He looked at the laptop screen where he’d just opened up a photo. Erin, who was listening attentively and hearing little or nothing from Aiden’s side of the conversation, looked over his shoulder. “God,” Aiden said in a breath. The woman was Annalee; the man had a very sinister, mature look about him, but Aiden instantly knew that was only one of his looks. “That’s her,” he said. “And the guy? I caught her in bed with him—a young sailor who said he didn’t know she was married, that he met her in a bar at ten o’clock in the morning. Jesus…he cried. I thought he was eighteen and scared to death—the only thing that kept me from beating him senseless.”

“Mustafa Zubac, goes by the name Mujo.”

“How’d you get the pictures?” Aiden asked.

“They’ve been arrested in the past several years. They just haven’t been prosecuted for their pretty simple fraud. They get out on bond and make a run to another location.”

“I knew she saw me coming,” he muttered. “I couldn’t prove it, but I always knew it—she caught me practically getting off a boat after a two-year assignment. A young doctor with money to burn. Jesus. But the navy? She went into the navy?”

“The history is sketchy, but I think what happened was she immigrated with her parents and hooked up with Mujo, a compatriot, after she’d enlisted. Albijana didn’t have it easy in Bosnia—her neighborhood was in constant conflict, but Mujo had it even worse and was a member of the underworld at an early age, the only thing that kept him alive. Both of them learned how to lie, steal, cheat and scam, probably as a matter of survival when they were young. They’re devastatingly good at it. And no one learns to live in the shadows like a couple of kids who grew up in a war zone.”

“No kidding. Now what?”

“Well, here are your choices—when she calls to ask if the payoff and documents are ready, you can tell her you know the whole story and that there are warrants for arrests of herself and Mujo, and I’d be very surprised if you ever saw or heard from her again. Or, you can pretend you don’t know and help flush her out for the police. The local police would love to take them into custody—the FBI would be happy to take them from there. It’s entirely up to you.”

“Much as I’d like to help, I’m going to pass,” Aiden said. “I just don’t want to create any more drama for my family or Erin. This has been as terrible as I want it to get.”

“That’s the option I would have taken,” Ron said. “Don’t be shocked if the local police ask for your cooperation, but it’s entirely up to you—don’t be pressured. In the meantime, we’ll petition the court with the appropriate documentation to have your record of marriage to Annalee Kovacevic nullified and removed. We’ll send you copies. That will take a couple of months, but we’ll keep on it.”

“I appreciate it, since I bought your colleague a big fat diamond and it doesn’t look like she’ll give it back.”

He laughed heartily. “Congratulations! Have a date set yet?” he asked.

“Not till you deliver the all clear, Mr. Preston.”

“We’re on it. Hopefully it won’t be long. Give us a heads-up when and if you hear from Albijana and deliver the bad news, will you?”

“When and if?”

“Well, I’m sure they’ll be tagged as wanted immediately. If they sniff that out, they’ll probably be on the move.”

“Life could only be so kind,” he said. “Thanks, Ron. I don’t know how you did this, but thanks.”

“I have a really good team—they’re relentless at finding the facts. You’d be amazed at the things people try to hide, Dr. Riordan.”

“Well, God bless you for it.”

Ron Preston chuckled. “You won’t be blessing me when you get the bill. Be sure to sit down when you open the envelope.”

He refrained from saying, Worth every penny. Instead, he said, “Thanks. Talk to you later.”

Erin and Aiden were not the only ones waiting impatiently for Annalee to contact them again. By the time Aiden had told the immediate members of his family about the dramatic turn of events, everyone was anticipating the outcome. They didn’t have to wait long. At the end of the sixth day Aiden received an e-mail:

You’ve had plenty of time. Are the documents ready for me to sign? As we discussed? Annalee

Aiden was almost disappointed she hadn’t called. It would be fun to hear the shock in her voice as he told her the scam hadn’t worked. He e-mailed Ron Preston and asked for his recommended response. Ron e-mailed back that he should try the following:

They are not, Mrs. Zubac. Your marriage to Mustafa is the only legitimate marriage of record and it turns out I don’t need a divorce after all. Get lost and don’t bother me again.

