every day the bus brought more strangers to town than he could count.

Even through both of their heavy winter coats, he could feel the heat from the fever emanating from the woman who’d just passed out.

Trained as a first responder, he acted quickly. Doing a preliminary check, he was relieved to find a strong pulse. However, her breathing seemed labored. Probably from the congestion in her chest.

Cal looked up at his mother, whose concern was etched on her normally smooth forehead. He said, “We need to get her to a doctor. She’s burning up.”

“She said it was the flu and possibly strep.”

Cal frowned. “Call Dylan and have him meet me at the house. She’s obviously afraid of someone, so I guess I won’t take her to the hospital if she doesn’t need to go. If she’s running from someone, her illness could be a combination of exhaustion and whatever bug she’s picked up.”

“You’re taking her home? To your house?” Surprise lit his mother’s eyes as Cal picked the woman up in his arms and ignored the crowd that had gathered to watch the drama play out.

“Well, maybe not to my house. Yours isn’t a very good idea with you promising to watch Tiffany this week. We sure don’t want her to come down with whatever this woman’s got.” Tiffany was the five-year-old granddaughter of his foreman, Zane Dodson. Zane’s daughter, a single mother and a doctor, had volunteered to go to Haiti for a week on a mission trip. Zane was excited about having the little girl nearby, but the thought of caring for her by himself had terrified him. Cal’s mother had stepped in and volunteered to help babysit.

Cal said, “What about Fiona’s? I don’t want to expose Fiona to her, though. What do you think?”

“If we take her to Fiona’s, she can have the apartment in the basement. I can come over and check on her, bring her food or whatever until she’s past the contagious stage.”

Cal nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ve got the car outside. Do you have Dylan’s number?”

“Sure. And I’ve got her purse, too. Let’s go.”

Cal carried her out, doing his best to shield her from the cold wind blowing off the mountain.

As he settled the unconscious woman into the backseat, his mother climbed in the front. “Dylan said to bring her by his office, it’s quicker. He’s already shut down for the day and happened to be there working on some files. He can see her right away.”

“Excellent.”

Once more, Cal checked her pulse. Still strong.

“I don’t know if she had a bag other than her purse or not.”

Cal grunted as he worked the seat belt around her. “I’ll call Joe and tell him to hold it if a strange bag shows up with no one to claim it.”

Joe was the bus transit director and one of Cal’s good friends.

Cal climbed into the front seat and started the engine. Five minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of Dylan Seabrook’s medical practice. A quick scan of the road behind him showed no cars, no one following. But the fear on the woman’s face just before she passed out stayed with him.

Gathering the sick woman in his arms, he headed for the door. Dylan swung it open. “I was watching for you. Bring her on down here.”

Cal followed Dylan down the hall to an empty room. As gently as possible, he settled her on the examination table and looked at Dylan. “We’ll be right outside.”

Dylan took over as Cal took his mother’s hand and pulled her from the room.

His mother spoke. “What makes you think she’s afraid of someone?”

“She said, ‘Don’t let him get me,’ just before she passed out.”

She blanched. “Oh, my.”

Cal nodded. “Did you see anyone suspicious hanging around her?”

“No, darling, I was just looking for you and noticed how flushed she was. She also looked a little lost, so I asked her if she needed some help.”

Cal smiled. “Leave it to God to lead you to the one who needs help.” He glanced at the door wondering what was taking so long. How sick was she? He started to get concerned. Had he misjudged the seriousness of her illness?

Outside the window at the end of the hall, darkness had fallen and the full moon cast shadows.

His gaze sharpened. Wait. Was that someone trying to look in? “I’ll be right back.”

“What is it?” She frowned up at him.

“Just want to check something out, all right?”

“Cal, you’ve got that look on your face.”

But he was already moving toward the front door. He could feel her worried gaze drilling his back as he turned the corner.

Once outside, he stopped and listened. Had he just imagined the shadow outside the window?

Making his way as silently as possible around to the back of the building, he found the window where he thought he’d seen the image of someone trying to peer inside the building.

Nothing stirred but the normal end-of-day noises and his breath in the air.

A footfall to his left.

Cal whirled. The shadow ran.

“Hey! Freeze! Police!”

Ignoring him, the person never stopped. Cal took off after him, boots slapping against the asphalt as he rounded the side of the building.

Squinting, Cal tried to get a look at the fleeing man, but in the darkness, even with the light of the moon, wasn’t able to make out much more detail than the man’s baseball cap. He thought the guy had on a dark colored heavy coat and boots, but wasn’t a hundred-percent sure.

The figure slipped between The Candy Caper and John’s General Store. Cal heard the roar of an engine, but by the time he got around the corner, man and vehicle were gone, taillights fading in the distance. In the dark behind the buildings, he couldn’t even get a make on the car or a license plate.

Cal slapped his thigh in frustration as he stopped to catch his breath even as his brain started processing the events.

A sick woman—whose name he still didn’t know—in a bus station. A frightened plea for help. A stranger lurking outside the medical building where the woman was receiving care.

Who was he? An ex-husband or a boyfriend?

Had Cal found himself in the middle of a domestic violence situation?

His jaw tightened as he stared in the direction of the long-gone taillights as another woman’s pleas echoed in his ears. Another woman he’d failed.

If this new stranger he and his mother had taken under their wing needed help, Cal would do everything in his power to make sure she received protection and care for as long as she needed it. And from whomever she was scared of.

Dylan gave a disgusted grunt and turned to walk the three blocks back to the clinic.

When he entered the door, his mother greeted him with a worried look. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“What made you think you needed to go check on things outside?”

Not wanting her to worry, Cal shook his head. “Just a feeling. But everything’s all right.” He changed the subject. “How’s our patient? Have you heard anything?”

“Not yet. I’m worried she might need—”

Dylan opened the door and Cal pounced. “How is she?”

“She’s sick.” The doctor’s brow furrowed. “I suspect strep and the flu.” He held up two capped tubes. “I took some cultures, so we’ll know something in a few minutes after I get them processed.”

Dylan walked into the lab and began the process that would read the cultures. Cal followed on his heels. “Did she wake up? Why did she faint?”

As Dylan washed his hands, he looked over his shoulder at Cal. “Yes, she woke up. I talked to her a bit, but she’s not making much sense. Talking about someone being after her?” Dylan lifted a brow. “Do you have any idea what that’s related to?”

“I might. In the bus station she seemed scared, then before she passed out she said, ‘Don’t let him get me.’”

Dylan frowned. “That doesn’t sound so good.”

“Exactly.” He hardened his jaw.

