Two Lone Star stories from bestselling author Linda Conrad!

TEXAS COLD CASE

Determined to solve the cold case of his mother’s murder, Colt Chance returns home to Texas. Turns out the new deputy sheriff is the woman who broke his heart. But when someone targets Lacie, Colt’ll have to decide between the vengeance he seeks and protecting the one he still loves….

TEXAS LOST AND FOUND

After witnessing a murder, firefighter Nina Martinez finds an ally in medic Josh White. On the run, they discover that Nina is the long-missing Chance sister, Cami. Will Cami embrace the love from Josh and her real family before it’s too late?

Praise for LINDA CONRAD

“A great romance and adventure that the reader won’t be able to put down.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Sheik’s Lost Princess

“A thrilling read, the latest book by talented author Conrad is a suspense-filled contemporary romantic suspense that will touch your heart.”

—CataRomance on Texas Baby Sanctuary

“The suspense, danger, believable dialogue, complex characters, powerful emotions, humor, enticing settings and love makes this a top notch romance, one you will want to read more than once!”

—Romance Junkies on Texas Manhunt

“An intriguing plot and sizzling chemistry will keep readers turning the pages.”

—RT Book Reviews on A Chance Reunion

LINDA CONRAD

When asked about her favorite things, Linda Conrad lists a longtime love affair with her husband, her sweetheart of a dog named KiKi and a sunny afternoon with nothing to do but read a good book. Inspired by generations of storytellers in her family and pleased to have many happy readers’ comments, Linda continues creating her own sensuous and suspenseful stories about compelling characters finding love.

A bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, Linda has received numerous industry awards, among them a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Maggie, a Write Touch Readers’ Award and an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. To contact Linda, to read more about her books or to sign up for her newsletter and/or contests, go to her website, www.lindaconrad.com.

Last Chance Reunion

Linda Conrad

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Contents

Texas Cold Case

Texas Lost and Found

Dear Reader,

I have really enjoyed writing the Chance, Texas series. I’ve had so much fun creating characters that seem like a few of the people I met while living in Texas. I *heart* Texans! Thanks also to many of you for writing to say you have loved reading these stories.

Just a little background on the Chance family: after finishing high school, the youngest Chance brother, Colt, decides he hates living on the family ranch. He leaves, becoming a federal attorney, and vows to stay away from Chance, Texas, and the Bar-C ranch for good. But there are still a few mysteries for Colt to solve in Chance. Eventually, he’s driven to find out who really murdered his mother and framed his father. He also wants to know why his high school sweetheart left him without a word of goodbye.

And finally there is one last puzzle for the Chance family to solve. What happened to the kidnapped baby sister they’d named Cami and lost when she was only four?

Last Chance Reunion is organized a little differently than the other books. I wanted to share these last two stories of Colt and Cami together, so I put them both in one book.

Enjoy your reading!

Linda

Texas Cold Case

Linda Conrad

To Patience Bloom, a terrific editor.

Thanks for believing in these stories and thanks for all that you do!

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Epilogue

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Could that be her? Naw. Too much of a coincidence.

Junior justice department attorney Colt Chance stepped out of hiding and into a patch of bright sunlight filtering down onto filthy sidewalks. He squinted, turning his gaze in her direction. The young woman was walking down the other side of the street in the middle of a crowd and he needed a better look.

Just yesterday his brother had faxed a computerized, age-enhanced photo of their little sister, Cami, gone since the age of four. And the woman he’d just seen seemed a perfect match to that photo. She’d stood out in the middle of the group of Mexican-Americans who had appeared to be traveling together down the busy barrio sidewalk. Her lighter skin color and more updated clothing made him take notice.

Forgetting for the moment that he was supposed to be in the middle of a three-agency government sting, he chased the moving tangle of people down the block—though his orders had been to stay put.

His family had searched for any sign of their kidnapped baby sister in the Southern California area for the past twenty-odd years. And if this could possibly be her, Colt refused to miss his opportunity to find out.

Not that he had seen that much of the rest of his family in too many years to count. But he still cared about them and stayed in contact. His ugly hometown memories were what had kept him away from any reunions. He hated the tiny town of Chance, Texas, and the Bar-C Ranch, and he despised everything they reminded him of and stood for.

But getting a lead on Cami might go a long way toward easing the many mysteries still lingering in his mind about his childhood.

He dashed down the street, heedless of the very real confrontation about to take place. At that moment Manuel Villegro, the federal prosecutor that the justice department secretly had been keeping under surveillance for many months now, pulled his Hummer up to the alley entrance and stopped right next to their informant. Colt’s unit had designed this sting to gather evidence proving Villegro had been taking bribes—and it was going down now.

Paying little attention, Colt turned the corner, trying to keep one eye on the crowd ahead and one eye on the action behind him. But when he looked up, the group of people he’d been chasing had evaporated. The barrio’s streets were suddenly deserted.

Hesitating where he stood and wondering what had changed, he spotted two pickups loaded with men moving ominously in his direction. He got a better look, taking note that the men appeared dangerous and carried long-barreled guns. He figured they must belong to the international arms cartel that had been allegedly bribing Villegro.

Realizing a little late that the inter-agency’s sting had probably become a double cross, Colt turned on his heels and started running back toward the other members of his team who’d been waiting in the shadows. The pickups’ engines gunned right behind him.

He wouldn’t make it back in time.

“Abort the operation,” he shouted as he ran and waved his arms above his head. “Get off the street now. Move. Move.”

He never heard the first sound of gunfire when the bullets struck him in the back. But pain became his entire focus as he tried to take a few more steps.

The next thing he knew rounds from illegal weapons started echoing off buildings everywhere and the stench of gunpowder irritated his nostrils. A smoky haze settled over the entire scene, making it tough to see who was who. Several bullets found their marks then and took him to his knees.

Damn. He’d screwed up. Lost his chance.

His last thought, before everything went black, was now he might never find out what had happened to his baby sister.