Her e-mail and his response were forwarded to Ron, who, he assumed, would make sure the authorities got it, as well. After that, there was nothing for Aiden and Erin to do but attempt to get on with their lives. But Annalee had gotten the drop on him so many times, it was hard to relax. Nothing would be so welcome as word that she’d been apprehended.

He began to immediately regret not participating in that event.

“I’m worried about my sister,” Marcie told Ian. “There’s something wrong and she keeps denying it.”

“How can you be so sure there’s something wrong?” Ian asked.

“I can hear it in her voice. There’s a tension, a nervous laugh that Erin never had, and she used to call me every day, sometimes twice a day, and now I almost always have to call her. Something’s wrong.”

“You’re just being overly pregnant,” Ian said. “What could be wrong?”

“She went to Virgin River, fell in love, got engaged and is starting a whole new life, all in about two months. What if something is wrong between her and Aiden?”

Ian cradled her little sprite of a face in his hand, looked deep into those mischievous green eyes and asked, “If there is, what can you do about it?”

“I can be there for her,” she said. “If she’ll just talk to me, maybe I can help. I do know more about relationships than she gives me credit for. Erin’s kind of an oddball—she’s pretty old to be having her first serious relationship.”

Ian smiled and shook his head. “She’ll be home in a couple more weeks. We’re having a baby in three. This will keep. When she’s home and the little guy is out, you two can talk about it day and night.”

That was a very husband thing to say, Marcie thought. Were men wired to say things like just relax? But it wasn’t good enough for her—she was sure she’d heard something in her sister’s voice that indicated there was a problem. And even if Marcie couldn’t make it go away, she was damn sure going to know what it was.

She was thirty-five weeks pregnant, had just had a doctor’s appointment and everything was perfectly normal and on schedule. She’d be having her C-section at thirty-eight weeks—a couple of weeks before her due date. All was well. She could make a quick run up to Virgin River, spend one night with Erin, get the lay of the land and drive back in the morning. The doctor said no more trips, but not because a trip would throw her into labor or because anything was wrong—only because she was supposed to be near her doctor and hospital in case she went into labor early. If that happened, she could have her C-section early. It was very unlikely, he had said, but he wanted her to err on the side of caution.

Still, everything she read about first babies and labor said it usually lasted forever. Worst-case scenario—if she went into labor, she’d pull over and summon help, an ambulance or whatever.

After Ian left for work in the morning, she threw a few things into an overnight bag and wrote him a note.

Took a run up to Virgin River to see Erin. I’ll call and leave a message when I arrive safely—hope to be there by noon. I’ll talk to you tonight. Be back first thing tomorrow. Do NOT worry, I feel great. And I love you.

She had cell reception most of the way and after three hours on the road, feeling great, she checked her cell and had not missed any calls. When she talked to Ian later, he was going to be very cranky about this, but she wasn’t worried. He couldn’t stay mad at her. Besides, he’d grown accustomed to the fact that she did as she pleased. She smiled to herself. That was how she’d captured him, after all—doing as she pleased.

By the time she neared the cabin, she wasn’t feeling so great. Typical day for Marcie—late pregnancy was no picnic. For one thing she was small and her load was large; sometimes the pressure on her lower pelvis was wearing. She was probably a little dehydrated, though she’d had water with her the whole way. And hungry, though she’d had peanut butter crackers. She’d get a bite and maybe lie down for a while once she got to Erin’s. She’d made fantastic time, she was proud of that—it wasn’t quite noon.