His friend gave him a knowing look. He knew exactly what Cal meant. “Well, I gave her something for the fever, so it’s coming down. She’s worn out and pretty dehydrated. As for your second question as to why she fainted, I think that was probably due to a combination of things.”

“So, does she need to be in a hospital?”

“Nah.” Dylan dried his hands on the towel. “Like I said, she’s a little dehydrated, but if someone will make sure she gets proper rest and care, she’ll be good as new in a few days. I can even come out there in a couple of days to check her over.”

Cal thought about the man he’d just chased. If he was after the sick woman, he was going to have to go through Cal to get to her.

And Cal wasn’t an easy man to go through.

TWO

Abby blinked at the sunlight streaming in through the window to her left. Awareness came to her slowly, almost as though she were slogging through a fog. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the opposite wall where a collection of weapons hung on display.

Knives, guns, rifles, a slingshot?

And a Christmas tree on a small table in the corner of the room. Multicolored lights twinkled in a repeating pattern.

Where in the world was she?

Turning her head, she squinted to take in the rest of her surroundings.

“Ah, so you’re awake now?”

The voice with the soft Irish accent made her start. The smell of chicken broth made her stomach rumble. Abby felt a surge of fear, but in light of the yellow curtains, cream-colored walls and the very pregnant woman staring down at her, she managed to swallow that fear and ask, “What happened? Where am I?”

Bits and pieces of the past few days flitted through her mind. A woman helping her to the bathroom. A cool cloth placed on her forehead. Sipping some broth. A shot? Yes, she definitely remembered the shot.

She looked at the woman in front of her and decided she looked familiar, but she wasn’t the one she’d seen in her dreams.

Or was it all real?

“I’m Fiona Whitley. You’re in my home in our small basement apartment. My mom and my brother, Cal, rescued you when you passed out at the bus station.”

“Passed out!” Abby sat up and regretted the quick action when the room spun. Closing her eyes, she waited. When she opened them, things had settled, but she still felt as weak as a newborn. “When was that?”

“On Tuesday. Today’s Friday. Your fever finally broke yesterday. You’ve had a nasty case of the flu and strep throat. Dr. Seabrook came by and gave you some fluids by IV. After that, you seemed to start improving hourly.”

Abby remembered her self-diagnosis in the bus station. And with that memory came the vision of the man who’d been following her. “Oh, no,” she whispered.

The pretty woman with the red curls and green eyes frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Did she dare burden her? Abby looked around the cozy apartment and realized she couldn’t just blurt out she thought someone was following her.

A person who had evil intentions toward her. “Has … um … anyone been looking for me? Asking about me?”

“Not that I know of.” Fiona gave her a wry smile. “We live on a large ranch, not exactly a hub of excitement and information. Fortunately, we have all of the modern conveniences. Do you have someone you’d like me to call?”

“No!” At Fiona’s start, Abby softened her tone. “No. No one.”

“But surely someone’s missed you by now.” Fiona sat on the bed beside Abby. “We found your phone in your purse, but the battery’s missing.”

“I took it out.” She remembered thinking that somehow her whereabouts could be traced through the phone’s location, so she’d pulled the battery out and sewn it and her driver’s license—and the flash drive—into the leg of a pair of her jeans. An extreme measure maybe, but she just wanted to disappear. She didn’t want to be Abby O’Sullivan for as long as it took to find a slice of peace and put her life back together.

A guilty look flashed across Fiona’s face. “We went through your things trying to find out who you are.”

“My things?” At first she was alarmed, then calmed. She hadn’t had very much. “That’s all right.” They wouldn’t have found her identification. A fact that was probably weighing on the pretty woman’s mind. Abby said, “I’m Abby. Abby … um … Harris.” She picked at the comforter as she gathered her strength. “Thanks so much for taking care of me.” Her eyes landed on the woman’s belly. “I sure hope you don’t get sick.”

“Mom didn’t want me near you, either,” Fiona admitted with a small laugh. “She used to be a nurse and insisted on doing most of the caring for you. And Dylan came by a couple of times.” Fiona smiled. “So no worries, I’m fine and so is the little one.”

Abby swung her legs to the side of the bed and realized she had on a pair of strange pajamas. “Where did these come from?”

Fiona gave another light giggle. “They’re mine. I outgrew them quite a while ago—” she patted her distended belly with a loving hand “—but they looked like they might fit you.” She bit her lip. “I hope you don’t mind, but we couldn’t leave you in your clothes once your fever broke now, could we? Mom helped me get you into those.”

“No, I guess not.” She’d had pajamas in her bag.

As though reading her thoughts, Fiona offered, “We didn’t get your bag from the bus station until yesterday afternoon.”

That explained it. Abby pulled in a deep breath. “I really appreciate you all taking care of me. It was a very kind thing to do.”

Fiona smiled and something flashed in her eyes. Something Abby wanted to discern but couldn’t quite put her finger on. She ignored it and said, “I probably should get going.”

She tried to stand and another wave of dizziness almost knocked her down.

Fiona took her by the arm and helped her lie back down on the bed. “You aren’t going anywhere until you get better. You’re welcome to stay here until you feel well enough to leave.”

Abby wanted to argue but couldn’t summon the energy. She knew Fiona was right. But the problem was, she had someone after her.

The other problem was she didn’t have the strength to do anything about it. She lay on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to take everything in that had happened in the past several months.

Would Reese really go this far? Was he still after her? Or had the fever caused her to hallucinate in the bus station?

Even though he fully believed—as did she—that the deaths of his wife and her baby were her fault, would he really go to the extreme of following her this far?

She honestly didn’t know, but it sure looked like it.

But why would he search her apartment? Why would he try to get in her window in the middle of the night?

To keep her off balance? To make her so afraid of her own shadow that when he finally pounced, she’d be an easy target?

Possibly.

“What do you think?”

Fiona’s question made Abby blink. She realized she hadn’t heard a word the woman said. “I’m sorry. I was thinking … What’d you say?”

“I said I think it might be a good idea for you to stay here awhile. Unless you have someone—”

“No. Like I said, there’s no one.” No one at all. Her family had disowned her the minute her sister had taken her last breath.

Because it was her fault her sister had died. At least that’s how she felt. And so did her family.

Shuddering, she looked at Fiona, grief piercing her as she studied the large bulge under the woman’s blue maternity shirt. “When is your baby due?”

An excited smile curved Fiona’s lips. “Right after the first of the year. My due date’s January 2.”

“That’s wonderful for you. Just about three more weeks, eh?”

“Yes.” The word was more of a groan. “And it can’t come soon enough.”

