To Trust A Rancher. Debbi Rawlins

just listen. It’s important.” Amy’s voice shook. Her gaze darted to Noah, who was happily playing with his new toy and paying them no mind. “Derek’s going to meet someone at the border next week. I don’t know when for sure.”

      “You’ll come here, right? He doesn’t know where I live.”

      “I’m not coming anywhere near you or Noah. Not for a while.” Amy swallowed. “He’s dangerous, Bec.”

      “I know.”

      “No.” Amy’s eyes closed briefly. “You don’t.”

      Becca bit her lip. Every part of her wanted to hang on to her friend so tight she couldn’t go back to that monster. When Becca had first met Derek, he’d been all dimples and charm. She’d seen him twice after that and thought something was off about him. But not Amy. She’d fallen hard and fast.

      “Where will you go?”

      “I don’t know yet. But I’ll call you. Take the money, Bec.”

      “Okay, now you listen, because you aren’t thinking clearly. You’re going to need cash, a lot of it. First thing you should do is buy a phone he can’t track. They sell cheap ones, no contract. You don’t have to give your name or anything.” Becca’s mouth was so dry she had to stop and take a quick sip of lemonade. Damn, she wished she had more cash in the house. “What about a women’s shelter? You’d be safe. Even if he knew you were there, he couldn’t get to you—”

      “Becca?”

      “I still have some pamphlets.” She started to rise, but Amy caught her arm.

      “Becca, I’ll be fine.”

      “But you don’t even know where you’re going. You haven’t thought this through.”

      “No, I haven’t, but only because I just found out he’ll be gone. Without dragging me along with him. That almost never happens. I can’t blow this shot.”

      “You know the Mexican border is only four hours away. He might not be gone very long.”

      “A deal went sideways, and he’s in deep shit over it.” A nasty smile lifted her lips. “He’s gotta make things right, whatever it takes.”

      “So let’s make a plan. Right now. We can figure it out.”

      Amy shook her head. “If I’m away too long, he’ll get suspicious,” she said, sniffling again and making Becca wonder if it was the next fix that had her anxious to leave. “I have money, okay? So don’t worry about that.” She inhaled deeply. “There is something you can do for me, though.”

      “Name it.”

      “If you don’t hear from me in a week, I’d like you to take Noah home, to Blackfoot Falls. To my family. His family. Let my mom raise him, out in the country where he’ll be safe and happy. Derek still doesn’t know anything about where we came from.”

      Shock spread through every part of Becca’s body. Her mouth opened, but she couldn’t seem to make her jaw work.

      “I know you’re surprised,” Amy said quietly.

      “Surprised? Are you forgetting why we left in the first place?”

      Amy slowly shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. “You can have your life back, Bec. I bet you haven’t had a date in five years.”

      “You think I care about that?” Becca hadn’t meant to raise her voice. Thank God Noah was still occupied. “How can you ask me to put him in that—that environment?”

      Amy dropped both envelopes on the couch. “If you don’t hear from me in a week, open the second envelope.”

      Becca stared at it, her insides clenching. When she looked up, her friend looked away. “Amy, you’re scaring me. Let me help you.”

      “It’s just a letter, but it’ll explain a lot. Just promise me you’ll wait the week.”

      “Watch this...” Noah lifted the truck, pretending it was an airplane.

      Amy turned and smiled at him. A tear slipped down her cheek and she dashed it away.

      “Mommy, look.”

      Becca managed a smile, and her “look at you,” sounded somewhat natural despite the fear churning in her stomach. “Don’t go back, Amy,” she pleaded, lowering her voice. “You’ve already made the decision. Just stay. I have clothes for you, anything you need...”

      Amy stood. “If I wait till he’s gone, I’ll have a head start. God, I hope he doesn’t remember you worked at the restaurant. Don’t underestimate Derek—he might come looking for him,” she said, staring fearfully at Noah.

      “Why?”

      “For leverage. Hell, for just about anything, if it means saving his own ass.”

      The air fled Becca’s lungs. “I’m begging you, Amy. Let me help you.”

      “Remember, wait a week.” Amy took a step and stopped, her moist eyes dark with misery. “Please don’t hate me,” she whispered, then picked up Noah and hugged him so tight he whimpered. “Bye, little man. I love you with all my heart.”

      “Amy, wait.”

      “I love you, too, Becca,” she said, and was out the door before Becca could take another breath.

      * * *

      BECCA STOOD AT her bedroom window, staring out into the gathering darkness. A gang of rough-looking neighborhood kids huddled at the corner, oblivious to the police cruiser that had circled for the third time.

      Six days, and not a word from Amy. Becca was a complete wreck. She tried to remember how they’d left it, exactly, but she’d been too rattled. Shouldn’t Amy have called by now? Just to let Becca know she’d gotten away from Derek. A few seconds. That’s all it would’ve taken.

      Unless she couldn’t because the bastard had caught her.

      Becca shuddered at the thought.

      Trying to concentrate at work took all her energy. Hard to learn anything new with the attention span of a two-year-old. Her mind kept spiraling to dark places and robbing her of hope.

      Her gaze strayed to the envelope she’d stupidly left in full view on the dresser. Every time she saw it her anxiety level rose. Twice now, she’d almost given in to curiosity. But, no, she hadn’t read the letter.

      She had checked the envelope with the money, though. Not a huge amount, but more than she’d expected. Which bothered her. A lot. If Amy had truly thought she could escape, she would’ve known she needed every penny.

      Becca briefly closed her eyes. Why had she let Amy leave? If she’d had just a little more time to convince her...

      Noah stirred. Curled up on her bed, sound asleep, he wrapped one small arm around the pillow. It was seven thirty. If she didn’t wake him soon, tomorrow morning he’d be springing out of bed before the rooster crowed.

      The thought surprised her. The saying had been one of her grandmother’s favorites. Even as the memory made Becca smile, it saddened her. She missed both her grandparents, but she’d been especially close to Grams. No kinder, more generous woman had ever walked the earth. Always ready to listen, never judging. Oh, how Becca would’ve loved her advice right about now.

      Her cell rang, startling her. It wasn’t Amy, though.

      Maureen managed the downtown restaurant where Becca used to work. The busy dinner hour was an odd time to call. “Hey, Maureen, what’s up?”

      “Listen, I only have a minute and it’s probably nothing, but I thought you should know. Some creepy-looking dude was in here asking for you. Long hair, lots of tats, rides a Harley. Didn’t give his name.”

      Becca’s