Erin’s SUV was not at the cabin and neither was Aiden’s. They must be off on errands or something, but no problem for her. She’d eat something and rest. She opened the door and walked in; the blinds were all drawn and the place was a little dark. She closed the door behind her and went first to the new French doors, opening the blinds to the view. When she turned, she almost shrieked in surprise.

A blonde woman with a bruised and swollen face was pointing a small gun right at her. “Who are you?” the woman asked Marcie.

Marcie grabbed her chest in shock, then recovered herself. “I’m Marcie Buchanan and this is my cabin! Put that thing down before you hurt someone!”

The gun did not move. “Where are Erin and Aiden?” she asked.

“I don’t have any idea! I just got here! What the hell are you doing here? What do you want?”

“I’m waiting for Aiden. I need a little money,” she said.

Marcie opened her purse. “You can have whatever I’ve got. I must have fifty dollars, at least.”

The woman laughed and it contorted her face. Her lip was swollen and split, her eyes were black and her face appeared a little lopsided. “Really?” she said. “Fifty whole dollars?” She laughed again. “Well, little girl, if we multiply that by about a thousand, we’re talkin’.”

“Ohhh,” Marcie said, holding her middle. “I need water or something,” she said. “I’m not feeling at all right….”

“Help yourself. Then sit down and take a load off. You might come in handy.”

“I might be in labor,” Marcie said. “Which would be a very bad thing.”

“Not my problem.” She shrugged.

“I need to use the phone…”

“Not happening, chickie. Get your water and sit.”

“Oh, God,” she moaned.

The woman smiled evilly. “Not at this address, babe,” she said coldly.

Erin and Aiden spent a couple of hours in the morning riding their bikes along the Eel River in Fortuna, had an early lunch of seafood salad on the patio of a local restaurant and then went to Luke’s to spend a little of the afternoon. Erin was caught up in holding the baby and helping with his bath, when Aiden said he was going with Luke to drop Art at Netta’s house and run some errands. He promised to be back by five at the latest.

The baby was settled for his nap at around two when Shelby answered the phone and handed it to Erin. “Your brother-in-law?” she said by way of a question.

Erin grabbed it. “Ian? Is Marcie all right?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “She was worried about you and left me a note—she decided to drive to Virgin River to see you.”

“Worried about me? But why?”

“She heard something in your voice,” he said. “I can’t explain—but you know Marcie. She said she’d call when she got to Virgin River, but she hasn’t. She should have been there by now, but there’s no answer at the cabin.”

“I’ll go over there right now and wait for her. The minute I see her, I’ll call.”

“I’m on my way up there now and when I get there, if she’s all right, I’m turning her over my knee.”

“Ian, call the highway patrol,” Erin said. “If she should be at the cabin by now and isn’t, have them watch for her car on the off chance she’s had car trouble along the way. Tell them the exact route she would’ve taken.”

“Will do. Call me when you get to the cabin.”

Erin hung up and turned a puzzled look at Shelby. She shook her head in confusion. “How weird. Apparently Marcie decided something is wrong with me. I told her everything is fine—but maybe I sounded a little stressed on the phone. Anyway, she decided she had to drive up here and see for herself. I’m going over to the cabin to wait for her.”

“Want me to go with?” Shelby asked.

“Take advantage of the baby’s nap and maybe get one of your own. I’ll see you later. Just tell Aiden I went home.”

When she pulled up to the cabin a little later, there sat Marcie’s car. “Well, thank heavens,” she said to herself. “The little scamp!” She walked in the door and spotted Marcie lying on the leather sofa. She stood right over her and said, “What the hell were you thinking?”

“Uh, Erin?” Marcie said. “We have ourselves a situation….” She tilted her head, indicating the other side of the room.

Erin turned to see a battered Annalee sitting in a chair on the far side of the room, well out of reach, with a small handgun resting leisurely in her lap. She gasped and jumped back in such surprise, she almost fell on top of her reclining sister. For a second she wasn’t sure what had shocked her most—the fact that Annalee was there, the condition of her face or the gun.