As an obstetrician, Abby figured if she had a dollar for each time she’d heard those words from an expectant mother, she’d be a millionaire.

“I don’t—”

A knock on the door jarred her to a stop. Heart in her throat, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it to her chin. Like it could protect her from whoever was on the other side of that door.

Compassionate green eyes watched her, saw her fear. “It’s all right,” Fiona said. “It’s probably my mother or my brother, Cal. My husband sold two of our horses and went to deliver them to a family in Virginia. He’ll be home Monday afternoon.”

Feeling like an idiot, Abby relaxed her death grip on the blanket and nodded. Of course it couldn’t be Reese. If it was, he certainly wouldn’t announce his presence with a knock.

Fiona opened the door and a tall man with reddish-blond hair and blue eyes deep enough to swim in stepped over the threshold.

The man from the bus station.

The man whose strong arms had easily caught her when she’d dropped like a felled deer.

Abby couldn’t help the flush on her cheeks because, while he didn’t know this, she was embarrassed that she could remember what his arms felt like around her.

And flustered because she wished she could fall into the comfort of them once more.

How long had it been since she’d had someone hold her and offer—

She blinked the thought away. Right now she had to concentrate on getting well and leaving before she brought trouble to this sweet family.

Only then did his uniform register.

The gray shirt, black pants, black tie. And the gold badge placed just over his heart.

He was a cop.

Her heart thudded. She gulped and looked away.

“Hi, there, how are you feeling?”

His deep voice sent shivers all over her. Shivers that had nothing to do with a fever she no longer had. “Hi. Better, thanks.”

Fiona said, “This is Abby Harris. Abby, this is my brother, Callum McIvers.”

Cal smiled, revealing even white teeth. And twin dimples on his clean-shaven face. “But you can call me Cal. All my friends do. Nice to meet you, Ms. Abby Harris. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

He was charming. Oh, my. Abby felt she might need to grab ahold of her heart with both hands before it ruptured from her chest. First he’d rescued her, now he flattered her. “I hear I owe you a thank you.”

“Well, I never could resist a woman falling at my feet.” He winked.

Her flush burned hotter.

Fiona slapped Cal’s arm. “Stop it.”

Cal laughed and cowered from his sister in mock fear. Abby watched their exchange and felt grief pierce her heart. She and Keira used to joke around like that.

“So, Ms. Harris.” His voice turned serious. “What are you doing here in Rose Mountain?”

Pulling in a deep breath, Abby ignored the flash of guilt at using a fake name and shrugged. Hoping she came across as nonchalant, she was seriously afraid she failed. “First of all, please call me Abby. And I … um … well, I decided to take a … vacation. Unfortunately, it looks like I took a little detour instead.”

“Where are you headed?”

Anywhere that took her away from the man after her. “Nowhere specific. I was just going to find a spot that looked nice and quiet and rent a little cabin. Have some time to myself.”

“So you have no reservations somewhere?” His right brow lifted like he had trouble believing her.

Abby sighed and told the truth—at least part of it. “Look, I’ve been working very hard. There’s no mystery here. I decided to take some time off. So I got on a bus that was going in the direction I wanted to go. I’d been traveling for about four days, sightseeing, enjoying the mountains and all that touristy stuff, before I took that header in the bus station.”

“Four days?” Fiona looked shocked.

Abby forced a little laugh. “I know. It sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” Not too crazy, she hoped. After all, it was almost the complete truth. She had decided to stop and find a cabin. She just hadn’t planned on it taking her quite so long to lose her brother-in-law. At least that’s who she thought was following her.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t gotten a very good look at the man.

However, the man in the bus station definitely looked like Reese. That is, if she hadn’t been hallucinating. And if she hadn’t been hallucinating, then all of her evasive tactics had failed.

Cal settled himself in the chair in the corner and she felt his astute gaze on her. It made her want to squirm. He asked, “Do you remember what you said to me right before you passed out?”

Her mind raced. What had she said? “No, sorry, I don’t remember.”

He steepled his fingers under his chin. “You said, ‘Don’t let him get me.’”

Abby flinched. “Are you sure I said that?”

“I’m sure.”

Abby bit her lip and looked away. How should she respond? How could she explain without lying and yet protect herself at the same time.

“Are you in trouble, Abby?”

“Not with the law,” she blurted.

Compassion flickered in his eyes and he exchanged a look with Fiona. She wondered what it meant. Then he asked, “Are you involved in a domestic violence situation?”

Abby blinked. Domestic violence? “Yes, he’s—” She broke off and took a deep breath. “Yes, I suppose you could say that, which is why I probably need to leave. I sure don’t want to repay all of your kindness by bringing trouble to your doorstep.”

Cal’s jaw tightened. “Trust me, if trouble shows up on this doorstep, I’ll be ready for it.”

Abby couldn’t read the exact emotion in his eyes, but Fiona blinked fast like she was holding back tears. Wondering at the sudden tension in the room, Abby waited to see if one of them would enlighten her.

Neither did.

Well, she supposed that was only fair. She wasn’t sharing all of her secrets, either.

“When you’re a bit better, we’ll take you into town to get checked out again by Dylan—or he can come by here,” Fiona offered softly.

“Dylan?” That was the second time his name had mentioned. The doctor? She had a vague recollection of an unfamiliar doctor’s office and a man asking her questions. But all she’d wanted to do was go back to sleep.

“Dr. Dylan Seabrook,” Cal confirmed. “He’s got a small practice at the base of the mountain. He’s the one who got you on the antibiotics and flu meds.”

“I don’t really remember much about that.” She thought about the money she’d tucked away in her little hidden pocket. “I suppose I need to pay him something.”

Cal offered a soft smile. “No worries. We’ll make all that right later when you’re feeling better.”

Abby lifted a brow. What doctor didn’t want payment as soon as possible?

As though reading her mind, Cal laughed. “Welcome to Rose Mountain.”

And what a welcome. Abby couldn’t stop the shiver that shook her. While she felt safe for the moment, she couldn’t help but wonder how long that feeling would last.

Her glance landed on the window where the darkness pressed against the pane as though trying to get in. She wondered if Reese was watching this very minute. If somehow he’d managed to follow her out to this ranch.

The thought made her sick. His words rang in her ears. “This is your fault. You’ll pay for this. I’m going to make sure you suffer every day for the rest of your life.”

It looked like he was well on his way to keeping his promise.

THREE

Saturday morning, Cal jammed the pitchfork into the pile of hay and tossed it into the nearest stall. In spite of the cold, sweat dripped from his forehead and he lifted an arm to swipe the liquid onto his sleeve.

