Page 91 of His Forgotten Colton Fiancee

Austin answered on the third ring, sounding breathless. “Quinn! Everything okay? West hauled you away so suddenly. I didn’t know where you went. All I saw was that note left on the counter.”

“I’m in Spearfish Canyon at a private cabin. Can you come get me?”

His voice dropped to a whisper. “Quinn, what happened? Where are you?”

Suddenly the dam of emotions let loose. Quinn struggled to speak through her tears. “Austin, I really need you now. I know it’s a lot to ask...but I need to come home and I don’t want West to take me.”

A pause, and then he said, “Where are you?”

“The cabin, I’ll look up directions on my phone. It’s remote, butnot far from Pine Paradise, the property Tia owned and talked about selling.”

Austin sighed. “I wish I could. I’m prepping an order for tonight in Red Ridge. I sure could use your help. Can you call an Uber?”

Austin had always been there for her, far as she knew. Now even he was far too busy to help her.

Business came first.It’s all falling apart. He’s trying to save Good Eats, sodon’t blame him.

“I’ll get home, and when I do, I’ll help you.” Quinn ended the call.

West and Mike finally emerged from the cabin. Quinn waited.

“Mike’s going to stay here for the night. We’re driving back to Red Ridge.” West didn’t look at his boss, only her.

Fine with her. Quinn went inside and packed in minutes.

When they were in his truck, headed back to town, she keptsilent.

West remained tight-lipped. Finally she couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I heard you both fighting. About what?”

“We argued about you. Before arriving here, Mike wanted to pull me off the case. Said I was too personally involved.” His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “And then she changed her mind after meeting you.”

Struggling to rein in her temper, she glanced at him.“Why?”

“Because she thinks you’re not involved.”

“And she could tell from one brief meeting with me? Is she psychic?”

“No. She thinks...you’re too much in love with me to hide information about your sister. Mike said you’re the type of woman who’d confess to her lover.”

That stung. Quinn gripped her hands. “You mean I’m a lovesick silly woman.”

“I didn’t say that,” West gratedout.

“But she did. She’s a hard person, this Mike you work for. So you agreed with her?”

“I told Mike that you were smart and we were in love, but you detested secrets.”

You got that right.

She’d been stupid. Memory loss or not, thinking that West Brand loved her. Cared enough about her to spend a lifetime together. All those childhood memories proved something. Men weren’t reliable.They slept with you, married you and, when they got tired of using you like a dishrag, disposed of you.

She’d thought West Brand was different from the succession of stepfathers in her life. Maybe he seemed more honorable, loyal and dependable, but in the end, he was not.

“What else did you discuss about me? That sleeping with a suspect makes for good interrogation tactics? Pillow talkreveals secrets?” Quinn stared at the road. “Too bad this suspect doesn’t have any memory of the person you’re hunting.”

“You’re not a suspect, Quinn. I was assigned to uncover any information Chief Colton, and your brothers, may have hidden on Demi.” He exhaled sharply. “But it makes it damn suspicious that a jacket once hanging in your closet turned up in a hiding place that has Demi Colton’sstamp all over it.”