* * *

Colt woke up from the nightmare soaked in sweat and breathing hard. The same way he came awake every time he’d suffered through that damned old dream.

“You okay, little brother?” Sam, his eldest brother, leaned over him, a look of deep concern spreading across his face.

God, how he hated this. Hated being thought of as an invalid. Hated being forced to come back to his hometown—to the Bar-C Ranch.

The early-morning sun beat down against the wooden porch where he sat, giving everything a false golden hue.

“Just great.” Colt couldn’t avoid a grimace as he slowly straightened up in the rocker and then came to his unsteady feet beside his eldest brother.

“That same nightmare again?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. Only it wasn’t a nightmare. He’d lived through every second of that whole nasty scenario six long months ago.

“You sleep in that chair all night?” Sam studied him with serious intent. “Something the matter with the perfectly good king-size bed inside this old mobile home? Travis and I worked our butts off stuffing the danged thing into the place and setting it up alongside Mama’s old office furniture.”

“I haven’t been sitting in the chair for long,” he answered reluctantly. “And there’s nothing wrong with the bed. I woke up early, came out for air and fell asleep again waiting for sunrise.” Only a slight exaggeration. He’d been out here on the porch since 3:00 a.m.

Sam gingerly sat on the porch’s top step and gazed at the sunrise. “We’re worried about you. Living out here on the range in this temporary mobile Mama used to use as an office is crazy. And you’re not entirely healed yet—only one month out of the rehab hospital. It’s not right.”

“Grace sent you.” It wasn’t a question. Colt knew who worried the most in his brother’s family.

Sam huffed under his breath. “I’m every bit as worried as my wife is. Maybe more. I know how it feels to be suspended from your job.

“What the hell are you doing, Colt? Why not work harder at getting well so you can go back and fight for your job?”

“I’m not sure I want my job back.” Well, damn. That was the first time he’d admitted such a thing out loud.

He knew their conversation was far from over, so he folded up his tall frame and sat next to Sam. Figuring his admission would trigger an interrogation, he rested his elbows on his knees and waited.

It didn’t take his eldest brother long. “No? Then what do you want?”

May as well say it. “Answers. I want to know what happened to Cami. And I intend to find out who really killed Mama.” There was one more thing he’d like answers about, too. But Colt wasn’t quite ready to admit that one yet.

“Well, yeah.” Sam turned his head, staring at him with another thousand questions in his eyes. “The rest of us want those kinds of answers, too. Gage perpetually searches the internet for any word on Cami. And I’ve combed that barrio where you think you spotted her every time Grace and I take the kids out to Southern California to visit her grandmother. We all want the same things, so what’s different now?”

“Now is different because I intend to prove that our father did not kill our mother. Once and for all, I want to clear his name.”

Sam’s lips tipped up at the edges like he was about to smile, but he stayed sober and thoughtful enough to say, “Man, that’s a real cold case. Almost twenty years ago. Going to be tough tracking down any new evidence.”

Thank goodness Sam refrained from mentioning the fact that Colt was not the most skillfully trained investigator in the family. But if desire and heart counted for anything, Colt would get the job done where others may have failed.

“You don’t believe Daddy did it, do you?”

Sam rubbed at his chin for a moment. “Naw. I don’t guess any of us thinks that. But do you have any other suspects in mind?”

Colt knew what his brother was asking. Nearly twenty years ago the Chance County sheriff had rushed through their mother’s murder investigation, convicted their father and sent him off to die in prison. And every one of the Chance boys had wondered about his true motives then—and now.

“Austin McCord still sheriff in this county?” he asked by way of answering Sam’s question.

“Yeah, he is. Just older. And even pricklier, if that’s possible. Gonna be tough getting any information from him.”

“Don’t think I’ll be asking him for info anytime soon.” Colt intended to begin in a much more indirect way rather than by head-on assault. “There’re plenty of people from back in those days still living in Chance that I can interview, aren’t there?”

“Some. But you’ll still need to see the old files, if any of them still exist. It’ll be important to take a look at the forensics done at the time and to read the sheriff’s interviews. Time dims memories. Eventually you’ll have to go through the sheriff to look at whatever he kept.”

The idea actually brought a smile to Colt’s lips. “Eventually. Maybe. In the meantime, I have a few ideas on how to get information that don’t include asking.”

Sam got to his feet and drilled him with a steely stare. “None of Chance County’s files from that long ago were ever put on computer. So I’m guessing I don’t want to know what else you have in mind, do I?”

“Probably not, big brother.” Colt stood, too, and even managed a half smile. “So, tell Grace I’m just fine. I’m healing nicely and plenty happy about not having anyone around to bug me.”

“I’ll tell her. But look, we’re actually flying to California with the kids tomorrow and staying with Grace’s grandmother for a couple of weeks. Why don’t you move to our house while we’re gone?”

Sam and Grace and their two little ones were living in the old Chance homestead, where the family had been raised. And where their mother had died. They’d remodeled the old place some, but as far as Colt was concerned the ghosts remained.

“I don’t think...”

“Tell you what, I’ll leave you my key and the security code. You’ll be a heck of a lot more comfortable at the house than you are here. And the hands will be available to cook and clean. No one will bother you. I promise.”

When Colt remained unconvinced and let it show, Sam added, “I haven’t had time to go through all of Mama and Daddy’s papers since we moved in. Daddy’s old combination library and office is still just like he left it. Maybe you can find something to help in your investigation there.”

Sam screwed up his mouth and then went on, “And everything you find in our house will be obtained legally.”

Colt held in the grin and nodded. “Maybe.”

But meanwhile he intended to work his own version of an investigation. Doing it legally was the least of his worries.

* * *

Deputy Lacie McCord stretched and yawned as she left the Chance County sheriff’s station for the night, heading out across the nearly empty parking lot toward her car. She’d just pulled a double shift, thanks to the Yardley boy who’d started a fire in his neighbor’s barn. And she was filthy and exhausted.