Dropping the pitchfork to the floor of the barn, Cal slammed a fist into his palm, then turned to the punching bag hanging off to the side. He often worked out in the barn, letting off steam and trying to forget things that had a way of haunting him occasionally.

Like domestic violence victims.

Just the thought of someone trying to hurt Abby made his blood boil. He pounded the bag until the sweat started to drip into his eyes. Peeling off the heavy sheepskin coat, he draped it over the nearest stall and went back to pummeling until his hands throbbed.

“Boy, you better slow down or you’re going to pull something.”

Cal whirled to find Jesse Walker, the ranch’s resident horse expert, standing in the door, hands holding the reins to Teddy Bear.

Panting, Cal wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “Hey, Jesse, sorry. I just needed a good workout this morning.”

“No problem.” He paused and looked behind him. “You got company coming. I’m going to go give Teddy Bear here his own workout.”

Cal nodded and Jesse left.

Something nudged his shoulder and he turned to find Snickers begging for a treat. Cal felt his blood pressure ease off at the horse’s affection. Reaching up, he rubbed the stallion’s silky nose. “I couldn’t help Brianne, Snickers, but I can help this woman.”

The horse nosed his hand and tried to nibble. Cal reached into his pocket for the apple he always brought with him. Snickers made short work of it.

“Hi.”

Cal turned to see Abby standing in the door of the barn.

The company Jesse had mentioned.

She had her red curls pulled up in a ponytail. Dressed in a pair of black jeans, a black turtleneck and a cream-colored wool sweater under a heavy black coat she’d left unbuttoned, he thought she looked a hundred-percent better than she did yesterday. “Hey, what are you doing up?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been lying in that bed so long, I needed to get up. Fiona said you were in the barn.” She smiled as she took in the horses lining the stalls. “Wow, you have a nice operation here.”

“Thanks. It’s a family thing. We board horses. We also breed and sell them.”

Cal watched Abby wander over to Snickers and rub the horse’s left ear. Snickers threw his head up, then brought it back down like he approved. Cal let his eyes take in the sight of Abby again, thinking the horse had good taste.

Planting his fists on his hips, he watched her run her hands over Snickers, admiring the strength of the animal. “You’re comfortable with horses.”

She looked at him over her shoulder and nodded. “I grew up riding. Our neighbors had horses and they let me and my sister come over and ride anytime we wanted.”

Cal wondered at the flicker of grief he’d seen flash in her eyes. Then it was gone, and he decided he’d imagined it.

“Well, there are plenty of places to ride out here.” He pointed to his left. “In that direction, there’re trees that back up to the main road. The river on this property runs right under it.” He pointed right. “That way is land for about as far as you can see, but at the end of it, you can see the highway.” Pride filled him as he let his gaze wander the land he called home. He loved it and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. “The three houses make a triangle. The main house, where mom lives, sits up on the hill overlooking the rest of the land. You can see the other two houses from it. My house is that way and you know where Fiona’s is. We all live within a mile of each other. When you feel up to it, I’ll take you for a ride over the land, show you the rest of the layout and tell you all about it.”

Life filled her green eyes for the first time since he’d met her. “That would be lovely.”

“We’ll plan on it, then.”

She smiled and he felt his heart thud an extra beat in anticipation of spending time with her. She nodded to the wall. “You collect weapons?”

He nodded. “Well, my dad did. He died from a massive heart attack last year.” Grief still filled him when he thought about the man. “He was a big collector.” Cal jabbed the pitchfork once more, then leaned it against the wall as he stared at the weapons. “I’m sure you noticed the wall in the little apartment.”

At her nod, he said, “Those were Dad’s, too. I guess one day, I’ll take them down and store them, but for now …” He shrugged.

Her sympathetic look said she understood. For a moment he just stood there, staring at her, taking in her beauty, unable to look away.

“Hi, Uncle Cal.” The little girl’s voice grabbed his attention and he swung around to see his mother standing in the door of the barn holding Tiffany’s mittened hand.

He smiled. “Well, hey there, kitten.”

“I’m not a kitty,” Tiffany protested with a giggle. “Who’s her?” She pointed to Abby.

Abby smiled and stepped forward. “I’m Abby.”

“I’m Tiffany,” the little girl said. Cal shook his head. That kid would talk to anyone. It was kind of scary in this day and age. Tiffany let go of his mother’s hand and walked to Snickers. “I wanna ride him.”

His mother laughed. “Not today. And not him. He’s too big for you.”

Tiffany planted tiny fists on her hips. “I’m big, too.”

Cal squatted to look her in the eye. “Give me some time and I’ll take you on a ride soon, I promise. If you can do that, I’ll let you feed Snickers another apple.”

She screwed up her nose and squinted at him. Then shrugged. “Okay.” She held out her hand.

Cal gave her the apple and helped her feed the delighted horse.

He heard his mother ask Abby, “How are you feeling, dear?”

“I’m better. A little weak, but that’s to be expected. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.” Then she grimaced. “Speaking of feeling a little weak, I think I’d better go lie back down.”

Immediately, Cal went to her and grasped her hands. “What’s wrong? What hurts?”

He saw the surprise in her eyes—and a new warmth as she looked at him. “I’m all right, really. Just still trying to recover. A couple hours of sleep and I’ll feel like a new person.”

Relieved, Cal nodded. “All right. Come on, I’ll walk you back to the apartment.”

“And I’ll just take Tiffany back to the house,” his mother said. “She was antsy and needed a little outing. I thought the barn might be a good place to start.” The barn sat about midway between Fiona’s and his mother’s houses.

Cal flushed as he realized he’d forgotten all about his mother and Tiffany. His mother’s knowing look deepened the red he was sure was prominent on his cheeks.

As his mother led Tiffany back toward her house, Cal and Abby walked the gravel path back to Fiona’s. She asked him, “How many acres do you have?”

“About three thousand.”

“Wow!”

He smiled. “I know. It’s a lot of land for this little town. But we all pitch in to take care of it.”

“That’s nice that you all live near each other and get along.” Her soft voice held that wistful sadness he’d seen in her eyes earlier that made him wonder about her family and what kind of situation she was running from.

Before he could ask, hoofbeats sounded behind him. He turned to see Zane Dodson gallop up. Reining in the mare, the man tipped his cowboy hat to Abby, but focused his attention on Cal. “We got a fence down in the northwest quadrant. Fortunately, we’d already moved the horses, so we’re good in that area. Just need to fix the fence and find the yahoo who cut it. I’ve got Donny and Mike up there working on it right now. But you might want to come check it out.” The look in the man’s eyes made Cal’s nerves sit up and take notice. Only one kind of downed fence would put that expression on Zane’s face.

