Page 28

“Sort of, but not exactly. Nameless isn’t big enough to have a witness protection fund. After I told him what happened, he did like you and took a lot of notes. He tried to take my camera as evidence for the pictures. When I said no, he gave in and let me email him a copy of the photographs I had. He said I needed to get out of town to be safe and to keep Eddie from finding me. He even got me a hotel room in Austin and a burner phone. I was supposed to stay there for a few days until he could get Eddie arrested. Then he would call me to tell me when it was safe to go home.”

Sam looked up from his notebook. “You say that’s what you were supposed to do. What did you actually do?”

“Well, I was thinking when I was alone in that hotel. Eddie’s theoldest son in the most powerful family in town. In the entire tri-county area. I knew if he wanted to kill me, he’d find a way to do it. And if the detective stood in his way, he’d kill him, too. Detective James has a wife and two kids. I couldn’t take the kids' father away from them. I couldn’t live with myself. So, early the next morning, I left the hotel and headed north. I didn’t tell him where I was when I checked in with him, only that I was still safe.”

Sam nodded. “We’ll need to talk a bit more later, but I think I have the gist of it. Now let me share a few things with you, then I’ll go. Someone stole your card at the gas station you stopped at when you arrived in Wilder. They hacked into it and used it twice before you canceled your card. Eddie, the manager of the bank down there where you have your account, received the fraud alert when that happened. Evidently, Detective James keeps his card close to his chest, because Eddie reported you as missing and possibly in danger. He also reported the fraud alert here in Wilder. That’s how the detective knew to contact me.”

Grant spoke for the first time. “Does that mean Eddie Sharp is headed this way?”

“God, I hope so,” Boone said, anger graveling his voice.

Grant nodded. “I agree, but that means we need to heighten ranch security.”

Boone agreed, adding, “I’ll get Grif to coordinate with you. Wilder Security can help.”

Chance stood with Joy still in his arms. “I agree as well. We’ll meet first thing tomorrow morning to plan out what that means and how to secure the ranch to keep everyone safe. But right now, I need to take care of my Little girl. Sam, I’ll be in touch with you tomorrow morning as well. Thanks for your help. One of the others will see you out.”

Joy had her face turned toward his chest. Kenzie and Tildi both had tears in their eyes. He should never have allowed them in the room, but Boone wanted Tildi with him, and Kenzie wasn’t aboutto be the only one left out. Hopefully, what they heard would make both of them more cautious.

He couldn’t worry about them right now. He signaled to Trace to look after Kenzie as Tanner escorted Sam to the door.

With everyone taken care of for now, it was time for him to focus on his babygirl.

CHAPTER 12

By the time he reached his room, Joy had completely withdrawn into herself. The haunted look in her eyes gutted him. He was willing to do whatever it took to remove that expression from her eyes and never see it again. Sitting her on the edge of the bed, he took her hands. Ice felt warmer than her skin.

“Gypsy,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “Babygirl, I need you to focus on Daddy.” When she didn’t respond, he spoke in his sternest Daddy voice. “I said, look at me, young lady. Do not make me ask you again.”

Her eyes locked onto his, brimming with rage and sorrow. He preferred that any day over being dull and empty. “Can I have Puggles?” she asked.

“Absolutely, Gypsy. Let me get her.” He pulled Puggles from a pillow close by and placed it in her arms. Her arms wrapped around Puggles as she hugged her friend to her chest. “Is there anything else you need?”

Suddenly, she struggled to get off the bed. “Dodger! I’ve been so sick, I hadn’t thought about Dodger. We need to get him.”

He had no idea what she was talking about. “Who is Dodger, darlin’?”

“Dodger is my puppy. I found him in the woods outside the cabin.”

The last thing he needed on the ranch with livestock was a stray dog. “I don’t remember seeing a puppy at the cabin, Gypsy. But we’ll have new puppies here soon. You can have the pick of the litter.”

“No, we have to find Dodger.”

He didn’t want to upset her again by telling her the chances of finding the pup after a week of winter weather were not good. “All right, babygirl. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll try.” That was the best he could promise.

She whimpered. At first, he thought she was upset about the puppy. But then she let go of her stuffie and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. Hard.

“Hey,” he said, pulling her hands away and holding them. “Hey now, little girl. Don’t do that. You’re going to hurt your eyes.”

“I have to,” she cried, trying to pull her hands away from him. “I can’t get the pictures out of my head.”

“What pictures, Gypsy?” he asked, but he already knew.

“The pictures of Eddie shooting that man. Of him trying to shoot me. I was so scared. I can hear the click his gun made. Over and over. I can’t make it stop.” She turned her gaze to him, eyes brimming with tears. “Can you make it stop, Daddy?”

He could. He knew he could. He just wasn’t sure she would find his solution any better.

“I have something we can do together that will give you something to focus on other than the past. Some people find it similar to meditation.”