Page 80 of Deadly Target (Rocky Mountain Courage 2)

“I’m afraid so. We found the man who was driving the boat.”

She sat up at that news. “And?”

He cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, we found him floating in Puget Sound. Dead. Dr. Larson, I’m concerned about your safety. I’ve spoken again with Miss Edwards. She is going to stay with some friends in California for a week.”

Oh, thank goodness. Carissa should be safe then. Erin steadied her voice. “I’m glad to hear that. And I’m here in Montana with family, so we should both be safe while you solve this. I have a good friend here who is a detective. He’s protecting me. In fact, there’s a deputy watching the house where I’m staying right now.” For a completely different reason.

“Good. Can I have your detective friend’s name and number so I can call him?”

Erin didn’t want to add more to Nathan’s plate, but she offered the requested information.

“There’s more to this, but I need to talk to you in person,” Munson said. “I’d like to drive out to see you.”

Wow. “Okay, then. I’ll meet you here in town. I’ll text the place if you can give me the time.”

“Thanks for your cooperation. I’ll meet you in the morning at the location you designate.”

“Let’s say nine o’clock at Thelma’s Café.” On the outskirts of town. Mom would be at the thrift store by then.

Detective Munson agreed and ended the call.

Erin stared at her cell. What terrible timing. She didn’t believe she could offer the detective answers, but she was glad she was here instead of in Seattle. She would need to tell Nathan everything.

Everything. Including the dark secret she hadn’t been able to share before. But could she truly do it? Was she finally ready?

God, help me tell him . . .

And if she did, what then? Did she think her opening up to him would magically bring them together again? That he would even want her?

She touched her lips. Their kiss—so simple and gentle and yet so much more—told her yes.

Still, her hands shook at the idea of revealing what she’d kept hidden for so long.

Erin left the office to go to the kitchen. She grabbed a tall glass of water and guzzled it, then headed to the bathroom for two ibuprofen and downed them.

Was she even in any condition to care for her mother, who seemed to be doing much better than Erin at the moment? Once back at her desk, she sent an email to Carissa to check on her. Then decided she needed to review Newt’s crime board. If nothing else, it was a distraction. She pulled up the image on her iPad, then sent it to her laptop. Erin put her iPad away in its case, but her hand still trembled and it slipped from her fingers and clattered on the desk before landing facedown on the rug.

Dropping to the floor, she reached under the desk. She felt the smooth case of her iPad and grabbed it, hoping she hadn’t cracked the screen, then lifted her head. Her face was eye level with the computer. She must have accidentally toggled the screen because she was back on the podcast page.

Someone had already responded, and the comment gave her pause.

You forgot to mention the pink hat that your friend wore that night.