Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Did she know who my parents were, the lady you spoke with?”
Randy nodded. “Paul and Roxie Wilson. Your mother was from Arcola, and the county employee thought they might have met in college. I looked up as much information as I could. Paul Wilson was adopted, and your mother had no siblings. The only other relative the woman knew of was your grandmother’s older sister, Nora, and she’s also passed away.”
Mallory looked at me, and I gently squeezed her hand. “My grandmother must be the older woman I saw in the memory.”
I nodded.
“Do I have any siblings?”
Randy shook his head. “Your grandmother was the last living relative. You were working at a restaurant when she passed, less than a year ago. I’m guessing your grandmother left her house to you, because according to real estate records, you sold it about six months after her death. The city worker also said she believes you put some things into storage. Then you moved to Chicago.”
“What?” Mallory said softly. “When?”
“According to this lady, you moved a month or so ago. She wasn’t sure exactly.”
Mallory looked at me, and I could see the utter confusion in her eyes.
“I think…I’m sorry… I need a minute.”
I stood and pulled her chair out. “Do you want to be alone, or do you want me to come with you?”
She blinked at me a few times. “I…I don’t know.”
MaryAnne suggested, “Liam, why don’t you take Mallory out back for some fresh air.”
“Right,” I said, wrapping my arm around her waist and guiding her through the kitchen and outside. Piper, of course, followed us, never leaving Mallory’s side.
The moment we were outside, Mallory turned and threw herself into my arms, and started to cry.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mallory
My head spun as I tried to absorb everything Randy told me. Chicago? Arcola, Illinois? How in the world had I ended up in Montana?
“Shh, it’s okay, love, I’ve got you,” Liam whispered as he held me tightly against him while I cried my eyes out once again.
When the tears finally stopped flowing, I drew in a breath and took a step back. Liam still held onto me as he bent his head to look into my eyes. “That was a lot to take in. Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure. I feel like I’m outside my body watching all this occur. I don’t know if I’m more relieved or sad to find out who I am. From the sounds of it, I didn’t have anyone in my life. Maybe no one was looking for me, Liam! Did someone kidnap me from Chicago? Did I leave Chicago and come to Montana on my own? If so, why?”
“Let’s sit down,” Liam said, guiding me to the chairs on the porch. “Take a deep breath and just let it out. Give yourself a few minutes to process.”
Nodding, I drew in one deep breath after another until I felt my heart slowing, along with my breathing.
“Do you want to go to Arcola?”
My head jerked up. “What?”
“We can go there today if you want. Figure out more about who you were—I mean, are—and where you came from.”
I wrapped my arms around my body and stared at him. “You can’t drop everything in your life to whisk me across the country on a wild goose chase.”
“I’m not dropping everything. I pay people to run this ranch. If I can’t trust them to do it without me for a few days, then I have bigger problems than I thought.”
I smiled wearily. “Why are you even doing this for me?”
He searched my face, and then lifted his hand to my cheek. I felt myself lean into its warmth, and my body relaxed even more at his touch.
“I want to help you, Mallory, because I care about you. I want to help you figure this out, and if it means getting one step closer to finding the person who did this, then I’ll go to Hell and back for you.”
I wanted to believe with all my heart that Liam was doing this just for me, but I knew part of him was doing it for Emily. There had to be at least a small hope that she could be alive. And a small part of me was jealous…and I knew that was insane. Still…
“You really think there is no chance Emily is alive?” I couldn’t help asking.
His eyes softened, and he slowly shook his head. “I know in my heart Emily isn’t alive. The only thing I can do for her now is find the person who took her from the people who loved her the most. We can’t even be sure it’s the same person who took you.”
Nodding, I looked down at my clasped hands. “I think it is. That necklace…”
He took my hands in his. “I do too. Mallory, I’m not going to lie to you. When Randy said he had a hit, a part of me panicked…because I didn’t want you to find out who you are. That is so damn selfish of me, and it sounds even worse saying it out loud versus just thinking it. And I know we haven’t known each other long, but I…I feel something for you. When I’m not here with you, I can’t seem to stop thinking about you, and it’s not simply because I’m worried for your safety. I enjoy being with you.”