“They are. Her family unit is tight, and she lives on a ranch with her mother and three cousins. The small town she lives in would embrace the child.”

The lieutenant grunted. “Sounds good then, and just what the little girl needs.”

“Okay, I’m ready to see her now.”

Piper had washed her face and brushed out her hair. Her lips were painted with a fresh coat, and she looked better but a long way from the woman she usually was. His sweater hung down to midthigh, and beneath that was the long length of her jeans-clad legs

Seeing her vulnerable was unsettling for Dylan. Piper had always appeared so strong and unbreakable before today, but now he wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. Even though it wouldn’t.

Of course, they had a connection now, a physical one, but this was more… but now wasn’t the time to analyze what that more was.

“Before we go see the child, Miss Trainer, I need to hand you the letter we discussed earlier that was found in the child’s possessions along with the guardianship papers.”

She walked into the room and sat next to Dylan again. He opened his hand and she placed hers instantly inside. Lieutenant Heath repeated what he’d told Dylan, and then passed Piper Joanie’s letter.

“Is it okay if I open it now, before I see Grace?”

“Of course.”

Her fingers only shook a little as she slid the paper out of the envelope. Dylan watched as she read the note, her bottom lip caught between her teeth to stop from crying.

“You’ve read it?”

“I have, and can I say that I’m glad she had a friend like you, Miss Trainer,” the lieutenant said.

“Here.” To his surprise she then thrust it at Dylan. He took it because he wanted to know why that woman in the morgue had chosen to end her life, if indeed that was what had happened.

Forgive me, Piper, for what I’ve done, but you have to know you were always stronger than me. Jace and the drugs are something I’ve tried to fight, Pip, but I could never do it. When I knew he had gone, I knew it was my time also. I don’t want to live without him, or the drugs, and I know Grace is better without both of us in her life.

Don’t think badly of me, and know that you were always the one person in my life who loved me unconditionally. Take care of my baby, dear friend, and raise her as your own. At least in this I’ve done right by her. She deserves to be a Trainer. Deserves the happiness you can give her. Tell her I love her, just as I love you, and remember what we had, Pip. Don’t mourn for the person I became. Joanie xx