Page 18 of Montana Justice

Her shoulders sagged with relief so profound I thought she might slide right out of the chair. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Dave. He’s the one showing you mercy you probably don’t deserve.”

The words came out harsher than I’d intended, but I didn’t take them back. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down around her again, baby or no baby.

We walked back through the store in silence, Piper clutching the money in her hand like a lifeline. Dave rang up the formula himself, his smile gentle as he looked at the baby carrier.

“How old?” he asked.

“Almost five months,” Piper answered quietly.

“Beautiful baby. My grandson’s about that age—they grow so fast at this stage.”

Piper managed a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you.”

Almost five months. I did the math in my head. Couldn’t possibly be mine. Glad I didn’t need to worry about that, but also, I didn’t want to think about the fact that she’d already been pregnant with another man’s baby that night we had sex.

I followed her out of the store, noting how she moved carefully, like every step required conscious effort. The baby carrier added bulk to her frame, but now that I knew what was causing it, I could see how truly thin she’d become. The coat—my coat—hung on her like she was a child playing dress-up in adult clothes.

“Where’s your car?”

She pointed to an older Honda Civic parked at the far end of the lot, rust eating at the wheel wells and a spider web crack across the passenger side of the windshield. At least she had transportation this time instead of hitchhiking.

“Whose baby is it, really?”

“I told you. My cousin’s.”

“What’s your cousin’s name?”

“Sarah.” The answer came too quickly, like she’d been prepared for the question.

“Sarah what?”

A pause. “Matthews. Sarah Matthews.”

“Where does she live?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

I stopped walking, and she was forced to stop too, turning to face me with obvious reluctance. “Everything that happens in this town—including anyone wandering through accidentallyforgettingto pay for stuff—is my business, Piper. Especially when it involves someone with your family’s track record.”

The baby made a soft sound, and she automatically swayed slightly, a soothing motion that looked completely natural.Whatever else was going on here, she clearly knew how to care for an infant.

“You planning to stay in town long?”

“Just passing through. I’ll…be gone tomorrow.”

The smart thing to do would be to escort her out of town immediately. But she looked like she might collapse at any moment. The dark circles that shadowed her eyes were more distinct now, and there was a slight tremor in her hands. I might not want her here, but she didn’t look in too good of shape to drive very far.

“Where are you planning to stay?”

“The motel.” There was only one in town, so that limited her options.

I fell into step beside her as we left her dilapidated car where it was and walked the two blocks to the Pineview Motel.

It was a relic from the 1960s, all angles and turquoise paint that had faded to a sickly green. But it was clean and affordable, and Mrs. Aldridge who ran it was good people.

“I’ll wait here,” I said, positioning myself just inside the glass doors where I could keep an eye on things.

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