Hunter had no argument for that. He’d spent as little time as possible in Montana over the past four years because he missed Eliot so badly when he visited the cabin. This time he pressed in a gentler tone, “I still want to check over your new location before you move.”

“Can you do that in the next three days?”

“No, I-” His gaze strolled over to the limo, where more problems waited. “I’m a little pressed for time this week.”

“I’m moving Monday.” She held up a hand when he started to say more. “I don’t need you to recon my neighborhood. It’s a nice, safe place to live. I want you to come meet your godson.”

Hunter lifted the paper she’d given him and memorized the address since he planned to destroy the paper immediately. “Be careful and stay close to home once you’re settled. I’ll let you know when I’ve been there.”

She sighed. “You’re welcome to stop in whenever you want. You be careful with whatever you’re doing. You may not be ready to forgive me, but I’ve forgiven you. I want you to be part of Theo’s life, to help him know who his father was.” Cynthia leaned forward and kissed Hunter’s cheek, then turned away.

He fought a lump in his throat as Cynthia strolled through the markers and disappeared in the direction of Eliot’s grave. She had a core of iron and had held nothing back in loving his friend. He was starting to understand how easy it would be for a man to lose his head over a woman like Cynthia.

The way he’d lost his head over Abbie.

Turning away from the memorial, Hunter started back to the limo that held the one person who’d made him feel anything since meeting Eliot.

But Hunter couldn’t be as cavalier about life when it came to Abbie even if there was no chance of seeing her again.

After telling the driver to find a restaurant, Hunter slid onto the backseat.

“Old nuisance?” Abbie asked casually, but she was annoyed.

“No. Wife of a friend of mine.”

“Does he mind you seeing her now?” she asked tartly.

He shouldn’t enjoy the jealous sting in her voice, not when he would lose her all too soon. “She’s his widow. He expects me to keep an eye on her. She was only kissing my cheek.”

“Oh, well, shoot. Sorry. How was I supposed to know?” she mumbled. “Not like you introduced us. But that makes sense because you don’t trust me, right?”

“I don’t trust anyone to know her identity or location.”

Abbie closed her eyes. “You’ll never trust anyone period.”

He hadn’t thought he could feel worse than he had after he’d left her unprotected at Kore and she’d almost died, but hearing her disappointment cut deep.

She cared for him.

Hell, he cared for her. Talk about stupid on his part.

But her disappointment in him would make leaving him easier for her when they separated.

Not for him.

The day she walked away she’d take a piece of him with her he’d never replace.

His cell phone buzzed. It could only be Gotthard. Hunter answered, “You get the files?”

“Yes. Where are you?”

“Why?”

“Joe wants you to come in.”

“I’m following a lead on something from the Kore center.”

Gotthard sounded whipped. “It isn’t a request.”

“I know. Thanks for the heads-up.” Hunter disconnected the call.

The hunt was on.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Who would have thought riding around in a limousine would become tiresome, but Abbie was over touring through Illinois. “When will we get to Chicago?”

“By two o’clock. About twenty minutes,” Hunter answered politely. He’d been nothing but accommodating since leaving the cemetery. She didn’t think he cared much for her “You’ll never trust anyone” comment, but if he wouldn’t let her meet his friend’s widow Hunter clearly would never trust anyone.

Including her.

“Can I call my brother again?” she asked.

“It’s not quite two o’clock yet.” Hunter handed over his phone.

He had a point. “I’ll call Hannah to see how Mom’s doing then.”

“Go ahead.”

She wanted to shake him out of his granite-tough reserve and see something alive in his eyes again. But she had the feeling that one call he’d taken on the way out of the cemetery hadn’t gone well. Hunter had told the caller he was tracking down a lead from the Kore center, not that he was playing keep away with his people to give Abbie a chance to find her brother.

How much trouble was Hunter getting into by not bringing her in and not going to meet with his people? She didn’t know and he wasn’t going to confide in her.

Not in a prisoner.

No matter how he might color it, she was headed for some form of incarceration. She had to make the most of her mobility while she could. Punching the speed-dial number he’d programmed in for the medical center, she kept pushing buttons until she reached her mother’s room.

A woman who had been moved into her mother’s room answered the phone.

“May I speak to Mrs. Blanton?” Abbie asked.

“She’s gone.”

“Where?”

“To ICU. She’s not doing so good,” the lady told her.

“What happened?” Abbie clutched her throat.

“I don’t know. Your mama was gone when I came back from having an X-ray. Nurse just said she had a bad spell.” Abbie thanked her and hung up, then called the ICU desk. She inquired about her mother and found out Hannah was in with her.

When she ended the call, Hunter asked, “What’s happened?”

“Mom’s heart is beating irregularly. Her liver hasn’t gotten worse, but it’s not improving either. She had a bad night and ended up in the ICU.” Abbie lifted the phone and pressed the buttons for her brother, waiting through two rings.

This time someone answered before the third ring. A shallow male voice said, “Hello?”

“Hi.” She was so unprepared to hear a voice she didn’t know what to say. “Is your last name Royce?”

“Yes. Can I help you?”

That encouraged her. “I’m Abigail Blanton. I, uh, am calling because we’re related. We have the same mother.”

“Really?” He sounded surprised and curious but pleasant.

“Do you know who your mother is?”

“Sort of. I have photos. She died when I was born.”

He’d been as lied to as Abbie had. Was their biological father some kind of heartless bastard or what? He might be worse than she suspected. “Your mother’s not dead.” Yet.

When her brother didn’t speak, Abbie rushed on. “None of us knew you existed. I just found records of your birth. You and I were born-”

Hunter touched her arm. She understood the warning to share as little as possible and nodded before going on. But she was desperate. “We were born at the same place. I never met our father. Did you?” She still didn’t hear her brother. “Are you still there?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just in shock. No, I never met my father. I was told my mother died in childbirth so I ended up in an orphanage.”

All she’d learned about her biological father from the Kore files was that his initials were S. J., but she didn’t need records to figure out she’d been lucky not to know him. That didn’t erase a bazillion questions she had for her mother. “I’m so sorry. You have family, more than you realize, and-”

“I hate to cut you off, because I’d really like to talk to you more, but I’m due to take a conference call in a few minutes. I work out of my home. I’ll be around this afternoon. If you’ll give me your number I’ll call you back.”

“Are you in Chicago at…” She gave him the street address Hunter showed her on the handheld computer.

“Yes… how did you know that and how did you find my phone number?”

“It’s a long story and I’ll be happy to answer questions if you’ll let me come by to see you.” Please say yes.

“You don’t have a cold or anything, do you? My resistance to germs is not the best, which is why I work out of my home. I have weak lungs and have to be careful not to expose myself to a lot of people.”