“You sure it was cut?”

“Yep.”

“Be right there.” Cal looked at Abby. “This is Zane, my right-hand man on the ranch. Zane, this is Abby, a guest here.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” He was polite, but Cal could tell he was itching to get back to the fence.

“Where are the rest of the horses?”

“I’ve got ‘em corralled over in the south pasture.”

“We missing any?” That would be a problem.

“Nope.”

Relieved, Cal nodded. “Can you ask Jesse to saddle up Snickers for me?”

“You bet.” Zane galloped off toward the barn and Cal placed a hand on Abby’s back. “I’ll just see you back to the apartment, then go see what’s going on.”

“I’ll be fine,” Abby reassured him. “That sounds urgent. Go ahead.”

Cal looked to the barn, then back to Abby. It wouldn’t take Jesse long to have the horse ready. “All right, if you’re sure.”

She smiled, her eyes kind, encouraging him to go. “I’m sure.”

“I’ll see you in a little bit.”

He took off, worried what the cut fence might mean. Trespasser? Or possible horse thief? It didn’t happen often in Rose Mountain, and he was going to do his best to make sure it didn’t happen to the horses he was responsible for.

To be on the safe side, he’d stop by his house and grab his rifle.

* * *

Abby entered the apartment and went straight for the bed. She was still weak and the long walk after being so sick probably hadn’t been the best idea. But she’d felt smothered, claustrophobic in the small bedroom and getting out had been the best medicine she could have prescribed.

Her mind went to Cal McIvers. A tall man, compassionate, welcoming. Gorgeous blue eyes and a smile to die for.

And a cop.

She swallowed a sigh and rolled to her side as she felt sleep come over her. Thoughts of Cal would have to wait. Her body needed healing.

The baby’s wail brought her upright in the bed with a gasp. She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

How long had she been asleep?

A quick glance at the clock showed she’d rested for a little over an hour. Sitting still in the middle of the bed, she listened, ears straining.

Had she been dreaming?

And yet there it was again. The faint sound of a baby’s cry.

Had Fiona had her baby early?

By herself?

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Abby stilled her panicked thoughts and found her boots. Pulling them on, she paused when she heard a horse’s whinny outside her window.

Had Cal come back? Her heart thudded at the thought of seeing him again and she took a deep breath. The man had definitely made an impression on her. He had her interest for sure. Was it because he was incredibly good-looking or the fact that he’d caught her when she passed out? Or because he was one of a dying breed? A man who took care of his family and had compassion for strangers?

Or was it that when she was with him, she didn’t think about the trouble she had on her tail?

All of the above, probably.

She walked to the door and pulled it open. Another wail rent the air and Abby felt her knees lock. Grief pierced her and she almost doubled over to stop the pain. Every time she heard a baby cry, it felt like sandpaper scraping across her heart.

A gust of cold wind buffeted her and she shivered even though she still had on the warm wool sweater from earlier. Ignoring the grief roiling inside her, she focused on the sound.

With the door open, she stood still and listened. Another rising cry came from around the corner of the house. Heart in her throat, Abby rushed toward the sound. Had someone left a baby out in this cold?

Surely not!

“Hello? Is someone there? Do you need help?”

She rounded the corner and confusion filled her. A recorder? But why?

She looked around to see who could have left it there.

Nothing. The strategically planted trees swayed in the wind. Brown leaves rustled.

A shuffling sound came from behind her.

Before she could whirl to see who was there, a hand with a sweet-smelling cloth slapped over her mouth and nose.

FOUR

Cal crested the hill and pulled his horse to a halt. He couldn’t keep his mind on the ranch’s problems. His sister’s houseguest, Abby Harris, kept intruding.

From his position, he could see the main house, his mother’s house and the home he grew up in, directly in front of him. His house that he’d built six years ago sat to the left, Fiona’s to the right. Where Abby was.

His eyes narrowed on Fiona’s house and he decided to check in and see if Abby was feeling any better. Telling himself it was natural to be so concerned about a strange woman and that if she were sixty-five and ugly as a goat, he’d still feel the worry gnawing on his gut, he set off at a fast clip, his horse covering the ground with long, even strides.

As he approached, movement by the side of the house caught his eye.

He saw a flash of red and thought he heard a horse’s shrill whinny. Clicking to his mount, he moved closer.

What was going on? It looked like someone was fighting with Abby.

“Abby!”

Spurring his horse in the sides, he urged the animal into a full gallop. The closer he got, the clearer the picture became.

“Hey!” Someone was definitely trying to hurt Abby and her struggles seemed to be growing weaker by the second. “Stop! Police!”

Grabbing the rifle from the scabbard on his saddle, Cal raised it and fired a shot into the air.

The horse’s thundering hooves flew over the ground, eating up the space between him and the struggling duo.

Abby’s attacker threw her to the ground and raced out of sight around to the other side of the house.

Soon, the man was on the back of a powerful animal, bolting across the open field, his horse going full out toward the edge of the property. Cal saw Abby lying still, her face turned away from him.

Grabbing his satellite phone, he punched in Zane’s number. When the man answered, Cal ordered, “I’ve got a trespasser headed past Fiona’s house to the edge of the property. He attacked Abby. Chase him down and bring him back here, but be careful, he might be armed.”

“You got it.”

Zane didn’t waste any more words and hung up. A former special ops marine, Zane could take care of himself. Cal pulled his horse to a halt a few feet from Abby’s still form.

Bolting from the saddle, he knelt beside her. “Abby.” His hands ran over her, looking for any wounds. Nothing.

She moaned and he turned her on her back.

She shivered and her teeth began to chatter. Cal took a chance that nothing was broken and lifted her into his arms.

Spinning, he pushed open the door to her small apartment and stepped inside. Kicking the door shut behind him, he felt her start to struggle. “It’s me, Abby, be still.”

At his voice, she calmed.

Settling her on the bed, he took in her pale features. “Hey, what happened? Can you hear me?”

Puzzled, he looked her over again. No bruises anywhere, no blood. Then why wasn’t she responding?

Finally, her eyelids lifted. “Cal?”

“Yeah. Who was that guy?”

“I …” She licked her lips. “I don’t know. Think he had chloroform or something. I managed to avoid breathing most of it in. May have gotten a good whiff because I feel sluggish. Be all right in a little while.”

Cal heard a knock on the door, then Fiona’s voice, “Abby, are you down here?”

