Gabby turned her head to the right, then the left. “No. None at all.”
“No pain or dizziness?”
“Nothing.”
She glanced at the hallway where Liam was pretending the giraffe was an airplane. Mia laughed, all smiles.
“He’s really good with her.” Somehow, she’d expected Liam to shy away from kids, but apparently she had been wrong.
“Liam might be a soldier who’s served on the battlefield, but he’s always had a soft spot for kids.”
Gabby smiled, filing that information away with what she already knew about him.
“What about your parents?” Marci asked, slowly moving her hand down Gabby’s spine. “Do they live near you?”
“They did until about a month ago. They’re used to wintering in Florida, and I insisted they go this year. They’ll be back for the holidays and some skiing this winter.”
“It’s got to be tough, raising a child on your own.”
“Thankfully, I’m a graphic designer and able to work at home. And Mia’s an easy baby. Most days anyway.”
It had taken her a while to convince her parents to take their yearly winter in Florida, but for some reason, doing things on her own this winter had been an important step forward for her.
“At this point,” Marci said, “I don’t notice anything to be concerned about, but some injuries can take several days to show up, especially in your spine or neck. If you have any numbness, swelling, back pain or headaches, you need to let me know immediately.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“How old is Mia?”
“She turns one in a few days. I can hardly believe it.”
“Seems like my boys were that age not too long ago, though that’s not exactly true.”
Gabby laughed.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Marci asked.
“I’m an only child.”
Mia threw her giraffe onto the floor and started fussing.
Liam made his way back over to them. “I think someone needs her mama.”
“You’re good with her, but she’s getting sleepy, and I have a feeling she won’t be herself until she gets a proper nap.”
Mia just nuzzled her head into Gabby’s shoulder while Marci quickly checked her out.
“From what Griffin told me, the accident was very minor, but you’ll still need to watch Mia for anything that seems off like vomiting, not sleeping and unusual crying. I’d also suggest you do a follow-up with your pediatrician when you get home.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“I was serious about coming out to the ranch for a few days,” Liam said. “I can make sure you’re safe, and it will give us time to figure out who hit you.”
“Your family’s already done so much. I couldn’t impose. I could get a hotel tonight—”
“That’s out of the question. Besides, we have plenty of room. Right, Mom?”
“He is right. You’d be more than welcome to stay with us.”
Will had told her about the O’Callaghan family and their ranch that sat nestled beneath impressive views of Pikes Peak and surrounding mountains. From everything she’d heard, she knew the place would be stunning. But as much as she wanted someone like Liam to take care of her, if he didn’t have the answers, she’d have to figure things out on her own.
“Besides, I’ll bet you could use some time away,” Liam said. “It’s a beautiful place. And if you’re up for it, I could take you riding tomorrow. The fresh air of the mountains always makes me feel better.”
“That would be nice.”
There was nothing she’d rather do than spend the day in the mountains, away from all of this, but that wasn’t why she was here.
Liam caught her gaze. “We’ll talk more later. Just come for now.”
She glanced toward the door, hoping she’d made the right decision. Hoping whoever had hit her wouldn’t be able to find her.
“I’m going to keep you safe, Gabby. I promise. Whoever’s after you won’t find you at the ranch.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Maybe not, but I can do everything in my power to make sure you’re safe. Griffin’s trying to find the person who hit you, but in the meantime, I think we should head out to the ranch.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “We’re going to figure out what’s going on. But first you need to get a good night’s sleep. You look exhausted.”
She let out a low chuckle. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I know.”
His smile managed to break through some of the pain in her heart. She could trust him. She had to. What other choice did she have?
* * *
The next morning, Liam sat out on the wraparound porch of his parents’ ranch house, nursing a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise over the mountains. As beautiful as the scenery was, he couldn’t shed the worry that had settled in his gut. He still needed to read Will’s letters, but even if his friend had discovered corruption within one of the contracted firms, that didn’t mean he’d been murdered. But then how did that explain the threatening text, the break-in and car wreck?
Had Will’s death really been the perfect cover-up?
He shifted his thoughts back to the view. The O’Callaghan ranch had been his home his entire life and in his family’s possession since the early 1920s. The thousands of acres included irrigated meadows, pastures, ponds for fishing and livestock. On top of that, there was some of the best elk hunting in the country. When he’d been deployed overseas, what he’d missed most had been Sunday dinners, hunting with his father and three brothers, and white Christmases. Three things that he might be getting more regularly if the army didn’t sign off on his going back to active duty.
He pushed away the reminder as Gabby stepped out onto the porch wearing her long red coat, a scarf and boots, and holding a mug of coffee.
“Good morning,” he said, jumping up to straighten a cushion on the chair next to him. “I see you found the coffee?”
“Your mother found it for me, actually.” She sat down next to him, then took a sip of
