Settling an Old Score - Delores Fossen Page 0,16
a threat, he didn’t want to be that far away from Ashlyn and Cora.
He led Ashlyn into the guest room and immediately saw a problem. “Sorry, no crib. I can try to get one—”
“No. It’s okay. We won’t be here that long.”
It sounded as if she had some other plan in mind. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking. Either way, he didn’t press it.
“I can put Cora on a quilt on the floor,” Ashlyn added, and she brushed a kiss on the baby’s head. “I don’t want her on the bed because she’s started to roll over, and she might fall off.”
Since she had her hands full, Eli helped with the bedding issue. There was an extra cover folded on top of the dresser, and he spread it out on the floor. He was pretty sure he’d find some more bedding in the hall closet for Gunnar and him.
“The bathroom’s attached,” Eli explained, tipping his head to one of the doors. “Don’t know if it’s got what you need, but if not, let me know and I’ll have one of the ranch hands bring it over.”
Ashlyn nodded again and muttered a thanks. “What happens next?” she asked just as Eli had turned to leave. “About the investigation,” she clarified when he stared at her.
Hell. For just a split second, he’d let the old heat creep into his body, and it was a reminder of how easy it would be to lose focus.
“I’ll see if Kellan has any updates. Then I need to make some calls to the hospital and funeral home. I want to talk personally to the folks who dealt with Marta’s records.” And he didn’t give a rat that it was the wee hours of the morning. He wanted answers right away.
“You’ll let me know if you find anything?” she pressed.
He nodded and got out of there. The best way to regain focus was to put some distance between Ashlyn and him. Of course, there was no chance his body was going to let him forget that she was just a door away.
Eli went back into the living area where Gunnar was already stretched out on the sofa. Not asleep yet, but from the looks of it, he soon would be, so Eli went into the laundry room just off the kitchen to make his calls. He tried the contact number at the hospital first.
No answer. Which didn’t please him.
That displeasure went up a significant notch when the answering service for the funeral home transferred his call, only to have it unanswered as well. It went to voice mail, and Eli left a scathing message for the person in charge to call him immediately. If he hadn’t heard from them in a few hours, he would have SAPD go to the place with a search warrant. A warrant he was certain that he could get since he could tie it to the attack tonight.
Eli was about to try Kellan next, but before he could do that, his phone buzzed, and he saw his brother’s name on the screen. Good. Well, maybe. He hoped Kellan wasn’t calling with more bad news.
“It looks like we got a break,” Kellan said the moment that Eli answered. “I’m sending you something that I’m sure you’ll want to see.”
* * *
WHEN CORA GRINNED at her and flailed her arms and legs in excitement, Ashlyn couldn’t help but smile back. She was still shaken from the attack the night before, still trying to get past the fatigue of too little sleep, but it was impossible to stay gloomy when looking at her little girl.
Ashlyn finished dressing the baby, picking her up from the quilt on the floor and giving her kisses on her cheeks and neck. The sound that Cora made wasn’t quite a laugh, more of a breathy babble. Like the grin, it also lifted Ashlyn’s spirits. Yes, there was a lot of danger and uncertainty right now, but she didn’t have a single doubt about the love she felt for her baby.
A child she’d thought she would never have.
It didn’t matter that she hadn’t been the one to give birth to Cora. The little girl was hers in every way that counted, and she would make sure she was not only safe but happy.
“It’s me,” Eli said a split second before there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Ashlyn answered.
He did, almost hesitantly, and he seemed relieved that she was up and dressed. Ashlyn had made sure of that. She’d