“She’s here,” he answered for her.

Fiona opened the door a crack. “Cal—oh, good, you’re here. I heard a gunshot. Is everything all right?”

Cal’s lips tightened at the worry on his sister’s face. “Everything’s fine now, but I think someone just tried to kidnap Abby.”

“What?” Her worry turned to outrage. “Here? On our ranch? But how did anyone know she was here?”

Cal thought about the man he’d chased outside of Dylan’s medical building. Was it possible he’d followed them home?

More than possible, he realized. It was the only reasonable explanation.

He turned to Abby. “Who is he? Who tried to kidnap you?”

She frowned. “I … I’m not sure. He grabbed me from behind. I never got a look at his face.” Her eyes shut and he watched her force them back open. Fear stared out at him and his gut clenched.

Cal wondered if she was telling the truth. “I didn’t, either. Even though I noticed he had dark hair, it was hard to tell his build through the heavy coat. I don’t even think I’d recognize him if I passed him on the street. Abby, if someone’s after you, I need to know who it is.”

She turned her head. “It’s no one. I can’t believe …” She sighed. “As soon as I can, I’ll be gone. I don’t want to bring any more trouble to you or your family.”

Cal took her fingers and squeezed. She didn’t flinch or pull away, but she didn’t look at him, either. “Abby, you’re not the first person who’s needed help around here. After today, your enemy just made the biggest mistake of his life.”

“You don’t mess with the McIvers or their friends,” Fiona stated, eyes narrowed as though imagining what she’d do to the creep who’d dared step foot on her property to cause harm to one there. She looked at Cal. “Sounds like we might need to keep the rifles a little closer.”

He nodded. “I’d say that for now.”

Abby’s gaze bounced back and forth between them and he smiled reassurance. “Don’t worry. Now that we know trouble’s here, we can keep an eye out for it.”

Cal’s phone rang and he pulled it off the clip on his side. He looked at Fiona. “It’s Zane.” Into the phone, he said, “Did you catch him?”

“Sorry, boss, by the time I got to where you said he was, he’d disappeared. I followed his trail for a while, then he started walking his horse in the river. Don’t know if he went east or west. It looks like west, but I never caught up to him.”

The river ran east to west dividing the property in half. About seventy-feet wide, it was one of the reasons Cal’s great-grandfather had chosen this piece of land. An endless supply of water. And either way, as long as the man stayed in the shallow edge, he would be able to get off the property by following the river far enough.

Cal blew out a sigh. “All right, thanks for trying. Tell the boys to keep their guns handy. I don’t want this snake anywhere near the houses. He attacked Abby and there’s no guarantee he won’t be back.”

Cal heard Zane’s swift indrawn breath. “We’ll keep an eye out. Might even need a night lookout.”

“Call a meeting. We need to discuss this and develop a plan.”

“You got it. I’ll be in touch.”

Cal hung up and looked at the women who’d listened to the conversation. “Well, guess you heard. He got away.”

Abby swallowed hard and her eyes closed again. “I’m sorry.”

Cal looked at Fiona. “Let her sleep. I’m going to gather the men and we’re going to cover the property. I want to make sure that guy is gone and gone for good.” Fiona nodded and Cal left, his fury at Abby’s attacker eating him from the inside out.

As soon as they finished the search, if they didn’t find the man, he’d return to the ranch and start digging a little deeper into Abby’s past. He refused to feel guilt at the thought.

If he didn’t know who he was fighting, it would be a lost cause from the very beginning.

And for Abby’s sake, this was one fight he was determined to win. Even if he had to enlist the help of every deputy on the force, he would keep Abby safe.

Abby heard the door open, then close. Cal had left. To track down the man who’d attacked her. She opened her eyes and squinted into the darkness.

Sitting up, she decided that other than a slight headache and the desire to take a long nap, she felt all right.

It was time to go to work. Before leaving home, she’d spent long hours at the office, on the computer, updating files and entering information. Some of it she’d done simply to escape her grief, keep her mind from her sister’s death.

As a result, she’d come across information that she wanted to look at again. Saving it to a flash drive had seemed the best way to do that at the time. Now she just had to find a computer.

She thought of her attacker and shivered. Was it Reese? And when she thought about that, she couldn’t stop her mind from going to one of the nights she’d worked late.

Her business partner, Dr. Randall Cromwell, had stopped by her office and compassionately told her to go home. She’d agreed. Only as she grabbed her stuff to walk out, she’d looked out the window.

And seen Reese leaning against his car, watching the building.

Waiting for her?

Obviously.

“Are you coming?” Randall had asked as she continued to stand and stare.

“I can’t go out there. Reese is there by his car, waiting. He scares me.” Her insides twisted in knots. “Look.”

Randall had walked to the window. “He’s just standing there.” A pause. “He has something in his hand. Looks like a folder or a file folder of some sort. Why don’t you just go out there and ask him what he wants? I’ll come with you.”

She’d sighed and shared, “He threatened me, Randall, so I took a restraining order out on the man. There’s no way I’m going to approach him.”

Randall had pulled out his cell phone. “Then call the cops and tell them he’s violated the restraining order.”

“No,” she’d all but shouted.

Her partner had slowly put the phone away. “Okay,” he drew out the word and she knew he thought she was crazy.

“But will you walk me to my car?” she’d asked.

Randall and Abby had walked out of the office, her partner acting as her bodyguard until she was safely in her car. Reese had watched them, frustration stamped clearly on his face.

Abby wouldn’t approach him, but he’d violated the restraining order by coming to her place of business.

He’d been ordered to stay off her property and he could come no closer than fifty yards if they happened to be in the same public place.

The encounter had scared her. Frightened her that he was becoming more bold. Then again, why wouldn’t he be?

As Randall had opened the door for her and she slid into the car, she supposed she should call the police and report Reese.

Then she’d snorted in disgust. Like that would do any good. Reese was a cop. Cops stuck together.

She’d left the next day and within days found herself on the McIvers’ ranch.

Slipping from the bed, she turned the light on and blinked at the sudden brightness. Her jeans lay draped over the chair in the small kitchen area. Her white turtleneck and blue sweater were neatly folded in the seat.

Grabbing her jeans, Abby felt for the pocket she’d sewn on the inside. Relief filled her when she felt the small lumps indicating the flash drive, cell phone battery, traveler’s checks and her ID were still there.

Using a fingernail, she loosened the threads and soon had the items in the palm of her hand. Thank goodness Fiona hadn’t washed her clothes or her battery would be toast. But then she wondered why she even bothered to keep it. As soon as she put it in the phone, Reese would somehow find out and track her.

