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“I think so, though there’s not a lot of light here. What’s this about?”

“I’m probably bein’ paranoid, but I’d feel better if you stayed with me tonight.”

“Why?”

“Darlin’, I was watchin’ you leave and it seemed to come outta nowhere and followed you. I think that was the car we saw parked under the tree just down from the ranch when we were on Smoky Hill.”

“Nooo…”

“I’ve got a bad feelin’ about this. It’s possible someone wanted to find out where you live.”

“But who, and why?” she exclaimed as she picked up her bag and climbed from the truck. “Damn, it’s cold,” she added, starting up the steps.

“I have no idea, and maybe I’m just bein’ paranoid, but can you come straight back here when you finish work?”

“Yes, absolutely. This is creeping me out, but hold on while I let myself in.”

Locking the door behind her, she quickly turned on the heat, then hurried to the window.

“I’m in my place and looking out at the road. I don’t see anything.”

“Good, but Heather, I just had a thought. Has there been anyone strange at the restaurant lately? Any men dinin’ alone?”

“Actually, yes, though I wouldn’t call him strange.”

“Do you remember his name?”

“No, but when I get there I’ll check the credit card record.”

“Please call me and let me know.”

“Okay, and Blake…?”

“Yeah darlin’?”

“Thanks for caring.”

“Hey, I do, a lot.”

“Me too,” she said softly.”

“Be careful and call me when you’re leavin’.”

“I will. Bye, Blake.”

As the call ended she thought back to the conversation she’d had with the man sitting at the window table. He’d talked about a friend who had been at the show. Was that friend Courtney?

Moving into the bathroom she found it too coincidental to ignore.

But what did it all mean?

* * *

Late that afternoon, Joe had been sitting in his car across from Three Oaks Ranch impatiently watching Heather through binoculars. She’d been in a paddock near the barn doing very little except standing next to one horse while petting another through a fence.

The time had dragged, and with every passing minute his anxiety had grown.

Finally, around sunset, she and a cowboy had started taking the horses into the barn. A short time later, when she’d walked up to her truck with another cowboy, Joe had a white knucklegrip on his steering wheel. With only an hour left before visiting hours ended at the hospital he was running out of time.