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but there shouldn t be any irreparable damage. Had she been in the building much longer& He shrugged.
But no use worrying over what didn t happen. He patted Gillian s shoulder.
She understood what he was saying. Her daughter was fine and would be. She would never have been
in the fire in the first place, though, if Ruby had not been a petty, vindictive bitch. Gillian scanned the
waiting room. Ruby sat in the corner with Quint standing watch. The funny thing, Ruby. Every eye in the
room turned and looked at her. If you d have waited maybe an hour, you d have had Quint all to yourself.
We were on our way out of town. We just stopped at the garage to pick something up.
Ruby blanched. Missy gasped. And Quint hung his head.
Cade looked out the front window. Gillian, the ambulance is here.
You want me to drive you to the hospital? Quint flashed back to his conversation with Gillian hours
earlier before everyone had left for the hospital in Sheridan. He d offered the one thing he could at the
time his support. He hadn t known what else to say to her.
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She hadn t quite looked him in the eyes. No, thanks. Missy and Ryder will take me.
Missy and Ryder jumped to the task and in a big hustle and bustle, left just behind the paramedics.
And left a void in Quint. He d wanted to be there for Gillian, but she hadn t wanted anything from him. At
all.
At least with him staying behind, he could explain everything to Sheriff Reese. Cade gave a quick
statement and told the sheriff that Missy and Ryder promised to give their statements corroborating Ruby s
confession at Dr. Hambert s office when they got back to town.
He and Cade stood by the front door of the sheriff s office waiting for the Reese to get back from the
crime scene. He needed to get photos taken before it got too dark.
She ll be all right. Cade slapped him on the back.
Sure. He nodded.
The Harwood women are made of some stern stuff. Missy can t stop talking about them. And don t
get Ryder started. Cade smiled.
That they are.
Cade spoke again but Quint wasn t paying attention. So many thoughts tumbled through his head. He
was confused and turned around. The only place he wanted to be was with Gillian and she didn t want him.
She d decided to leave him and Paintbrush behind.
Like she told Ruby, if she d waited an hour, the Harwoods would have been long gone from their
town and their lives. Ruby d have had no cause for any of her actions. He glanced over at her. She sat in the
small jail cell with her head in her hands.
Quint s throat constricted as he asked, Why?
I love you, she didn t hesitate to answer.
So you set fires to frame Gillian? Because you love me. Quint scrubbed his hand through his hair.
Since she got here?
Yes.
And you hoped to accomplish what?
To get her to leave. Or for you to stop looking at her the way you do. She glanced up at him. I
hated the way you looked at her.
Ruby, we were only friends.
We could be so much more. If it weren t for her.
He walked over to the cell and gripped the bars so hard his knuckles whitened. We would not have
been anything more than friends. Before she ever got here I knew that. Now that I ve met Gillian& I love
her. So much it s painful and she s leaving because of those fucking fires.
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Ruby shook her head slowly then faster and faster still until her hair swung with the momentum. She
would have left anyway. Without you. She swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Did you know that Heidi s
not even her child? Did you? She s her&
Niece. Yes, I know.
Ruby frowned in disbelief. She told you?
I know everything about her. She told me everything. Once he d discovered a good portion of it
online, but once she d had someone to confide in, she d told him.
He said she s a liar. Lies about everything.
He who? Heat raced up his spine. Who would be talking to Ruby about Gillian? There was only one
person who came to mind. What are you talking about?
Heidi s father. He said Gillian ran out of town with her and he s been looking for them.
His stomach dropped and he waved Cade over. When did you speak with him?
This morning. He said he found out she was here in Wyoming from one of Heidi s friends. He was
coming here to get Heidi.
He said that? His hands shook and he released the bars. Cade, I need you to go get the sheriff. Tell
him it s an emergency.
What s wrong?
I ll explain in a minute. He turned back to Ruby. Did the man give you his name?
Rick.
Quint closed his eyes and his breath clogged in his lungs. Please tell me you didn t give him any
information.
She nodded. I told him where she s staying. He had every right to know. He s
That s NOT Heidi s dad. He ran his hands through his hair. He killed Heidi s mom. In front of her
and tried to kill her too. He s been after them since he got out of prison.
Ruby blanched. I didn t&
Of course you didn t. She was fucking hiding.
The sheriff came hurrying in his office with the camera still around his neck. Hank was hot on his
heels and asked, What s wrong, Quint?
Quint all but launched himself across the sheriff s desk to the phone. She needs to be warned. He
knocked over a coffee mug. It crashed on the floor with a deafening crackle.
Look at me, son. Hank set his hand on Quint s shoulder. What s going on?
Gillian s in trouble. The reason she came here was to hide from the man who killed Heidi s mom.
You re not making any sense. Hank s wrinkled face pulled down in a weary frown. Take a deep
breath and start over.
He did as instructed then gave them a condensed version of what all he d learned.
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Relax. She ain t here. The girl s up in Sheridan at the hospital with her daughter. Hank walked
Quint over to the chair at the Sheriff s desk. Sit. Who else knows what s going on? You prolly told your
aunt, right?
He nodded. I asked Zan and Jacob to help me protect Gillian. Manny may know. I think Gillian told
him some of it.
Good deal, son. Hank squatted his wiry frame in front of Quint and held his gaze. I got a hold of
Manny fifteen minutes ago. He was headed over to the hospital to check on them. He ll keep an eye on
them.
Quint breathed in then out slowly, tried to calm himself. Sheriff, he s coming for her. Ruby told him
where they were staying.
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