If he hadn’t already followed her.

The recent attack said not only was it a possibility, but it was also a probability.

She really should leave.

But how? And where would she go? She’d done her best to outrun and outsmart Reese Kirkpatrick, but all she’d done was wear herself out without shaking the man from her trail.

She’d have to decide what to do about that soon. Leave and take a chance on Reese catching up to her? Or stay and possibly put this sweet family in danger?

Not really a choice.

Clutching the flash drive, she went in search of Fiona. Hopefully, the woman had a computer she wouldn’t mind Abby borrowing.

Abby knocked on the door at the top of the stairs. Almost immediately, she heard footsteps coming in her direction. Seconds later, the door opened. Fiona smiled. “I thought you were sleeping. Come on in. You haven’t been up on this level yet. If you feel up to it, you can start coming up here for meals.”

A flash of guilt hit her. “I’m so sorry. You’ve been bringing my meals down those steps. I’m sure that’s not what you need to be doing in your condition.”

Fiona gave a laugh. “It’s not a big deal, I promise. The exercise is good for me. I don’t go outside very much because we’ve got a bit of ice and I don’t want to chance slipping.” She nodded toward the window. “And it’s snowing again.”

Alarmed, Abby walked to the window and looked out. Big flakes fell in silent wonder. She looked back to the pregnant woman. “Aren’t you worried you won’t be able to get out? What are you going to do if that baby comes early?”

She shrugged. “We have a four-wheel drive and chains on the tires. Joseph said he’d get me to the hospital one way or another when the time came.”

Relief filled Abby. The last thing she wanted to do was have another home delivery on her hands.

Then Fiona shattered her relief when she said, “Then again, if I wind up having the baby here, it’s not a big deal. Mom’s a nurse and has helped deliver a number of babies.” A smile softened her eyes. “It might be kind of nice to have a home birth.”

She wasn’t worried about having the baby at home.

Lovely.

Memories assailed Abby, nearly suffocating her. Her sister’s joyful cries as she called to tell Abby it was time. Abby’s rush to Keira’s home. Everything moved along like it was supposed to, then the baby just seemed to get stuck. She wouldn’t move down the birth canal.

And then her sister’s sudden, terrifying silence.

Abby shuddered. No way would she ever deliver another baby outside of a hospital.

“So, here we are in the kitchen.” Fiona’s bright voice sliced through her terrible memories.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, forcing a smile. “I love the Christmas tree in the corner and the mistletoe hanging above the door.”

Fiona nodded. “I told Joseph I wanted a tree in every room of the house. He thinks I’m crazy. Then he came up with the mistletoe. Said if I got a tree in every room, he got to have mistletoe hanging above every door.”

Her twinkling eyes told Abby the woman didn’t mind a bit. She imagined Joseph didn’t mind the trees, either. A shaft of longing swept through her. Would she ever have a relationship in her life that lasted longer than one interrupted dinner? Most of the men she’d dated—and there hadn’t been that many—didn’t like the fact that when she was on call, she didn’t waste any time getting to the hospital to deliver a new life into the world. If that meant leaving the dinner table, walking out of a movie or being unavailable on Saturday night, so be it.

But she wanted a man who could handle the crazy hours she sometimes worked.

Her mind flashed to Cal. Someone like Cal would understand. She was sure he put in some crazy hours himself as a cop. Then again, how much crime could there be in this little town?

Fiona ran a hand over the black-and-gold granite countertop. “This is my favorite place in the house. The kitchen. I love to cook and Joseph loves to eat, so it works out well.”

Abby took another glance out the window and said a small prayer that the snow would stop. Then she grimaced. She’d given up talking to God the day her sister died. No need to start now. He hadn’t listened then, He sure wouldn’t listen now.

But a small part of her wanted to get over her anger at God. The other part argued that He could have saved Keira and she had every right to be angry with Him.

Fiona touched her arm. “Are you all right?”

Abby jerked. “Oh, sorry, just thinking. Yes, I’m fine.”

Fiona didn’t look like she believed it but nodded. “The great room is off the kitchen through here. This is where we spend most of our time.”

The big-screen flat-panel television mounted over the fireplace played a news channel but was on mute. Noting yet another Christmas tree in the corner of the massive great room, Abby moved to the oil painting on the wall. “Is this the ranch?”

A soft sad smile curved Fiona’s lips. “Yes, a cousin of mine did it for me about a year ago. It’s almost a perfect rendering of what the ranch looks like from a bird’s-eye view.”

“It’s beautiful. Your cousin is very talented.” She leaned forward and studied the signature. Brianne Sawls.

“Yes, she was. Thank you.”

Was?

The sad smile and the use of the past tense made Abby wonder if the cousin was dead. Before she could ask, Fiona seemed to shove off her melancholy and said, “Two bedrooms are down the hall and two are upstairs. I thought we’d let you keep the apartment in the basement. It’s more private and we won’t bother you.”

“The apartment is lovely. Everything is. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here.”

A knock on the door sounded. Fiona excused herself and walked over to open it.

“Hi, Aunt Fiona.” Abby heard Tiffany’s high-pitched little girl voice.

“Hey, there, darling. Hi, Mom.”

Abby followed, watching as Fiona helped the little girl off with her coat. Mrs. McIvers said, “We decided to take a walk in the snow and stop in to check on you.”

“We’re fine. I was just showing Abby around the house.”

Fiona’s mother held up a bulging bag. “Jesse went into town to stock up on some groceries and ran into Mrs. Paula. He dropped these off and said he gave him this for us to share.”

Fiona laughed. “Fruit or veggies this time?”

“A little of both, I think.”

Fiona took the bag while her mother hung her coat on the rack next to the door. “That’s so kind of her.” She looked at Abby. “Paula is in Mom’s Bible study at church. She owns the fresh market in town and is always providing us with fresh fruit and vegetables.”

“Nice.” Abby’s heart did something strange at that moment. And she realized what it was. A longing to belong to something like this. A community. A group of people who cared about one another, took care of each other—shared something as simple as a bag of fruit.

She loved her patients and the babies she delivered, but in the end, they were in and out of her life after about a year. She had a few “repeat customers,” and that was nice, but … bottom line, Abby wanted more.

She had few friends because of her work schedule and because she’d quit going to church after Keira died. In the face of this family’s love and caring for one another, her own loneliness was like a slap in the face.

Swallowing hard, Abby pushed aside the lump in her throat and decided she’d have to postpone the pity party. Fiona walked over to the sink and placed the food in it. She looked at her mother and little Tiffany. “You guys want to help me cut up and cook some fresh veggies?”