She didn’t really mind doing the extra duty. The sheriff’s staff and volunteer fire department both being short-handed was the reason she’d managed to snag this position in the first place. Her stepfather, the sheriff, would never have hired her had he not been desperate. The two of them hadn’t spoken since the day she’d fled town right after high school. Not until she’d applied for the job.

He didn’t hide the fact that he’d never much cared for her, and the feeling was mutual. But hating her stepfather with a passion that bordered on obsession hadn’t stopped her from wanting to work for him.

Too many questions remained unanswered in Lacie’s mind to stay away from Chance forever. And when her mother was committed to a nursing home after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and the deputy’s job happened to come up at the same time, she’d finally accepted that the only way to live a full life would be to return home and find her answers.

Settling into her ancient Subaru and belting in, she turned up her nose at the way the interior smelled. Like barbecue brisket and garden mulch. Not such a pleasant scent, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Next to her car, the sheriff’s department pickup she’d used on patrol today sat parked and locked for the night. It was a strong temptation to change over to the better-smelling county-owned vehicle for the ride home. Chance County only employed four deputies and three part-time dispatchers, and all of them but her drove county vehicles to and from work.

But to her mind, it just didn’t seem right for the sheriff’s stepdaughter to drive a county car for personal use. What would the townspeople think?

If she had to work for the bastard, which it seemed at least temporarily she did, no one would have a reason to complain about nepotism. Not if she had something to say about it.

She cranked the key while staring out the bug-ridden windshield toward the long, low brick building housing the sheriff’s department. When she’d come back to town to take the deputy’s job, she’d learned the “new” building had been erected five years ago. Constructed courtesy of Travis Chance, the head of the Bar-C and owner of much of the land in Chance County. His donation, in addition to a massive fundraiser the town had put together, gave them enough money to modernize the whole sheriff’s department.

Computers and air-conditioning and brand-new patrol trucks. Chance County had updated their sheriff’s office as if it were a department as large as one in the city of Houston. She knew about one of those, as she’d been employed there for the past few years before coming here.

Her Subaru wheezed, hesitated and finally rumbled to life. But still she sat and stared. Something seemed off.

Only Louanna, the part-time dispatcher, should be in the building at this hour. Yet a light had just gone out in one of the storage rooms in back. If it was Louanna moving around back there, that would mean she wasn’t doing her duty at the front desk. Didn’t sound like the woman.

Lacie tried to focus on the outside perimeter of the building, though deep pitch-darkness everywhere but at the front kept her from seeing too clearly. Was that something, or someone, moving through the shadows in back?

On pure instinct, her right hand went to the gun at her hip. Now she felt sure something was wrong.

Leaving her car running in Neutral, she quietly stepped out and headed across the parking lot toward the rear of the building. If this was an employee coming back to retrieve something they’d left at work, she would apologize and feel foolish.

But if this were someone breaking in...

Breaking into the sheriff’s offices? Who would be stupid enough or drunk enough to do anything like that? And why?

Adjusting her eyes to the low light coming from the stars and half-moon, Lacie bent at the waist to make herself a smaller target and started through the sage and brush surrounding the building. She heard a slight rustling, and then footsteps against the hard, packed ground. Finally she saw the silhouette of a man, creeping along the edge of the building.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Guess the perpetrator took that as a rhetorical question, because he took off running as if he’d been shot.

Ah, hell. After a day of physical strain doing her job, now she was forced to chase down an intruder?

From what she could see, he was a big guy. But with a lean build. Just her luck, he’d probably be a runner.

“Stop!” Another seemingly useless statement, as he never slowed down. So she set off to catch him across the darkened fields.

Praying to be spared the ankle sprain that could come from accidently stepping into a prairie-dog hole in the dark, she ran full-out. She pumped air into her lungs as a cool night breeze stirred her hair. She pounded across the arid soil.

Soon she was gaining ground on him. But catching up this fast seemed rather odd considering the differences in height and stride. As she closed in, she realized the man had a decided limp to his gait. Thank heaven, or she might have had to face a lot of ribbing from the male deputies when she came up empty-handed.

When she looked up, the guy had disappeared in the darkness. What the heck was he up to?

Just then, she lost her footing and stumbled down an embankment that had appeared out of nowhere. The surprise brought a high-pitched squeal from her mouth and a certainty that her man would be long gone by the time she stopped.

Swallowing her frustration, she tried digging in her heels to stem the fall—without much luck. Then suddenly her forward momentum stopped abruptly. She’d run right into a broad chest and muscled arms.

“Whoa,” a deep voice said out of the night. Was this the same guy she’d been chasing?

Whoever her savior was, he grabbed her upper arms and held her close to stop her from sliding farther down the embankment. “Are you all right?”

In seconds she had her body under control and found purchase in the slippery dust. She pushed back from him, checked the weapon in her holster and then went for the flashlight attached to her belt.

Who was this character? “I’m uninjured,” she mumbled. “I’m the sheriff’s deputy. Identify yourself. Now.”

“Sheriff’s deputy?” The deep voice sounded vaguely familiar, like something out of a dream.

She clicked on the light and shined it up into his face. Gasping at the sight of him, she then found her voice had deserted her.

When she forced enough air back into her lungs to speak, she squeaked, “Colt? Colt Chance, is that you?”

Colt’s voice, the warm, strong voice she’d sworn to always remember, sounded unsure. “Lacie? It can’t be. Did you say sheriff’s deputy?”

His question brought her mind back in focus as she reached for her weapon. “Yes. And you have a lot of questions to answer. You are under arrest.”

Chapter 2

Colt slowly raised his hands above his head. “Whatever you say, Lace.”

But he couldn’t keep the smile off his face as she pointed her big ole six-shooter in his direction. Of all the people to run into after breaking into the sheriff’s office. The only non–family member in Chance, Texas, that he’d ever cared about, Lacie McCord was the last person he’d expected to see.

