Page 98 of Crosshairs

“I’m afraid he got that from his daddy—James said the same words to J.R. I told my son when you were first born to break that generational curse. But I guess it was too ingrained.” Gran’s eyes had a sheen to them. “Honey, I wish ... James was my husband and J.R. is my son, but sometimes I just wanted to shake them both.”

A picture of Gran shaking Dad like a rag doll made Ainsley smile. “Why doesn’t he love me?”

The older woman snatched up a napkin and blotted her eyes. “He does, but he’s afraid of losing you. It started after he lost your mom.”

She stared at her grandmother. Ainsley had so few memories of her mother.

“You’re the spittin’ image of her. I think that’s what makes it so hard for your dad. He loved her something fierce. She was thirty when you were born and had waited a long time for you. Thirty-four when that drunk driver killed her.”

Thirty-four. Same age Ainsley was now.

“Your dad has made a lot of mistakes where you’re concerned, but not loving you isn’t one of them. He would never knowingly hurt you.”

If only she could believe that.

“You two ready?” Linc asked from the doorway.

“That was fast,” Gran said.

“I didn’t want to keep you waiting,” he said. “And with Maddox still on the loose, when we go to the hospital, I think it’s a good idea for Rose to go in her own car. Shawn will follow us.”

Ainsley agreed, but her thoughts were still on Gran’s words. Down deep she really didn’t think her dad was trying to kill her. And even if he came after the diary tonight, it wouldn’t prove anything other than he wanted it. She gave her brain a mental shake and focused on what they were saying.

“I’ll probably want to stay longer anyway,” Gran said. “That is, if the nurses will allow me to, and sometimes they do if Cora requests it.”

They followed Gran until she turned off at the drugstore to pick up a box of candy for Cora.

Linc let Ainsley out at the door, and she waited inside while he parked. It did feel good to have someone watching out for her.

The waiting room was empty when they entered. “I’ll wait here until you see if she’s up for company other than family,” Linc said.

She tilted her head. “Who are you and what did you do with the real Lincoln Steele?” Years ago he wouldn’t have been that considerate.

“Was I that bad?”

“Let’s just say, you may have felt entitled,” she said with a laugh. “If you want to come with me, I think she’d be glad to see you, family or not.”

“Well, if you insist.” Then as they crossed to the open ICU doors, he muttered, “I wasn’t that bad.”

“Yes. You were.” As they walked the circle around to Cora’s room, she noticed that most of the curtains were open and she could see into the rooms. She searched for Austin, Drew’s dad. Her stomach churned when she didn’t see him. What if Drew had died? Then Austin stepped out of a room and turned and stared straight at her.

“How is he?” she asked.

His eyes narrowed briefly, then shuttered. “Still sedated. Have you found the person who shot him?”

“Not yet. It’s not my case.” She wasn’t sure he wanted her sympathy, but she had to try. “I’m so sorry—”

Austin palmed a hand. “Don’t even go there.”

Linc stiffened beside her. “She was only doing her job,” he said.

“Yeah, well, maybe if she hadn’t made him feel so guilty, he wouldn’t have been at that Dyson girl’s house.”

“Did he tell you he was going to see Connie Hanover?”

“No. If he had, I would’ve stopped him, and if I’d known he was there yesterday, he wouldn’t have been out in the open washing cars.” He pinned a hard glare on Linc. “I hope you’re both satisfied. At least maybe this will make you admit he had nothing to do with that girl’s death.”

“Hannah,” Ainsley said, forcing herself not to snap at the man. “That girl’s name was Hannah.”

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