you were worried she would talk to the police, so that night you called and threatened her.”
“What?” Outrage sharpened his features. “What are you talking about?”
“Peyton says a man phoned her and threatened her. He told her that if she didn’t keep quiet, her mother would end up like Gloria Inman.”
The doctor rolled his hands into fists, then unfolded one and reached for the phone. “We’re finished, Agent Maverick. If you want to speak to me again, you’ll have to go through my attorney.”
Liam had expected him to lawyer up. But he didn’t like it.
“You can hide behind a lawyer if you want, Doc. But we also believe that whoever threatened Peyton attacked her. And we think that same person caused the gas leak that sent her mother to the ER. If she dies, that’s going to constitute a homicide.”
He stood, gave the man a lethal stare, then left him sweating as he punched his lawyer’s number.
* * *
PEYTON CHECKED HER MOTHER’S medical record, but nothing seemed amiss. Was she paranoid?
No, something nefarious was going on.
She pressed a cool washcloth to her mother’s face, gently wiping her eyes. Please wake up, Mama.
But she showed no reaction.
Despair threatened, but she reminded herself she’d seen patients who were unresponsive for days, even weeks, suddenly regain consciousness and recover. She had to think positive.
“Remember when you used to sing to me and Val,” she whispered. “And dance. I always liked it when you cranked up the music and sang and danced around the kitchen.” A smile tugged at her lips. “Val and I used to hide out in the hall and watch you.” She stroked her mother’s soft gray curls away from her forehead. “We used to giggle and laugh. Sometimes we made fun of your moves, but we didn’t mean any harm, Mama.” Tears filled her eyes. “We loved it.” She swiped at a tear that found its way down her cheek. “I remember one time you caught us, and you dragged us all in the kitchen and we held hands and danced together. I think I was ten and Val was eight.” Her voice choked. “I’ll never forget that night. Never.” It was a time when they were innocent and she and her sister were close, and life seemed full of fun and promises.
Her mother had been strong and had taught her and Val to be. Until Val hit fourteen and everything went south.
Peyton silently chastised herself for the millionth time. At sixteen, she’d just discovered boys and a seventeen-year-old soccer player had actually shown interest in her. She’d been so caught up in young love that she’d been oblivious to the fact that her sister had started slipping away into depression. Val had been the beautiful one, the outgoing girl, the athletic one with the long, lithe body. Even at fourteen, Val had drawn the eyes of the older boys. Peyton had been envious of her confidence and grace.
She was the shyer one. The bookworm. The one who didn’t quite know how to dress.
Then Seth Simmons had asked her to homecoming.
That night while she’d received her first kiss, Val had almost OD’d.
Pain wrenched her at the memory. She’d felt guilty for not knowing her sister was in pain and had devoted the next few months to making sure Val felt loved and cared for.
But Val had never been the same. And neither had their relationship.
Guilt had sent her to a therapist who helped her deal with her emotions. Eventually she’d chosen nursing as a career—maybe to make up for the one person she couldn’t save.
Her mother’s body suddenly jerked and spasmed, and Peyton jumped up and checked the monitors. Oxygen saturation level low. Blood pressure dropping. Heart monitor beeping wildly.
Machines beeped and sounded, and a flood of nurses and doctors rushed inside. She backed away, praying as they began CPR again.
Her own heart thundered, her lungs straining for air. One of the nurses coaxed her into the hallway. The deputy outside the door clutched her arm to steady her.
Liam appeared, his brows knitted. “Peyton?”
“She’s coding,” Peyton whispered.
A sob wrenched from her gut, and her legs buckled. Liam wrapped his arms around her and caught her, then held her to him as she watched the staff work to save her mother.
The next half hour passed in a blur. Fear, panic and a surreal feeling overcame her, but Liam continued to hold her and soothe her with soft words. Finally, the doctor emerged from the room, his expression grim.