Page 14 of Maverick Detective Dad
“I won’t fall apart,” Everly assured him. Not as long as Ainsley was around anyway.
She wasn’t sure Noah believed that, but he shifted his attention from her as they drove through the massive gates of the Ryland ranch. Actually,massiveapplied to the ranch itself, and even though the front part of it was acres of lush green pastures, she saw the houses and outbuildings scattered seemingly everywhere. Everly had no idea how many people actually lived here, what with his uncles, aunts and cousins, but it was like a small town.
It’d been years since she’d been here. So many memories, and Everly tried to tamp down her racing heartbeat and too-quick breath. A situation like this could be a perfect storm for the mother lode of flashbacks. She was terrified for her child’s safety and worried about being a killer’s target. Added to that, she’d be sharing close quarters with a man who could trigger those flashbacks simply because he’d been part of the nightmare ordeal all those years ago.
“I’ve already told my dad and Uncle Mason to keep watch as to who comes and goes from the ranch,” Noah explained. Maybe because he was trying to reduce the wariness he saw in her eyes.
“There are a lot of ranch hands,” she muttered. And she suspected there were also plenty of deliveries and visitors.
“Yes, but all the hands have been vetted,” he assured her. “They’ll keep a lookout for anyone suspicious.”
She didn’t doubt that, but it’d be impossible for them to stop any and all threats. Everly saw proof of that as she watched several men unloading horses at what she knew was his uncle Mason’s section of the grounds. Since Mason was a former deputy, he was likely being cautious, but someone—the killer—could slip in with such a delivery and disappear onto the ranch.
Definitely not a comforting thought.
“How good is the security system in your house?” she asked.
“Good,” he quickly verified as his gaze skirted around. He took the turn off the main ranch road and onto an even narrower one. “My mom and dad are there now with Hudson Granger, the tech who handles security for the ranch, and he’s installing some new equipment.”
It probably shouldn’t have surprised her that a ranch this size would have its own security specialist, and while it might seem over-the-top, there were a lot of homes, prized livestock and equipment here. Added to that, the Rylands were rich so those homes probably had expensive items in them.
More proof of the size of the ranch, Noah drove for at least another mile before he reached the end of the road. The trees were thicker here with the waters of the shallow creek winding through them. Beyond the creek were the woods with trees still thick with leaves even though they were showing the first signs of autumn. Not exactly close to the road, but it would be a good place for someone to sneak onto the ranch.
“The fences are all rigged with security cameras and motion detectors,” Noah explained after he’d followed her gaze.
Good. She wanted any and all measures to keep Ainsley safe.
Everly turned her attention back to the road, and just ahead she spotted the house with the white stone and pale gray wood exterior. According to talk she’d heard, he’d had the place built shortly after he’d finished college, and while it was his primary residence, he also owned an apartment near his work in San Antonio. A reminder that Noah was rich as well, but then she suspected most of the Ryland offspring had trust funds.
There were two silver SUVs that sported the ranch’s name on the side parked in Noah’s driveway. The vehicles probably belonged to his parents and the tech, but Noah didn’t park near them. He used the app on his phone to open the garage door, and he drove inside. He immediately lowered the garage doors, a reminder that while the fence was secure, there could be a sniper in those idyllic-looking woods.
Ainsley laid aside her book, and she looked around the garage. “Ome?” She meanthome, and Everly had to shake her head.
“A vacation,” Everly lied. “We’re going to have fun and play here for a while.”
Ainsley probably didn’t understand vacation though Everly had taken the girl to the beach. But she clearly got the “fun and play” part because her little face brightened, and she began to try to get herself out of the child seat.
Everly helped with that after she’d gotten out of the cruiser. She scooped Ainsley into her arms just as someone opened the door that led into the house. Everly instinctively pulled Ainsley closer to her, but it wasn’t a threat. It was Noah’s mother. Darcy.
Considering the size of Silver Creek, Everly ran into Darcy now and then, and they usually settled for a polite hello, but Darcy offered her a beaming smile today. One that was no doubt meant to try to reassure her that all was going to be just fine.
“Everly,” Darcy greeted. She went to her and hugged her, and she extended the smile to Ainsley. “And this must be your daughter. She looks like you.”
She did, and there were so many times Everly was thankful for that. She would have loved her child no matter what, but it was nice not to look at Ainsley and see her ex’s features.
“Grayson said we couldn’t get anything from Everly’s house, but everything here is set up,” Darcy added to Noah, and she slipped her arm around Everly to get them moving inside. “I might have gone a little overboard with the playroom though.”
Noah groaned, but he kissed his mother’s cheek, obviously letting her know that was okay. There was a lot of love between Noah and his family. Always had been, and Everly figured that had helped him get through these past fourteen years.
They went inside the house into the open living room and kitchen that managed to look both modern and cozy at the same time. Noah had gone with a farmhouse kitchen, complete with a large dining table.
“Want to find some toys?” Darcy asked Ainsley, and when Ainsley muttered a yes, Noah’s mom led them to a large bedroom that had obviously been converted for a two year old. There were a toddler bed, books, stuffed animals and lots and lots of toys.
“Mom,” Noah muttered on a sigh. “You definitely went overboard.”
“I did,” Darcy readily admitted. “Lots of family helped, and I had Leah come over and make sure it was kid safe.” Leah was the daughter of Noah’s uncle Kade, and she had a son just a little younger than Ainsley.
“Thank you,” Everly told Darcy, and she’d obviously need to thank others who’d helped set all of this up.
