“This is getting creepy—unsafe. She’s either lying about having enemies or you need to ask different questions. What will it be the third time? The person killed a coyote, right? Did it have bullet wounds or did they kill it with their teeth, for Christ’s sake?”
I clear my throat. “You should have seen the tires. They had to have some strength to tear that rubber up the way they did.”
“You need to figure it out.” His voice holds determination. “Tell me if I can help.”
“There is something,” I say, voice warbling. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the incidents though.”
“Sure, technically I probably owe you. I’m bringing you cash tomorrow for the gifts.”
I shake my head. “That’s fine, I don’t care about the cash. I need you, or rather, I need your kids to have a sleepover with Turner at your house. Weekend after next.”
I can hear the bastard’s smile through the phone. “Of course. Big plans?”
“Not yet. I’m shit at this dating thing. The easiest thing would be to throw up my hands and give up, but with the damn kiss hitter, there’s no way I’m backing off.” Nor do I actually want to give up.
“Your dick is so noble,” Isaac replies. “Do you need help with anything else?”
“No bodies to bury, yet. I’ll let you know.”
He chuckles under his breath. “I have to get back to bed before Tasha wakes up. Keep your eyes sharp, Lincoln.”
Clicking off the phone call, I put my head down on the counter and exhale a pent-up breath. Maeve should be home soon. I’m almost afraid of what she’s going to return to. Ramona is there, and now we know the dog is a decent watch dog, it gives me a little peace. There’s no way I can sleep, so I go to my office and open my laptop and sort through personal emails. I purposefully don’t have mail on my cell to thwart unneeded distraction. There’s a ton, but one catches my eye because it has Turner’s name in the subject line.
It’s an invitation to a horse ranch about two hours away. It’s a rehabilitation center that helps veterans with disabilities get back in the saddle. Literally and figuratively. They also train the German Shepherd dogs our Colorado Team uses for work. The owner is a former Team guy, Macho, who I went through BUD/s training with. I smile as I read the invitation. He’s heard about Turner’s injury through a mutual friend and wants us to come stay so Turner can rehab his leg and have some fun on their ranch before winter, and they close up. We’d be the only ones there and the accommodations look awesome. I reply straight away and take him up on the offer. He said it’s open this weekend and we don’t have plans. The message also said I can bring up to five people.
There’s only one other person I want to bring other than Turner. Selfishly, so I can be around her, but in all honesty, it’s so I can keep an eye on her, far away from whatever is beginning. My joy is fleeting, and the worried pit in my stomach returns. Maeve texts me, the message popping up on my screen. She’s home and safe. The dog is sleeping in her bed now. I hate that Maeve’s sanctuary, where she’s come to escape, is tarnished. That she doesn’t feel completely safe in her own home. The instinct to protect her is strong, but it wars with the same instinct to protect Turner.
I have to figure out how to protect them both at the same time.
CHAPTER TEN
MAEVE
“Please, Dr. Ahern,” Turner says, big eyes framed with thick lashes bat once. “Come to the ranch with Daddy and me.” Lincoln is playing dirty. He’s standing behind his son, arms folded across his chest. Having the cute one do his dirty work.
“You can call me Maeve, Turner,” I say, smiling at him. To Lincoln, I ask, “It’s the rehab center in the mountains, right? I’ve heard of it. I guess it would be good for your leg, but you don’t need me to go. I’m sure they have their own doctor there to help you.”
He pouts his bottom lip. “But you’re my doctor.”
Heart splinters. “I am,” I say softly. “It would make you happy if I tagged along?”
“Very much, Dr.… I mean Maevey.”
Heart shatters.
Briefly I meet gazes with Lincoln and see how happy he is. “I’ll come. Your daddy will have to forward me all the info so I can read up and see what we can do for that superpower leg of yours.”
“Today hurt bad enough. Maybe we can just have fun at the ranch?”
I hold his hands. They’re warm, and tentatively he wraps his fingers around mine and grasps tightly. “I’m sorry today’s exercises hurt, but you’re getting strong. I’m proud of you, Turner Wilds, you are my bravest patient.”
A toothless smile beams at me. “I am?”
I nod. “First place winner.”
Turner turns to Lincoln. “Did you hear that, Dad? I won!”
He ruffles his hair and stoops down to his level, pressing a kiss on his cheek. “You win first place in most things. This doesn’t surprise me.” Emotion clogs my throat as I watch them interact. There isn’t a way, in any universe, I can let Turner down. I’ll go to the ranch and dance around my feelings for Lincoln a million times if it makes the boy light up like this.
Turner turns back to me and lets go of my hands. I’m about to stand up when he wraps his hands around my neck and hugs me. “Thank you, Maevey. You’re making us so happy,” he whispers so his dad doesn’t hear.
Tears unexpectedly prick my eyes. What does he mean? How does he know? My eyes flick to Lincoln, but he’s looking at Turner lovingly, so he doesn’t see the shock. The questions. The hesitation. I bite back tears as the boy pulls away and