When he’d heard her yelling and realized his pursuer was a woman, he’d dropped into this dry resaca to hide. But when she’d come tumbling after him, he’d had no choice but to stop her fall. Now he was glad he had.

“Stop grinning, Chance. This is not funny.” But she lowered her gun barrel. “Are you armed?”

“No, ma’am.” The easy grin kept creeping across his face no matter what he did. “I’m not crazy about guns.”

“Hmm. Just keep your hands where I can see them for the time being.”

“Sure thing, Lace.”

She cleared her throat but kept her distance. “What are you doing here at this hour? I didn’t even know you were back in town.”

Lacie McCord. One of the biggest mysteries of his entire life. Hell. Every cell in his body yearned to drag her close and put an end to the distance all their lost years had created between them. When his eyes finally got used to the low night light and he could see her better, he found himself braced against a dry north wind, utterly speechless and staring.

They’d been close once. At least he’d thought so. The best friend he’d had in high school. But right before graduation he had decided to make them more than friends—to take their relationship to another level. He’d kissed her—a lot. As he recalled, both of them had liked where their new status was headed.

But before he’d had a chance to suggest more, she’d disappeared. Up and left town without a word. He’d always wondered if it had been something he’d done—or not done.

Tonight’s dark and moonless sky made it difficult to see her expression. To judge her thoughts. But it was not so dark that he couldn’t see how her body had turned out after ten years. Even in the stiff long-sleeved uniform shirt and heavy khaki pants, it was clear she’d filled out nicely.

The womanly curves that had been only hinted at as a teenager were now vividly apparent. He had dreamed of her, what she might look like all grown up. So her curvy female form didn’t feel like much of a surprise. He’d known in his gut she would turn out to be a beautiful woman.

But that she stood there in a deputy’s uniform and holding a gun on him was another matter. The sight of her uniform, knowing she was working for her stepfather, triggered a cold shudder inside him. The questions he’d always had about her disappearance were suddenly magnified by brand-new questions.

He cleared his throat and straightened up. “I’ve been in Chance for about a month. Came home to heal.”

“I noticed the limp—when you were running the other direction. What happened to you?”

“It’s a long story. But the injuries have put my career on hold, so...I decided to find out what’s new in Chance, Texas.” He took a breath, giving himself a moment to get his head back in the game.

Lacie—in league with Sheriff McCord? That came as a bigger shock than discovering she’d become a deputy sheriff. His first impulse upon seeing her had been to skip all the questions and to jump ahead and ask for her help. But maybe that idea would need some revision.

The brisk late-winter winds whirled dust and dirt around them. “Could we take this reunion somewhere else?” He forced another half smile, trying to make her feel more at ease.

It seemed to work.

She holstered her gun. “Back to the office. We can talk there and you can convince me not to throw you in a cell for trespassing.”

* * *

Lacie tried to calm her hammering pulse as she escorted Colt across the empty fields to the parking lot. She shut off her car and gave him a light frisking backed up against it. Touching him had been hard...difficult. No, hard was the perfect word to describe coming into contact with his body during the pat down. She did everything in her power to do the job right. Though really, it never occurred to her that he might be lying about having a weapon.

Colt had been her dearest friend and her only regret once upon a time. He never lied about anything. But she needed to maintain her professionalism here. Being a good cop was all she had to fall back on.

She let him lead the way to the sheriff’s office across the deserted parking lot. The beam coming from the flashlight she carried winked up and down, catching weeds and then sky while she fought to stem her trembling hands.

Her shakes and breathless condition came from encountering the one person who’d meant the most to her in this small town. Her savior. Her hero. The boy who, at the age of ten, had taken the new girl in town under his wing and protected her from the bullies who’d been dying to get the best of the sheriff’s stepdaughter. Much later, Colt had even tried to take on her stepfather all by himself. Standing up to him and always getting in his face.

He’d taken the pressure off her at a time when she’d needed it the most. And she’d idolized him for it.

All these years later, she didn’t know how to remain steady and outwardly in control while in his presence.

Colt didn’t appear to take notice. Or if he did, he never said a word. He looked calm and collected. Not much different from the boy she’d left behind ten years ago. As a teen, he’d been sure of who he was and what he wanted. Then as now, he’d always seemed so cool.

And still the handsomest male she’d ever laid eyes on. Broad shoulders. Trim hips above a mighty fine, tight butt covered in denim. The nights of her senior year came to mind as she remembered how his lips had sent chills down her spine with her first real kiss. She’d never forgotten.

Stumbling slightly, she came to the conclusion that she’d better stop ogling the man before breaking her neck and embarrassing herself beyond hope.

She touched the radio control at her shoulder. “Louanna? I’m coming inside. Bringing a man with me. Buzz us in, please.”

“Sure thing, Lacie. Are you okay?” The dispatcher answered with many more questions brimming over in her voice.

Lacie wavered, wishing she had someplace else to question Colt. But it was well past midnight in a town that buttoned up at 10:00 p.m.

Luckily, Louanna knew the value of keeping her mouth shut and staying out of other people’s business. The middle-aged woman made a terrific night dispatcher because she only asked the questions she was paid to ask. Still, Lacie would have to come up with a good reason for bringing Colt into the station at this late hour.

The front and back doors were kept locked and alarmed after hours. As Louanna buzzed them inside the front, Lacie thought about seeing that light wink off inside the back room right before she spotted Colt. He did have some explaining to do.

Instead of introducing Colt to the dispatcher, Lacie said, “I spotted this man on foot outside and I thought we’d have us a chat. We’ll use the break room. Is there any coffee?”

“Just made some.” Louanna squinted up at Colt’s face. “Do you know him? He looks like one of the Chance family. You’re related to the Bar-C Chances, aren’t you, son?”

Before Lacie could stop him, Colt nodded and took off his Stetson.

