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headed to the fire station.
He d found Ruby waiting outside the fire station. I heard what happened. I wanted to go with you to
the doctor s. For support.
Quint fought back a frown. It wasn t that she was cold hearted, but she was one of the last people he d
expected to come forward to give Gillian support especially if she had even the slightest thing to do with
the fire. Sure. Give me a minute to put up all this stuff. He raised his turnout coat and hurried past her.
She hadn t so much as moved an inch by the time he got back outside. Ready?
She nodded. How& how bad was it? Is Heidi&
I don t know. She was having trouble breathing when they took her to Dr. Hambert s. I don t think
she got any other injures in the fire.
They hurried up the few short blocks toward the doctor s house/office.
Someone told me you were hurt. When something exploded. Her words came out choppy with their
quick pace.
I m fine. He glanced over his shoulder at her. But it could have been so much worse. The fire was
only a few feet away from Manny s main gas tank. He stopped at the door to the doctor s office, kept his
hand on the handle. It could have leveled half a block had it gone off.
Ruby s cheeks paled. Quint needed to let the sheriff know, but he didn t actually have proof that Ruby
did anything to set the fire. No proof with any of the fires other than the burning in his gut that something
was off with her. As soon as he had a minute alone, though, he would phone the sheriff. He opened the
door and ushered Ruby in then followed her into the quiet room.
How is she? Quint removed his hat and held in his hand.
Tears streaked down Gillian s face. I don t know yet. The doctor hasn t come out. She stood and
walked over to him. I can t lose her, too.
Quint opened his arms. Gillian walked in to his embrace without hesitation. He stroked her back.
She s strong, she ll make it. And Dr. Hambert is one hell of a doctor.
She nodded against his chest, her tears soaking the front of his shirt.
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He glanced over the top of her head. Missy had Ryder tucked up under her arm like a momma hen
protecting her chick. Soot covered the boy s pale cheeks. You okay, Ryder?
The boy met Quint s gaze as tear hung in his eyes. I ll be okay. Cade paced the floor with his cell
phone at his ear. When he flipped it shut he turned to Quint. The ambulance from Sheridan s almost here.
May be another fifteen minutes.
Gillian shook against him. She was so pale.
Your daughter is a fighter. She is strong like her momma. He kissed the top of Gillian s head.
Why d she run into the building? It had to be burning when you got there.
She left something inside.
Nothing is worth risking your life over.
Gillian squiggled loose and looked over at the Lunsfords then she leaned up on her tip toes and
whispered into Quint s ear. Ryder gave her his grandmother s bracelet. She couldn t leave it inside.
His heart twinged. Heidi and Ryder were so young but driven by such powerful emotions. Yet he and
Gillian had danced around each other from the get go. He gave himself a mental shake. Once Heidi was out
of the woods and she would recover, he had not one ounce of doubt in his being that she would he
would find a way to make Gillian stay in Paintbrush and become his wife. He hadn t waited all these years
to find the right woman only to let her run off.
Cade and Missy were whispering to one another as Gillian walked over to Ryder. That was the
bravest thing anyone has ever done for Heidi. I will be in your debt forever. He stood and she took the boy
into her arms despite him towering over her several inches.
Ruby paced the length of the waiting room floor. Almost to herself, she mumbled, No one was
supposed to be inside.
The room quieted. Gillian released Ryder and sucked back a sob. Excuse me?
The garage was supposed to be empty. You d left work hours before. I saw Manny lock up and
leave.
Gillian stepped in front of Ruby, halting her pacing. Did you do this? Did you hurt my daughter?
I didn t mean to. No one was supposed to be inside. Quint was starting to suspect that you were the
one setting the fires. I figured you d run if you thought he was going to blame you outright.
Bitch. Gillian launched herself at the woman. Cade Holstrom snagged her around the waist and kept
her from pouncing on Ruby.
Just then, the door to the doctor s office opened. Gillian?
Ryder jumped up from his seat. How is she, Dr. Hambert?
She ll be fine, son. She s breathing easier now. But I want them to do a thorough examination up at
the hospital in Sheridan. They may want to keep her for observation for a couple of days too. She took in
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Denise Belinda McDonald
quite a lot of smoke. Dr. Hambert tucked his hands into his pockets. The hospital has a team ready for her
once the ambulance gets her there.
May I see her? Gillian was already walking past the doctor. She paused before she completely
crossed the threshold and turned to narrow her gaze on Ruby. Her heart beat heavily as heat flooded her
cheeks. Tears stung her eyelids. I m not done with you. You won t get away with putting my daughter in
danger this time or any of the times.
Her hands shook when she turned her back on Ruby. She had to take several deep breaths and count
to ten before she was composed enough to approach Heidi s bed on the other side of the room.
What was that all about? Heidi s raspy voice clinched Gillian s heart harder.
Nothing for you to worry about, hon. Gillian stroked Heidi s soot-covered hair away from her face.
Just so we re clear, you re grounded for the foreseeable future for running into a burning building. I m
thinking maybe when you turn thirty, we ll talk and I might consider waiving your punishment.
The teen laughed which then turned into a coughing fit. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she
fisted her hands in the blanket surrounding her.
You re okay, hon. You re okay. Gillian tried to soothe Heidi. It was several minutes before she was
calm and breathing slightly better.
Once she could speak again, she looked up at Gillian. Ryder?
He s out in the waiting room. Hang on.
Ryder stood just next to the door when Gillian went in search of him. She s asking to see you.
He rushed over to her bedside. Gillian pulled the doctor aside. How is she, really?
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