Page 21 of Montana Freedom

“It doesn’t have to be right away. If you need to think about it, take your time. But soon.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. Nothing in me wanted to talk to someone in authority until I knew exactly where Simon was and what he was doing. But I also didn’t want to seem like I had anything more to hide. Not until I’d figured out the way to take him down. “Okay.”

Daniel seemed relieved. “Thank you.”

A shrill ringing pierced the air, and we both startled before realizing it was his phone. “Sorry,” he said, checking the screen and answering. “Yeah?” A long pause followed. “Thanks, I’ll be right there.”

Ending the call, he smiled at me. “There’s a new client here to check in, and I need to go meet them. I’ll walk you back to your cabin.”

“That’s okay.” I waved a hand and laughed, stomach swooping at his smile. I could think of a lot of things I’d do to see his smile all the time. “Not like it’s that far. I’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

I nodded. “Very.”

“All right.” Daniel’s eyes roved over me like he needed to make sure all of me was good before he would even consider leaving me. The attention—and the idea of someone caring for me like that at all—had me flushing pink. “I’ll see you later.”

The words were light, but the intent was not. It settled in my gut like a comfortable weight. He would see me later, and that was that.

I watched him walk away toward the main ranch lodge, admiring the broadness of his shoulders and what his jeans did to him, just like I had when I was delirious.

Apparently delirious me was just as much of an ass woman as I was when I was alert and of clear mind.

The cabin wasn’t far, and when I started back after petting Al Pacacino a little longer, I had every intention of going back and resting. Then I got to my cabin, and I saw the car. The urge to head back and look at my notes now that I wasn’t dying was too much. If I had the keys—

I froze. The keys were in the ignition. The cabin wasn’t far from here, and I was going to come back, but I needed to see it.

Snorting, I slid into the driver’s seat and groaned at the heat of a car that had sat in the sun for too long. I didn’tneedto see the notes at all. I could remember every word on every piece of paper—and every word I’d placed on the blank ones, too.

But being there, seeing it the same way I’d stared at it for months, was an urge and a comfort I couldn’t fight. Everything was different, and everything had the potential to be dangerous now—even with someone as steady and kind as Daniel. Just for a little while, I wanted to be in the place that had kept me safe and alive.

The car started easily, and no one stopped me on my way out of the gate.

The cabin was exactly how I left it. No one had been here or touched anything—my memory confirmed it. And all my notes and papers were exactly where I’d left them. Not that I was any closer to figuring out the truth.

Maybe being at Resting Warrior, I would find the missing pieces so I could destroy Simon’s business entirely. In the end,thatwas what I really wanted.

I would leave the notes here. No one would be able to make sense of them but me anyway, and bringing them back to the ranch would only raise questions I wasn’t ready to answer. But I would still be thinking about it. Part of my mind was pretty much always working on it, like a pot simmering on a stove.

After a little while of sitting on the couch and staring at my conspiracy wall while munching on some of my stolen Pop-Tarts, I went back to the ranch. I was starting to drag, and I needed to get back to my little cabin before my limited stamina ran out. Just because I felt better didn’t mean I was out of the woods completely.

Daniel was sitting in the chair on the porch when I pulled the car back into the spot where I’d found it. My stomach dropped, and I made sure to put the keys in my pocket and not leave them in the ignition. He didn’t look mad.

Immediately, I pushed the thought aside. It wouldn’t matter if he were. It wasn’t his business.

“Hey.”

His eyes met mine. “Hey.”

Even though he wasn’t mad, my stomach still fluttered with nerves. “Everything okay?”

“For the most part. You’ll have a neighbor now. If you see him out and about, don’t worry.” He gestured farther down the row of cabins.

“Okay.”

“And…” He rose, crossing the small distance to where I stood. “I meant what I said. You’re not a prisoner here. You can feel free to come and go as you like. But considering youarein danger, I would like you to tell me when you’re leaving. For now.”

I bristled, and he reached out, catching my elbow and pulling me closer instinctively. Suddenly, I was in his orbit, and my breath was short for an entirely different reason.

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