Page 26 of Montana Justice

“Hold on, Sheriff. Let me get her.”

Faith came on the line within seconds. “Lachlan? What’s wrong?”

“I need a favor, Faith. A big one. I’ve got someone at my house who needs medical attention, but she won’t come to the office. Any chance you could make a house call?”

“A house call?” Faith’s voice carried surprise. “I don’t usually… What kind of medical attention are we talking about?”

“Severe exhaustion, possible malnutrition, some kind of fainting spells. She’s got a baby with her, and I’m worried about both of them.”

“Is this an emergency? Should I call an ambulance?”

“No, nothing that immediate. But I don’t think she’ll come to you, and I can’t force her. She’s… It’s complicated.”

Faith was quiet for a moment. “You’re talking about someone you care about.”

It wasn’t a question, and I didn’t deny it. Could I care about someone I didn’t trust? Apparently the answer was yes, because despite everything, the thought of Piper suffering made my chest tight with worry.

“Can you help?”

“Give me your address. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

Relief flooded through me. “Thank you, Faith. I owe you.”

“Just take care of whoever needs taking care of, Lachlan. We’ll worry about favors later.”

As I pulled into my driveway, I could see Piper through the living room window. She was sitting on the couch next to Caleb,her head in her hands again. Whatever was wrong with her, it was more than just being tired.

And I was going to find out what it was, whether she wanted to tell me or not.

Chapter 9

Lachlan

I’d worna path in the hardwood floors between the kitchen and living room by the time Dr. Rankine’s examination of Piper had stretched past the thirty-minute mark. Each creak of the floorboards upstairs made me pause, listening for voices, for some indication of what was happening.

Caleb slept peacefully in his carrier on the coffee table, completely oblivious to my anxiety. Piper had brought him out here after Dr. Rankine had examined him. He looked so small, so vulnerable, and the protective instinct that had slammed into me yesterday hit fresh. This was my son.Mine. And if something was seriously wrong with Piper—if she was sicker than I’d realized—what would happen to him?

The thought made my chest tight. I’d been a father for less than twenty-four hours, and I was already terrified of screwing it up.

Footsteps on the stairs made me freeze mid-pace. Dr. Rankine appeared in the doorway, an old-fashioned medical bagin hand and her expression carefully neutral in that way doctors perfected when they had difficult news to deliver.

“Is Piper okay?” The words came out rougher than I’d intended.

“She’ll be out in a few minutes. She gave me permission to discuss details with you.” Faith settled into the chair across from where Caleb was sleeping and smiled at him. “The good news is that there’s nothing seriously wrong medically.”

Thank God.Relief flooded through me, but something in her tone kept me on edge. “But?”

“She’s exhausted. Severely so. And she’s dealing with what I’d call classic new-mother syndrome—overwhelming stress, anxiety about caring for the baby, self-doubt about whether she’s doing everything right.” Faith’s gaze shifted to Caleb, her expression softening briefly before returning to business. “She was particularly concerned about her milk production.”

Something in my chest eased at that. The fact that Piper was worried about feeding Caleb properly told me her priorities were in the right place, at least when it came to our son.

“Is it a problem?”

“It’s not ideal, obviously, but it’s not a problem. And, like I assured her, it’s not very uncommon when a mother is under extreme stress or not getting proper nutrition.”

“Is that why she collapsed yesterday?”

“Partially. Her body’s been running on empty for longer than is sustainable. When you add the stress of caring for an infant, and…” Faith paused, studying my face. “Lachlan, I need to ask—what do you know about Piper’s recent history? Where she’s been, what her living situation has been?”

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