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Grant wasn’t certain, but he thought he caught a glimpse of a smile. It might have been brief, but it was just as beautiful as ever. The gratitude he felt over everything she’d done for him today was overwhelming. He needed to tell her just how wonderful she was. But before he could, her radio crackled, requesting her by name.
Bella held up a finger and slipped out. She was gone for only a moment, and when she returned, her face was slightly paler.
“That doesn’t look good,” Grant said.
She shook her head. “An anonymous caller reported a truck matching your description swerving. They said they had reason to believe the driver was under the influence.”
“But that’s not possible."
“The tip came in on the recorded line before you called me.” She gnawed on her lower lip and paced in front of his bed. “I dropped off your canteen at the station. They’re supposed to log it and get it tested, but that could take a while since we don’t know what we’re testing it for.” Her eyes darted to meet his. “That anonymous tip is going to be our biggest problem.”
His stomach dropped. He didn’t have an alibi for that time. He’d been alone.
“I told them to try to locate who might have made the call, but we can’t guarantee we’ll figure it out. At this point, I think it’s safe to say?—”
“Someone is out to get me,” he said.
Bella nodded just as the door opened and Nick rushed in with his arms full of several items. The nurse’s chagrined expression told them everything they needed to know. Nick had weaseled himself into a great deal more than he was promised and he was obviously pleased with himself.
He dropped all the snacks and drinks onto the side of the bed and beamed. “Now neither one of us will be hungry.”
Grant smiled at his son, mouthed the words “thank you” to the nurse, and handed Nick the remote for the television.
Bella moved to the other side of the bed and pulled up a chair. She kept her voice low, probably to keep Nick from hearing. “We need to get you somewhere safe?—”
He shook his head sharply. “I’m not running away from this. I’ve been… this isn’t the first time I’ve been bullied.”
“This is more than being bullied. Think of your son,” she said.
“I am thinking of him. This is his home. I won’t uproot him just because someone thinks I’m not good enough to live in Rocky Ridge. I’m not going anywhere.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Bella told herself she was spending more time at Sagebrush Ranch because she wanted to observe the others who worked with Grant. It made sense to see him every day when it wasn’t just him that was in danger.
They didn’t know anything about the person who was trying to frame him. And someone who was willing to break the law in order to get rid of him was definitely dangerous. How far would they go to ensure they met their goal?
It wasn’t just Grant’s safety at stake, either. This was about keeping Nick safe as well. As Nick’s father, Grant should understand that.
This concept had been the one source of contention between them. Bella wanted Grant to take Nick and move off the property until she knew who was responsible for everything that was happening. But he refused, claiming he wasn’t going to let anyone win. But more importantly, Nick needed the stability of keeping the home he’d grown accustomed to.
Bella couldn’t deny that fact. The kid had lost his mother and the life he’d always known. Now all Grant could do was make sure he didn’t lose anything else.
She drove her car onto the property and pulled it to a stop in front of the RV. It had only been a week and still they hadn’t figured out anything new. The lab in Billings had misplaced Grant’s blood samples. The techs assured her that they would be found, but they’d been training a few interns, and they suspected the samples had been stored in the wrong container.
For now, all Bella could do was ask Eli to update her if he noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Nick darted from the RV, landing on the grass at the foot of the steps. His head swiveled around and a broad smile filled his face. Immediately, he sprinted toward her car and tapped on the window.
She couldn’t help but smile back. Bella rolled down her window and leaned her arm where she could get closer to him. “Hey, sport. What’s going on? I thought we were going to play board games like yesterday.”
Nick jumped up and down. “Dad said Eli wants the hay field cut so in a few days they can bale it.”
Bella glanced up at Nick as Grant headed their way. “Is that so,” she said as she brought her eyes back to Nick. “And you get to help?”
The boy nodded excitedly. “Dad said I might even be able to drive.”
Her sharp eyes focused on Grant accusatorially, to which he held up both hands with a laugh. “I never said he could drive. I said he could sit on my lap and hold the wheel with me.”
