Page 203 of Daddy’s Fortitude

“Yeah, what I’m wondering is if you have noticed any strangers hanging around, watching the house.”

“Actually, yes, there have been a couple of strange vehicles,” she said. “I know everyone in this town so I notice when there is something out of place.”

Right. Because she was so nosey.

“You wouldn’t be able to describe anything about them?” Branson asked.

“I can do one better. I have the license plates written down,” she said.

“Good,” Branson said. “I’ll take those.”

She rushed away and Branson turned to Ammo and Aimee. “Sorry about all of this, Aimee. Are you okay?”

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Yeah. I just never thought that Kelly-Anne would do something like that. Not sure that she’s quite in her right mind.”

“We’ll get her assessed, and I’ll let you know what is happening. Why don’t you guys go back, get some rest, and leave this all with me?”

“I want that list of license plates,” Ammo demanded.

Branson nodded. “Of course. I will send them through once I have them. Go home. Take care of your girl.”

“He always does,” she told Branson tiredly. “Ammo always takes the best care of me.”

55

Aimee felt like she was in a bit of a daze.

She sat on the sofa in the cabin and stared around. She actually couldn’t even remember getting back up the hill to the cabin.

Kelly-Anne had set fire to her house because she’d thought it should be hers. What kind of person did that? And she hadn’t even made certain that Aimee was out of the house. She only thought she was.

Aimee started shaking. She couldn’t seem to stop, and she didn’t know why. She wasn’t cold or anything, but her heart was racing, and it was difficult to catch her breath.

Suddenly, Ammo appeared in front of her, kneeling on the floor. “It’s all right, baby. You’re having a panic attack. Just breathe with me.” Taking hold of her hand, he placed it on his chest. “Breathe in and hold, one, two, and out, one, two. And again.”

She kept breathing with him until the shaking stopped, and her heart ceased to feel like it was going to beat right out of her chest.

There was still a sick feeling in her stomach, though.

“Sorry,” she said to him.

To her surprise, Ammo frowned. “No. No saying sorry. Nothing about this is something you should apologize for.”

He was right. But she also couldn’t help but feel like he was always having to ride to her rescue.

“Can you ride a horse?” she asked suddenly.

He tilted his head to the side as though studying her. “Yeah, I can ride a horse. Why?”

“Will you teach me how to ride? I’ve always wanted to learn how,” she said, cheering up at the thought.

“Sure. Do you want to go back to talking about Kelly-Anne and why you had that panic attack?”

“Not really.”

“So we’re just going to start discussing horse riding lessons?” he asked.

Oh, she could see where the confusion was coming in. It was because he couldn’t read her mind. Silly her, she’d forgotten that.