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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

After her pleasure in seeing Gothic, enjoying the sights and the people, Adam hated this return of fear in her. He tried to infuse his voice with comfort and warmth. “I’m here to be vigilant when you aren’t.” Did he succeed? No telling. Comfort and warmth wasn’t his forte. He texted Dr. Brocklebank, then handed Elle his phone and started driving again. “That is who I am, and it would grieve me if that’s who you became.”

In a small voice, she said, “You’re smart. Always being vigilant saves you from peril.”

God. She made him feel, live the pain and sorrow all over again. “I wish that was true,” he said and changed the subject before she could ask questions. She did that, he knew. “It’s spring. That brings a burst of life in the form of lambs, kids, calves and colts. When Dr. Brocklebank pings me with his location, we’ll find him in some barn or kennel where there’ll be no possibility of trouble.” A lie. There was always a possibility of trouble, but he wanted Elle to feel safe.

She did relax as she stared at the lump of black metal in her hand. “What is this?”

“It’s my phone.”

“You own a flip phone?” She flipped it open and closed. “Why don’t you have a real phone?”

“A smartphone? They’re too fragile.”

“There’s some tough ones.” Under his gaze, Elle grew uncertain. “Aren’t there?”

“I got a tough one. It broke. I need a military-grade phone that I can use to communicate in case of emergency, with a good keyboard, clear speaker, bright screen, and that’s waterproof. Oh, and a camera. In an emergency, it takes decent photos. And I can text.”

She looked at the traditional numerical keyboard.

“I use voice-to-text,” he said.

“You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would carry his phone with him everywhere. I would have thought you didn’t need to be always connected.”

“I like to be prepared.”

“For what?”

“In case I find someone on the beach who needs emergency care.”

“Yes, but you didn’t call for help.”

“You can’t get cell service down on the beach.” Adam opened up the ATV and headed up the highway toward the area ranches. The phone honked like a goose. “That’s a text,” he told her.

Elle flipped it open and consulted the screen. “The text is Goat’s Beard.”

“It’s the Beard family’s operation, not far. They raise goats. Dr. Brocklebank is probably checking out the new arrivals.”

“Baby goats.” She smiled. “I love baby goats.”