“We won’t be too long, Louanna,” Lacie hurriedly mumbled. Grabbing Colt by the elbow, she dragged him down the hall, turning on lights as she went.

“You need me to notify the sheriff?” Louanna called after them.

“No need to wake anyone. But thanks. This is not a big deal.”

Once inside the break room with the door firmly shut behind them, Lacie took a deep breath and tilted her head toward the small table and chairs. “Sit down. Want coffee?”

“Nope.” Colt propped his hat on the back of a chair and tucked his tall lean frame into another one. “You always offer coffee to suspects?”

“You are not a suspect.” She poured herself a mug and sat across the plastic tabletop from him. “Well, on second thought, you do need to explain yourself. What were you doing hanging around outside the sheriff’s offices in the middle of the night?”

Under the harsh break room fluorescents, Colt’s features were razor-edged, more adult than the teenager she remembered. But his stormy blue eyes were still as clear and intense as when she’d left town. He studied her with a piercing gaze. It made her squirm, wondering what he was thinking.

Straightening her shoulders to give herself a lift, she tried to regain control. But soon she found herself thinking that the creases at the edges of his eyes and the darker stubble on his jaw made him much more interesting and appealing than he’d been as a kid.

Stop, she cautioned herself. She needed to stop noticing now.

He didn’t answer her directly, but linked his fingers together on the tabletop, stared down at them and asked his own questions without looking up. “How long have you been back in town, Lace? And what made you become a deputy?”

“You’re answering a question with more questions. That doesn’t bode well for this conversation.”

“Is that what we’re having? You sure this is a conversation and not an interrogation?”

Sighing, she rolled her eyes and prayed for patience. “All right. Fine. We’ll get reacquainted first.”

After gulping down a slug of hot coffee to give herself a jolt of backbone, she gave in and answered his questions. “I’ve been back in Chance for about six months. And being a deputy is something I’ve wanted for a long time. I spent a couple of years as a rookie on the force in Harris County and then came here when the sheriff advertised for help.”

“Houston. You came back to this half-baked town from the big city? Why?”

She held her tongue and stared at him. Oh, how she would love to tell him everything. To go back to being close, the way they used to be. But though he’d once taught her the meaning of justice, she hadn’t told him everything then, and she wasn’t about to spill her heart to him now. Not when she didn’t even know who he was anymore.

“I finally realized I liked living here,” she answered truthfully. “I spent most of my childhood in this town and missed it.”

“Seriously? You like Chance, Texas? Why?”

The complete truth was that she’d missed him. She’d been more than a little disappointed after arriving in Chance to find out he’d been gone from town almost as long as she had.

“It’s a nice place,” she finally answered. “Small enough that everybody knows everybody else. Puts me at ease. The town is laid-back and friendly.” Well, almost everyone was friendly, with the one big exception of her boss and stepfather. But she didn’t want to talk about him right now.

“You can have the whole damned place,” Colt said with a shake of his head. “I’ve always hated it here. I can talk on the phone and over the internet to my brothers anytime from anywhere. I never would’ve come back to this dump if it weren’t for my current condition.”

Without being completely aware of what she was doing, Lacie reached out and gently touched his folded hands. “Tell me what happened. How were you injured?”

* * *

Well, hell. Why not tell her? It wasn’t as if it was any big secret. Besides, Colt figured he wouldn’t get her talking if he didn’t also open up.

He needed her help. Without it, he would never get the information he needed. That had become abundantly clear when he couldn’t access the locked file drawers earlier. But he was worried about her shift in loyalties. When they’d been kids, she couldn’t stand the man that was her stepfather. She’d never talked much about him, but the hatred always seemed clear in her voice.

Colt hadn’t been prepared to see her again and everything about her shocked him. He also hadn’t been ready for the sizzle he’d been experiencing in her touch.

Carefully, he eased his hands back and let his gaze drift from her eyes to the base of her neck and the pulse beating overtime there. Before he could wonder why she seemed so out of breath, his glance slid down to her heaving chest and he got caught by the sight of her full rounded breasts. A shot of pure lust rode through him, leaving him breathless, too.

Tearing his eyes away, he opened his mouth and blurted the first thing that came out. “I screwed up. I’d spent months gathering evidence to present to a grand jury in order to indict a federal prosecutor. And instead of nailing down the bastard with the last bit of evidence needed, I ended up blowing the whole sting and getting myself shot up but good in the process.”

“What happened?”

Releasing a breath he hadn’t thought he’d been holding, he said, “Do you remember that our family lost a baby sister? That she was kidnapped as a four-year-old by our crazy, drug-addicted aunt?”

“Yes, of course. We talked about it back when...we knew each other. The FBI found your aunt dead of an overdose, as I remember. What does that have to do with...?”

He held up a palm and went on. “Well, my brothers and I will never give up looking for our sister. The trouble started when I thought I spotted a woman who looked just like Cami might’ve looked today.”

The rest was an embarrassing thing to have to admit, but he hoped it would give Lacie reason to trust him enough to open up. “I let my attention lapse for just long enough to get me shot in the back. And to ruin the whole frigging sting we’d set up. Worse yet, my loss of focus led to the death of another federal agent that I’d talked into helping with the sting.”

“Oh.” Her eyes drifted down to her coffee mug. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Me, too. It’s been six months and I’m still working the physical-therapy exercises, trying to beat the doctors’ predictions and bring my body back to full strength.” But his guilt might never be conquered.

“Are you staying with one of your brothers?”

He was glad for the change in the conversation; her sympathetic expression suddenly gave him hope. He caught the first real hint that he was talking to the same girl he used to know—just all grown up.

“No. I’m living alone in my mother’s old office trailer on the Bar-C. Remember?”

She nodded and her eyes went all gooey, lost in a shared memory of their last kisses. But he still couldn’t accept that the same girl he’d been infatuated with was now working for the same man she’d hated only ten years ago.

This beating around the bush, being careful of every word he said until he felt completely sure of her loyalties, was not his style. “Why are you working for your stepfather?” His usual style tended to be blunter.

