A Texan on Her Doorstep

“That’s right. I—we—that is, my brother and I didn’t have any idea she was ill. If we’d known I would have put off the trip to a later date.”

Chloe thoughtfully chewed a bite of food, then said, “So Frankie didn’t have any idea you were coming to New Mexico?”

“No. Ripp and I didn’t want to write or call. This matter is something that needs to be dealt with in person. Face-to-face.”

Silence settled over the table, and Mac could feel Ileana’s gaze settle on him. When he looked across the table at her, there was a shy smile on her face. The sweetness of it caught his attention far more than a wicked wink would have, and he wondered if the high altitude of these desert mountains was doing something to him. Right now they were probably more than seven thousand feet above sea level. Maybe he was getting altitude sickness. Something was definitely making him dizzy.

“I’ve told Mother about your concerns—that you believe Frankie might be your mother. I hope you don’t mind me sharing the information.”

“Of course I don’t mind,” he said. “It’s hardly something I’m trying to keep a secret. I can’t find answers without asking questions. And questions require explanations.”

“Well,” Chloe began, “I’ll be honest, Mac. Your story floored me. I’ve known Frankie Cantrell for nearly thirty years. I’ve never heard her mention having other children. I mean, children from her past.”

Mac told himself not to let this morsel of information get to him. A good lawman always gathered all the evidence he could find before he took action. Even when he might be the victim.

“Maybe she wanted to forget she had other children,” he suggested.

With a long sigh, Chloe put down her fork and faced him directly. Mac studied her closely, and as he did, he found himself comparing the woman to Ileana. The two didn’t match in looks or demeanor, so he assumed Ileana must have taken after her father.