“Thanks for what you’re doing. It’s good to know that someone like you is out there looking for Tawny.” He shook Rae’s hand again, a message in his eyes. Take care of Sam . . . After Ivan left, Rae looked to Sam, who seemed oblivious. Dazed, with droopy lids. How much had she had to drink already? Or had she taken something with the drink?
“Ivan can’t sit still. He’s running everything for me. I had to leave today. I can’t focus until we know something. I don’t know what I would do without him.” Sam positioned herself against a pillow, legs curled under her, and closed her eyes. “I’ve held it together all these years, and now I’m falling apart.”
Sam had kept it together because she’d known exactly where Zoey was, but now that Zoey was missing, Sam was crashing.
Rae held up the book and thumbed through it. She didn’t want to leave without knowing more about the thriller novels—if there was something behind Sam’s mailing them to Zoey.
A quiet snore rose from Sam.
Rae grabbed a soft throw and covered the sleeping woman.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
5:45 p.m.
Emerald M Ranch
Liam shoved through the front door of the Emerald M and found it warm and inviting as always. He shrugged off his coat and hung it on the coatrack. He removed his gloves, hat, and boots too. Evelyn didn’t want boots leaving a trail of melted snow. He did all this while holding back his anger. Pushing down his temper.
When he’d left the meeting with the security guys he would be supervising, he couldn’t find Rae, who was supposed to stick around and complete whatever task Natalie gave her, anywhere at the resort. Liam panicked. Then Natalie reported that Rae insisted she had to leave and that if she wasn’t back by the time Liam returned, to reassure him that she was all right.
That hadn’t been their agreement. Liam texted her. She was about to head back to the resort, but Liam instructed her to go on to the ranch—she was closer, and he wanted to head that way as well. She shouldn’t have left the resort to begin with.
Berating her would get him nowhere. He wasn’t in charge. Only a hired hand—Rae’s PI guy and supposed protector. But he couldn’t protect her if she ran off to chase a lead while he was working at the resort. Going to work for Brad had been a mistake, after all, even if they’d meant to use that time to further their investigation.
He and Rae had a lot to think about.
And a lot to talk about.
Add to that, Heath had called him. The guy was on his honeymoon—and he hadn’t trusted Liam enough to run the ranch in his absence. Liam tried not to let that upset him. Heath needed time to focus on his new bride. He deserved happiness, so Liam had reassured his brother everything was fine.
As for love and happiness, Liam doubted he could ever have that with anyone. Rae had been the only person he’d pictured himself with, but that image had been destroyed before.
Rae emerged from the hallway, pulling him from his exasperation. A soft smile was on her lips as she approached. “I’m sorry, Liam. Please don’t be upset. Let me explain.”
His anger bled out. “I hope you know how worried I was.”
“It was a lead I needed to follow, and you were working. I didn’t want to mess that up for you.”
“You’re my priority. I shouldn’t have taken the job—it was a distraction. I thought it could help us.”
“I understand. I think we’re both tired, and there are no clear paths here.” She gestured to the living area, and he sat in a plush chair. She eased onto the sofa at the corner near him. So close, but he’d felt the distance between them today when she disappeared to explore a lead on her own. How did he hold her close, but not too close?
Liam listened as she explained everything that had happened.
“This Ivan. Are you sure he’s not the guy in the black mask?”
“Yes. He truly cares about Sam, and it seemed like he thought of himself as a father figure in Zoey’s life. I’m not suspicious of him. Sam is fragile right now, worried sick about her daughter. Ivan is covering for her, and he’s overwhelmed.”
Rae angled her head to look at him. “I thought she was much stronger than what I saw today. Seeing her like that left me hollowed out. But like any