Her eyes widened and she scooted her chair back. “You still haven’t told me why you were sneaking around the sheriff’s offices late at night.”

Mexican standoff. Neither of them was willing to completely trust the other. At least not yet.

“It’s still late.” He softened his voice and tried to let his eyes telegraph his trustworthiness. “And getting later. Will you trust me enough to finish this interview tomorrow? I promise not to leave town.”

Lacie stood and paced to the door. “Maybe. Promise me you won’t sneak back here until we talk again?”

“Definitely.”

“I’ll drive out to your mother’s trailer right after daybreak. Will that do?”

Colt didn’t figure he would get much sleep anyhow. “That’ll be fine.” He stood and limped toward her.

When he got close enough, he took her hand in his. “I’m really glad to see you again, Lace. I’ve missed you.”

Her eyes went dreamy again and her upper body leaned toward his. “I...uh...”

He caught himself leaning, too, and drawing in the same scent of gardenias about her that he remembered so well from all those years ago. His mind went blank.

Lacie blinked once then pulled her hand away and straightened her spine. Lifting her chin to look up at him, she said, “Don’t say anything on the way out. Just keep your mouth closed. I don’t want Louanna wondering if anything is amiss.”

“Why?”

She bunched up her mouth and narrowed her eyes. “You’ve done nothing wrong so far. Don’t make me regret not throwing you in a cell and asking questions later.”

“No, ma’am.” But he thought that all in all, he’d been getting the right kind of vibes from her.

Tomorrow morning would tell the tale. And just maybe he would end up with a new partner in his investigations—and give them both a finish to old business he’d left half done all those years ago.

Chapter 3

Lacie drove along the caliche road that crossed the range on the Bar-C through a dusky pink sunrise. She hadn’t come this way in over ten years but still could’ve negotiated the route blindfolded.

She would never forget those days gone by, afternoons spent with the boy who’d held her heart in his hands. Back then he’d been both a dream and a brilliant reality all wrapped into one. More important than being a rich and sexy cowboy, every teenage girl’s wish come true, he was the very first person who’d ever cared about what she thought and who she was inside.

This morning, negotiating her beat-up hatchback over cattle guards, a dry wash and past horses grazing in their pasture, she let her mind drift back. Back to those terrible teen years when the world had seemed determined to make her life miserable and every day looked darker and bleaker than the one before. It seemed everyone and everything had been set against her then, save for one bright and shining star. One person who kept her sane and alive through it all.

Colt Chance.

Last night she thought she’d been seeing ghosts when he appeared out of the darkness. But as she’d touched him and felt that same old sizzle, it’d been clear she wasn’t dreaming. Her past came back with a resounding thud, reminding her of the many questions that still had no answers.

It seemed Colt had his share of unanswered questions, as well. Last night his eyes had filled with curiosity every time his gaze turned in her direction. And she had noticed that he’d asked a lot more questions than he’d answered.

When his mother’s old office mobile home came into view under a stand of winter-whipped cottonwoods, Lacie thought of what she’d learned after spending a couple of hours on the internet last night. The first thing she’d looked for was evidence of Colt having a wife—either current or past. Nothing came up except pictures of him attending society events with various debutantes. Never the same one twice.

She’d also discovered that Colt had become a big-shot lawyer working for the justice department. Not so much of a surprise, as she’d always known he was smart. A “boy wonder,” some news article from a DC paper had called him. No doubt that was why he’d considered himself entitled to ask all the questions. Asking questions had been what he’d done for a living before his department’s sting went so horribly wrong.

But being a sheriff’s deputy gave her the right to a few questions of her own. In fact, in Chance County, her questions took priority.

Streaks of reddish-gold shot above the horizon and across the prairie as she pulled up next to a pickup she recognized from last night as being Colt’s. Instead of just watching him walk away after they’d left the sheriff’s office, she’d volunteered to drive him the half mile down the highway to the truck he’d hidden behind a couple of dried-up mesquite trees and a boulder. Obviously he hadn’t wanted anyone to spot him coming and going. But she still didn’t know why.

He had a lot to answer for this morning.

After turning off her car, she hopped out and headed for his door. But as she put one foot on the first step of the front porch, a noise originating in the side yard caught her attention. Something—or someone—had to be back there.

Out this far from civilization it could be anything. A coyote. A giant coon. Or maybe Colt had a pet dog. But she wanted to double-check before she went inside. Just to be on the safe side.

Carefully rounding the corner with her hand resting on her weapon, Lacie felt her heart skip a beat when she discovered what was there. Before her stunned eyes stood Colt, naked to the waist, straddling a bench and working out with a barbell. Earplugs, probably connected to music, had kept Colt from hearing her or her car’s approach.

Thinking she’d be unobserved, she let her gaze roam freely down his sweat-glistened chest to the dark hair that arrowed past his waistband and disappeared beyond his jeans. Heat flooded through her veins, bringing dampness between her breasts and at the apex of her thighs.

She wasn’t a naive young girl. She’d seen plenty of men working out, with and without their shirts, and never thought a thing of it. But the sight of Colt using his chest and shoulder muscles, bunching and rolling, left her stupefied and panting like some preteen girl.

He looked up just then and his gaze arrowed straight to her face. His eyes met hers and darkened as though he’d known exactly what she’d been thinking. He set the weight down, pulled the earplugs free and lifted his chin.

Her pulse began to race. “I...uh...” She knew her face had gone beet-red, but she couldn’t put a coherent thought together.

“Morning. You’re very punctual.” He grabbed a sweatshirt off the bench. “Go on inside. Coffee’s hot. I’ll be there in a sec.”

She turned tail and hustled into his kitchen, grasping for both air and calm. What was her problem? An old boyfriend, accent on the old, should not shake her up this way.

