Page 134 of Falling Stars

“He’s all alone. He’s probably scared.” I can barely breathe.

“Darlin’, you’re gonna hyperventilate if you don’t calm down.”

“Calm down? You want me to calm down? Why are you still here? Why aren’t you scouring the state for my baby?”

The back door flings open with a bang and the Walkers storm in. Paige rushes to me, and I close my eyes and cry into my hands.

“What happened?” she asks.

Right after I called the sheriff, I called Paige and told her Leo was missing. I try to explain the details, but I can barely talk.

Suddenly, two strong arms wrap around me and lift me into the air.

“Let go of me.” Did Beau or Jace pick me up? I flail my arms.

“I’m here, baby. Calm down.”

My eyes fly open. “Maverick?” I can barely see him through the tears.

“I got you. We’re gonna find Leo. Everything will be okay.”

How did he get here so fast? “How did you know I needed you?” I hiccup.

He brushes my hair out of my eyes. “I came home becauseIneededyou.”

I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his neck. “I cancelled the security company. This—this is my fault. I just couldn’t handle?—”

“Shh, baby. I know. As soon as I heard that, I booked a ticket home.”

“Tha-thank you for coming.” I don’t know what this means, if he’s here for good or just a few days or for more rehab, but I don’t care. He’s here now for my son when I need him most, and that’s all that matters.

I’m not sure he understands what I’m saying because I’m a wet, sobbing mess, but he runs his hand down my back and barks orders at the sheriff. “Have you looked at all the camera footage? Written a list of suspects? Called Leo’s father?”

Maverick sits and pulls me in his lap. I realize it was he andPaige who came tonight. She squeezes my arm. “Rhett’s with the kids, but if we need him…”

Nodding, I grab her hand. “Thanks for coming.” Then I turn back to the sheriff. “The third camera. Can you pull up that footage?”

The sheriff calls out to his deputy, who leans over my security system in the corner. “I can only pull up the footage from the first two cameras. Not the third.”

If I fucked up the installation, and we can’t find Leo, I’ll never forgive myself.

Wracking my brain, I try to remember anything of consequence. “Someone left me a box of shit wrapped as a present last week.”

Reynolds frowns at me. “Do you mean actual manure?”

“It looked like dog crap, but I didn’t keep it around to inquire. It had a photo.” A fresh wave of tears hits me. In between hiccups I try to describe what this person did to that picture.

“Why didn’t you call it in?”

“I should have, but I was overwhelmed and just wanted to get rid of it.”

Maverick tightens his arm around my waist. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this, baby.”

The sheriff scratches his whiskers. “I know we’ve discussed this before, but is there anyone you can think of who has it out for you, Baylee?”

A few people spring to mind. “Maverick’s ex, Kira, hates me.” But does she hate me enough to snatch my son? Then I think about that fake apology Nicole gave me at the rodeo. “Mav’s other ex, Nicole Ashbury, definitely wants him back.” And given how much of the harassment centered around the salon, it makes me wonder about my competition. “And the Darling Divas probably aren’t my biggest fans.”

Mav frowns. “We should add Kira to the list, but do you really think Nicole would snatch Leo? She might be bitchy, but is she crazy?”

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