Page 10 of Rancher to the Rescue

Adam walked over to the sink and answered.

“How’s Henry?” he immediately asked his foreman.

“Fine, boss. The Fritzes got back three days ago,” Bronc said, not able to hide the shock in his voice.

Adam bit back a curse. Was that the reason Lawler kept looking at her strangely when she brought up her client?

4

The look on Adam’s face caused a fireball to swirl in the pit of Prudence’s stomach. He thanked Bronc for information before ending the call and turning to face her. He didn’t have to open his mouth for her to realize bad news was coming.

She took a drink of water, trying to douse the hot bile rising in the back of her throat as she waited for news that something bad had happened to the Fritz couple.

“First of all, Henry is fine,” he said to her. “But your job ended with the Fritzes three days ago.”

“What?” She shook her head, her body stiffened, and the baby stirred. Not wanting to disturb the angel’s sleep, Prudence forced calm she didn’t feel. “How can that be? I was there earlier today. I’m supposed to…”

Realization struck out of nowhere like lightning on a cloudless sky. Prudence balanced the baby against her body with one arm, holding her close, while bringing the other one up to check for bumps on her own head.

“What’s your full name?” Lawler asked. Leaning forward.

“Prudence Abigail Owens,” she supplied, figuring cooperation would bring closure to this nightmare sooner rather than later.

“Date of birth?” he asked.

She rattled it off. “I don’t have any ID on me. If you want proof, you’ll have to give me a ride to my house.”

She hoped her purse was there. How could she have lost three days?

“What day of the week is it?” Lawler continued.

“Sunday,” she blew out a sigh. “That can’t be right. It has to be Wednesday because the Fritzes got back from vacation over the weekend.”

At least Henry was fine, and she hadn’t neglected him. She shouldn’t have another sitting job for a week and a half, so she was good there. The thought of letting any of her customers down when they needed her struck like a physical blow. She hadn’t, she reminded herself. So far, so good.

Adam stared at the tile flooring. She wished he’d say something or look at her. It was strange how much she wanted to see his reaction.

“Do you know what month it is?” Lawler didn’t miss a beat.

She took a second to calculate. “That would make it June.”

Lawler nodded and gave a reassuring look. “You’re doing fine.”

She didn’t feel it. This didn’t seem like a good time to point out the fact.

The doorbell rang and she froze.

“Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” Adam said to them both. His eyes still seemed unable to meet hers.

True to his word, Adam returned a few moments later with a woman in her late thirties to early forties trailing behind him. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her face fresh, her heels high, she had on a dark suit.

All Prudence could think was that this stranger was not walking out the door with the baby.

The dark suit walked straight over to Sheriff Lawler. The two shook hands and Lawler asked her if she’d like to take a seat. She declined, instead keeping a distance and leaning a hip against the large granite island anchoring the room. Adam reclaimed the spot where he’d been standing, and Prudence’s neck hairs bristled at how close the two of them stood. Not that where Adam Firebrand stood was any of her business.

Except a little voice in the back of her mind argued he was somehow connected to the child in her arms—a child she had no plans to abandon.

“Is it possible the birth mother got into trouble? Changed her mind about being fit to take care of a baby? Left her on a doorstep with the note?” Prudence asked after being introduced to Dark Suit, whose actual name was Jenn Pratt.