By the time Colt arrived and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, Lacie more or less had her nerves under control. She’d come here to find out what was going on with him and why he’d been sneaking around the sheriff’s office. Not to start up anything between them.

Colt probably wouldn’t be interested in a relationship with her anyway. He’d been living in the big cities, the way he’d always claimed he wanted, and, according to the papers, had plenty of sophisticated girlfriends. Women who knew all about how to please a man.

As he took a long swig from the water bottle, her eyes locked on his mouth and throat. The blast of heat inside her ignited again and branded her as an idiot for a second.

She tore her gaze away and coughed. “You look pretty healthy to me.” What? That wasn’t what she’d wanted to say. “I mean, it’s good you work out. You’ll get back to health sooner that way.”

Colt set aside the water and took a deep breath. “My upper body never was a problem.” He didn’t want to talk about this with her. “It’s the lower body that may never heal. There was a time when the doctors claimed I would never walk again. Now they say the limp might be the best I can hope to achieve.”

Well, hell, he shouldn’t have said that much. “I’ve come this far. I’m not ready to give up yet.” Something about her felt so comfortable. So right.

“Good.” She moistened her lips and swallowed hard, and his body hardened in response. “We need to talk about last night. You have to tell me what’s going on.”

Jumping into things without thinking them through was one of his bad habits, and a tough one to break. But this time, his gut told him everything would work out all right. She hadn’t changed that much. So, she was a deputy. She hadn’t told anyone about last night, had she?

He pulled out a chair and sat down. “My career, the one I screwed up, was as an investigator for the...”

“Justice department. Yes, I know.” She sat at the table across from him.

He let a big, sloppy grin cross his face. “Been checking up on me, Deputy?”

“It’s my job.”

Before she could say anything else, he plowed ahead. “The job made me the inquisitive type. Do you ever wonder about things from our childhood? Things that never seemed quite right back then?”

“Stop doing that.” She screwed up her mouth and narrowed her eyes on him. “This is my time to ask questions.”

God, she was beautiful. Not classically gorgeous or sophisticated in her uniform and with a gun on her hip. But he’d always thought she was the most alive and vibrant person he’d ever known. None of that had changed.

“No, really,” he said, ignoring her complaint and urging her to answer. “Anything still bothering you about the past?”

“I’m a little curious about a few things.” She frowned but added, “That’s at least partially the reason why I came back to Chance—to exorcise old ghosts.”

The way she said that last sentence made him wonder if he counted as one of her ghosts. “Yeah, me, too. The thing that bothers me the most is wondering about what really happened that day when my mother was murdered.” He tipped the water bottle to his lips again, but watched for her reaction over the top of the rim.

“I don’t remember much about the murder,” she murmured quietly. “You and I were only ten at the time. It really made a major difference in your life, though. I do remember that.”

“Yeah.” Colt stood but had to hang on to the back of the chair to keep his balance. “Losing Mom was hard enough. God, I thought the pain in my heart would never go away. But within days, we’d lost Dad, too, when your stepfather had him arrested for the crime. There were lots of times those first few weeks when I wished I’d died along with Mom.”

Shaking out his leg, he felt a familiar twinge. He gritted his teeth and began to pace like a caged animal, determined the pain would not slow him down. “You were the only one I could talk to. Do you remember that?”

“What does any of this have to do with last night?”

Colt reached the sink and spun back around. “Now you’re doing it. That was a question not an answer. But I never believed my father could murder anyone. Especially not my mother. He loved her. I know he did.”

Nodding, Lacie seemed to agree. “I remember you saying that back then. All this time and you still think the same? Both your parents are gone now. What difference could it possibly make at this point?”

Limping over to the table, he stood beside her. “I have to know for sure. You can see that, can’t you?”

He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, gazed earnestly into her eyes and pleaded his case. “Help me, Lace. Together you and I can find the truth. I know we can.”

“Ah.” It hit her then—at last. “You were inside the sheriff’s office last night looking for old case files. Your father’s murder case.” She was shocked. “How in the world did you manage to break in?”

“Uh...I didn’t exactly break in.”

“But then how—” Amazed she hadn’t thought of it sooner, the answer came instantly. “Louanna. Our night dispatcher let you in. Why? Did you offer her a bribe?”

He backed up, ran a hand through his shaggy hair and ended up making it messier than ever. “She’s a second cousin. My aunt asked her do it for me. Seems everyone in town owes my aunt June for one thing or another.”

His expression changed suddenly—darkened. “You won’t mention that I told you? And you won’t turn her in to your stepfather? Louanna needs her job. I didn’t get a chance to find the files before you arrived.”

Lacie popped up out of her chair. “I won’t do anything to endanger Louanna’s job. Besides, nothing was taken or destroyed. Why can’t you talk to the sheriff about the old murder case? He was there and participated in the first investigation. He should...”

She lost her train of thought as she remembered finding Colt in tears behind the school one afternoon right after his mother died. Her heart had gone out to him then and there. Come to think of it, she may never have gotten her heart back. Not to this very minute.

But she couldn’t let him know that. They were not those same two kids. Far from it.

Colt took her by the elbow. “Can you really picture the sheriff helping me? You know he’s never been too crazy about the Chance family.” Touching her was making him crazy as the electricity between them zinged through his veins.

“True,” she said and suddenly looked uncomfortable. “I do remember my stepfather never liked it when you were hanging around. And he hated when I went to the Bar-C.”

She glanced down to where his hand was holding her arm. Trying to pull free, she drew in a breath. “I won’t say anything to the sheriff.”

At this point he almost didn’t care. All he cared about, all he’d ever cared about, was being with her.

But she went on to explain, “I make it a habit not to speak to him unless I’m forced to. We aren’t exactly a close-knit family. What would you need me to do?”

Hearing that should have relaxed him. “I knew I could count on you.” But there was no relaxing when her eyes grew wide and she licked her bottom lip.

A war was going on inside him. He needed to kiss her more than he needed to breathe. But he didn’t want to scare her off. He needed her help.

