* * *
I wipedmy hands down the legs of my jeans as I got out of Liam’s SUV. He claimed one of my hands as soon as I finished. I looked up at him, my stomach twisting. “Walker told everyone what’s happening, right?” I wanted the extended Cole family to know what was going on so they could be aware, but I had no desire to recount the events myself.
Liam squeezed my hand. “He gave them the very broad basics and showed them a picture of Garrett so that they could all keep an eye out. He showed the picture to all the ranch hands, too.”
I slowed my steps, pulling Liam to a stop next to me. “I don’t want them to look at me any differently. I don’t want them to pity me.”
Liam brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and pressed his lips to my temple. “They aren’t going to look at you differently. But they love you, so they’re going to hurt because you were hurt. That’s just the way love is.”
My tightly wound muscles loosened just a bit. “You’re right.”
Liam wrapped an arm around me and led me up the steps. Before we reached the door, it swung open, and Walker stepped out. “Hey, you two. How is everything going?”
I glanced up at Liam and smiled before turning back to Walker. “Life is good, all things considered.”
Walker grinned in a way that said he was happy that the two of us were finding our way. “I wanted to update you on things before you descended into the madness of another Cole family dinner.”
We stepped to the side of the door, and Liam wrapped both his arms around me. “Thanks, man.”
Walker scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “Don’t thank me yet.” My stomach dropped. “The DC police haven’t been able to reach Garrett. I found a guy, a friend of a friend from the academy, who’s on the force there. I trust him. He knows Garrett’s connected, but he’s pushing this through.”
I hated the idea that even bringing charges against Garrett was putting people at risk. I burrowed deeper into Liam’s hold.
Walker pushed on. “This guy couldn’t reach Garrett at home or on his cell, so he finally went by the law firm. Garrett took a sabbatical from work, supposedly to look for his missing fiancée. No one has spoken to him in weeks.”
Liam had become granite behind me. “Fuck. Do we know where he is?”
Walker shook his head. “Not a clue. The cop in DC is working some sources he has and hoping he’ll come up with something there. In the meantime, everyone here is on alert. All my officers have his photo, and we’re putting the word out to people we trust at hotels and vacation rental companies. If he shows up here, we’ll know.”
A shudder ran through me, but I steeled my spine. I would not let Garrett terrorize me anymore. “Thank you for everything you’re doing for me, Walker. It means so much.” I ducked out of Liam’s hold and wrapped Walker in a hug. When I stepped back, I saw surprise in Walker’s eyes. I wanted to laugh. I realized it was probably the first time I’d ever touched him.
Walker cleared his throat. “Anything I can do to help.”
The front door opened again, and Sarah popped her head out. “Walker Cole, you do not keep guests outside without even offering them something to drink. I taught you better than that.”
Walker chuckled. “Sorry, Ma.”
Sarah shook her head. “Come on in, you two. Walker can stay out here if he likes it so much.”
We made our way to Sarah and the front entrance of the house. When we stepped inside, Sarah immediately wrapped me in a hug. “I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through. I want you to know I’m here for whatever you need. And I also want you to know that I’m so proud of you for fighting back.”
Tears stung the backs of my eyes. “Thank you, Sarah. And I’m sorry I wasn’t always honest with you, about who I was or—”
Sarah cut me off with a wave of her hand. “Nonsense. You did what you had to do. No apologies needed for that.”
I took a deep breath. “There’s actually one other thing.” Sarah waited. “I think you knew my mother.” Her eyes widened. “You mentioned that I looked like your friend, Anne.” My heart hammered against my ribs. “Was her full name Anne Tessa Fitzpatrick?”
Sarah inhaled sharply. “That’s her. You’re her daughter?” I nodded. “Where is—?” Sarah’s words cut off as she remembered what I’m sure Jensen had shared with her, that I had grown up in the foster system. Grief filled her expression. “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know everything, just that my grandparents disowned her when she got pregnant.” My heart clenched. “And that she died giving birth to me.”
Sarah wrapped her arms around me again, hugging me tightly. “I’m so sorry. She was such a sweet soul. I hate that she went through that alone.” Sarah pulled back slightly so she could meet my gaze. “How did you find out about Sutter Lake?”
I reached into my back pocket, pulling out the postcard. “I didn’t have much of my mom’s, but this was one of the things. I knew she didn’t grow up here, but that this place must have been special to her somehow.”
Sarah sighed. “She loved it here.” Her gaze shot up from the postcard. “I have photos of the two of us, would you like to see them?”
My heart stutter-stepped. “I’d love to.” The words came out as a hoarse whisper.