“I do!” Tiffany cried.

Fiona said, “Great. You’re in charge of putting them in the steamer after I cut them. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Abby asked Fiona, “Do you have a computer I could use? I don’t need the internet. I just need to look at something on a flash drive.”

Fiona nodded. “Sure. You can use my laptop. We have wireless internet throughout the house if you want to check your email.”

“No,” Abby said quickly. “That’s okay.”

Not only was she afraid to use her cell phone, but she was afraid her brother-in-law—or one of his friends—might be monitoring her email account. He would be able to tell when she logged on and then trace her back to Fiona’s. And that couldn’t happen. Unless he’d already followed her, knew she was there and her caution was useless. The attack on her said that might just be the case.

Then again, maybe the person who attacked her was just some random trespasser and she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. On a ranch, in the mountains, several miles from the nearest town.

Right.

Possible? Maybe. Did she believe it? Not really.

Abby flashed back to the train station. Had she been hallucinating when she thought she’d seen Reese’s face? Or had he truly been there?

There was no way to know at this point and she sure wasn’t going to ask Deputy Sheriff Cal McIvers to find out for her.

Fiona emerged from a bedroom down the hall and gave Abby the laptop. She said, “You’re welcome to stay up here. While I have some good help—” she looked at Tiffany and grinned “—I’m going to start working on supper.”

Abby placed the laptop on the kitchen table.

Laughing, Fiona and Tiffany got to work while Abby stared out the window. Had she seen something? A glint from the sun off something metal? She waited to see if it would happen again. For several minutes, she listened to the others in the background and kept her eyes on the area where she’d seen the flash.

When nothing else happened, she shivered.

If it was Reese out there, she felt sure he would make another move soon.

She would just have to sleep with both eyes open and pray she could get away before he could fulfill his terrifying threat.

In the bunkhouse living area, Cal looked at the men in his employ and gave a silent thanks for their expertise and loyalty to his family. It was one of the leading reasons he’d hired them.

“I don’t know who that guy was, but we need to make sure he doesn’t come back. Who’s willing to lose a little sleep at night? Maybe split the night shift? I’ll pay you overtime, of course.”

Donny nodded. “I’m in.” Donny’s family lived on the edge of Cal’s property. “If he’s causing trouble on your land, he might bring it over onto mine.”

Mike shifted. “If he’s out there, I’ll spot him.” Mike had been a homeless man his father had caught sleeping in the barn sixteen years ago. He’d offered him a job and a bed in the bunkhouse. Mike had been there ever since. And he’d adopted the McIvers family as his own.

Jesse crossed his arms across his ample waist and gave a nod. “We’ll work out a schedule and have the ranch covered as much as possible. But with this many acres, you know we won’t be able to be everywhere all the time.”

Zane said nothing, but his eyes and ears didn’t miss a detail, Cal knew.

Cal looked at Jesse. “I know. Like you said, we’ll do what we can. I’ll ask Eli if he’ll let Joel and a couple of the other deputies patrol the roads bordering the ranch a little more heavily.” Sheriff Eli Brody, a good sheriff and a great friend. He’d be willing to help as much as he could. Cal slapped his thighs. “Anything else?”

“Nope.” Zane stood and jammed his hat onto his head. “I’m going to check out the area along the fence that was cut.” He looked at Jesse. “Y’all let me know what the schedule is. I’ll do whatever’s needed.”

Jesse nodded and Cal cleared his throat. Grateful didn’t begin to describe how he felt about these men.

“I’m going to check on the girls.”

By girls, he really meant Abby, he supposed, as he found himself outside her apartment door. He wiped his boots on the mat and knocked. When he didn’t get an answer, he turned the knob. Unlocked.

He frowned and made a mental note to be sure to advise her to keep the door locked. Usually they didn’t worry about that out here in the middle of almost nowhere, but after the incident with Abby being attacked, he’d feel better knowing she was locking the doors.

Cracking the door, he called, “Abby? You in here?”

No answer.

Pushing the door open a little farther, he scanned the inside are of the small apartment and confirmed Abby wasn’t there. His gaze landed on her cell phone on the end table. The battery lay on top of it. The pile of cash next to the phone made his brows lift and his brain start clicking with various reasons she’d have that kind of money.

He stopped and stood there for about three seconds before making a decision. Picking up the battery, he slid it into the phone and powered up the device.

Was she having trouble with the phone?

The welcome screen came up, then her home screen.

Seemed to be working fine.

Then again, what if that guy at the bus station was after her? The one she’d asked for protection from. Cal hesitated. Took a deep breath.

Then made sure the GPS tracking option was turned off. Not that the call couldn’t be traced, but it would be a little harder and take a little longer for someone to get a location without the GPS feature.

Quickly, he scrolled through her contacts feeling only slightly guilty for doing so. But they’d—he’d—brought a stranger home and she was now living in his sister’s house. No one would blame him for the precaution.

You could just ask her.

No, he’d already read her body language. She was hiding something. His mind went to Fiona and the baby she carried. She and Joseph trusted his judgment and were willing to open their home to Abby because Cal asked them to.

He continued to scroll.

Mom.

So she did have someone who might be worried about her.

Before he could consider the consequences of his actions, he dialed the number.

It rang twice.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Abby Harris’s mother?”

“Harris? No. I know an Abigail O’Sullivan, though, and this is her cell phone number. Who are you and why are you calling from her phone?” The starched tone pushed his wary button.

“I’m a friend of Abby’s.” O’Sullivan? So, she’d used a fake name. “She’s been very sick. I thought someone might have missed her by now.”

Silence. Then the woman said, “She’s on vacation. At least that’s what her note said. As for being sick, I’m sure she can take care of herself. Now, if that’s all, I have an appointment in twenty minutes.”

Incredulous at the coldhearted response, Cal asked, “Ma’am, don’t you want to know where your daughter is?”

A pause. “I no longer have any daughters thanks to Abigail. So no, I’m not interested in her whereabouts.”

Click.

Cal shivered and it wasn’t because the room was cold. Whew. That woman sounded like she could spit icicles. If that was Abby’s mother, Abby definitely had his sympathies.

He went back to the contacts. A few names and numbers that meant nothing to him.

Thinking about the revealing conversation with Abby’s mother made him frown. He removed the battery once again and replaced the phone just like he’d found it.

Abby O’Sullivan.

Estranged from her family, followed and attacked by an unknown assailant. His eyes landed on the end table again. And a large amount of cash.

Just who had he brought into his family’s home?

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

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