She was calmer now, now that the paramedics Liam had called had seen to her arm. It had actually been more of a gouge than a graze, but he hadn’t wanted her to panic. She’d withstood the cleaning and bandaging stoically, had politely refused to go to the emergency room, but she’d been watching him all the time, with a rather odd expression on her face.

He waited until the medics were done with her, and had gone to fill out all the paperwork required after treating a gunshot wound of any sort, then went over to sit beside her. Liam was still outside, talking to the officers who had responded.

He hadn’t meant to do it, but it came out anyway, “God, Mandy, why did you come outside?”

He sensed as much as saw her spine stiffen. And when she spoke, her voice was just as stiff. “My father didn’t raise me to be a bystander.”

“I know that, but you’re the one he was after. And you still came out. And headed toward him.”

“What was I supposed to do? Just wait inside like some helpless female?”

He nearly laughed. “Helpless? You?”

“All right, then.”

He shook his head slowly, starting to smile now. “You are your father’s daughter.”

She met his gaze then, the stiffness vanished. “Thank you. There’s no better compliment you could give me.”

“I know,” he said softly.

“And now I know firsthand.”

He blinked. “Know what?”

“How utterly amazing it was that you were on your feet at all that night, let alone able to function enough to help Quinn.”

He was saved from having to answer that by Liam stepping inside.

“You okay?” he asked Mandy. He was frowning.

She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

Still frowning, Liam said, “You’re sure?”

“I am.” She managed to smile. “You don’t need to look like you’re at a funeral.”

“I may well be,” Liam said glumly. “My own, when Quinn finds out.”

“Finds out what?” she asked.

“That I let you get hurt.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said instantly.

“And I should have buzzed you first,” Adam put in.

“Besides, I’m the one who went outside, when Adam told me to stay put,” Mandy added.

“Armed, I see,” Liam said, gesturing toward the unfired .38 on the table beside her.

“Never had the chance to use it,” she said ruefully.

“Still, took some nerve.”

“It runs in the family,” Adam said.

Liam looked at him. “So I gather. They’re going to want to talk to you again,” he added with a nod toward outside.

“I figured.”