Sidestepping closer to her, he backed her against the kitchen counter. “Be my partner in the investigation,” he murmured against her lips.

Tightening both hands on her shoulders, Colt couldn’t help himself. He pulled her against his chest and leaned in even closer. “Be my everything—for now.”

He whispered a kiss over her lips. Instead of pulling away, she pressed against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. A dark lust roared in him. And when she moaned, he deepened the kiss.

Shuddering with need, his erection grew hard against her belly. He cupped her bottom with both hands and growled, deep and low in his chest. He couldn’t catch his breath. Had stopped thinking minutes ago.

“Wait a moment.” Suddenly she lifted her head and pushed at his shoulders.

He was too far gone to understand the change in temperature between them. Dipping his own head, he went back for another taste of those sweet lips.

“Whoa,” she said past a raspy voice and stepped out of his reach. “I... I’ll help you with your investigation because now I’m curious, too. But as far as—” she waved a hand between them “—anything else...it’s a no go. I don’t know who you are anymore. And you don’t know me. This isn’t happening. Not now. Maybe not ever.”

* * *

Much later that day, while Lacie finished up her paperwork, she found herself still mulling over everything she’d said to Colt. At that moment, kissing him, she’d wanted exactly what he wanted. The need had been racing headlong through every cell in her body. But she’d put a stop to things between them before they went too far. And she knew why.

She’d been scared. Afraid of getting too close. The two of them had changed. Maybe they could be friends again, and work together for answers, but any more than that and her heart wouldn’t stand it.

After he healed and did a little investigating, he would be going back to his previous life. He’d always hated the small-town ways of Chance, Texas. His talk about leaving had given her the backbone to leave town herself at the age of eighteen. But she’d tried the big city and found it wasn’t for her. She wanted to stay in Chance.

She’d get her questions answered—and now Colt’s questions, too—but after that she would be making a permanent home here. Colt would be long gone.

Her shift now over, Lacie filed her forms and stretched her cramped limbs. No one was left in the station but her and Louanna. Deputy Robert Lopez, the man who’d been the sheriff’s assistant for as long as she could remember, was in his cruiser, spending his shift making passes through town and waiting for any calls.

This might be a good time for her to do a little digging for Colt. Earlier today she’d asked the day dispatcher where the old case files were stored. Apparently, when the new station had been built, the old files were either destroyed or put in storage boxes and stashed in a closet. They’d all be put on the computer someday—when the county could afford the help. But as of now, they were just catching dust.

Heading down the darkened hall and turning on lights as she went, Lacie wondered what she would find in the Chance murder file. She remembered the day of the murder, though she’d been quite young. But she remembered it vividly because things in her own home had changed forever that day, too.

Flipping on the overhead light in the oversize closet, Lacie glanced around at dozens of cardboard boxes. They didn’t seem to be in any order. No wonder Colt hadn’t had the time to find the file last night. It might take weeks to sort through all this stuff.

She’d been at it for almost an hour when she heard a noise behind her back. Jumping up, she swung around, expecting to see Louanna.

“What are you doing, Deputy?” The sheriff’s deep voice startled her.

“Oh, nothing, sir.” She folded her hands together behind her back and stood at attention to stem her shakes.

“Your shift is over. And I don’t remember assigning you or anyone else to a cold case. Why are you in here?”

The sheriff’s face had developed soft edges and craggy lines over the years. His eyebrows grew together over his nose to the point where you couldn’t tell where one began and the other ended. Lacie remembered a time when he’d been handsome. Her mother’s idea of the man of her dreams.

To Lacie, he’d been anything but a dream back then. Today she wasn’t sure what he was—beyond being her boss.

“I heard this closet was a mess,” she began as the words just spilled out of her mouth. “I thought I’d spend some of my free time straightening out the boxes and making them ready for entering on a computer someday.”

“Uh-huh.” The sheriff glanced around the room and then let his dark gaze land on her face. “You know I only hired you because of your mother. Why don’t you spend your free time going to visit her?”

The nursing home where her mother was a patient was a good two hours away. “She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know anyone anymore. Even if she did, I doubt she would want to see me. They take good care of her. You shouldn’t worry.”

“I know what kind of care my wife receives. I do visit her. That’s not the point.”

Lacie wondered what the point was. And why the sheriff had chosen tonight to return to the station at this late hour.

“Go home, Deputy.” He swung his arm toward the closet door as though waiting for her to leave ahead of him. “I got a call saying lights were on in the station when no one but the dispatcher was supposedly on duty. I didn’t hire you to help in the storage closet. There’s nothing here of interest. This stuff is ancient history.”

She scooted out the door and waited for him to follow. “I was trying to be helpful.”

“Just do your job. That’s enough.” He turned off the lights as they left together. “And go visit your mother.”

Giving up, Lacie turned to leave, but her stepfather caught hold of her arm before she went very far. “You heard about that Chance boy being back in town? The one you used to be so crazy about in high school?”

“Yes, I know Colt’s living on the Bar-C.”

“Well, stay away from him. I didn’t like him when he was kid and I doubt he’s changed much. According to the record, he lost his job over a major screwup. His mistake. And it wouldn’t do your career any good to associate with someone like that.”

Her stepfather was checking up on Colt? Weird.

“Do you read me, girl?”

Angry now, and more curious than ever, Lacie pulled her arm free and fisted her hands. “I heard you, Sheriff.”

She stormed down the hall and outside to the parking lot, a sense of unease riding high in her chest as she headed for home. Nothing would stop her from helping Colt Chance find his answers.

Nothing and no one.

Chapter 4

Colt heard a vehicle approaching as he stepped out of the shower. Lacie wasn’t supposed to arrive until later this afternoon after her shift. This visitor could be one of his brothers, he supposed, but they were supposedly either working or out of town. And if something bad had happened to his family, they would’ve called first.

No good reason he could think of for anyone to drive clear out to this remote part of the ranch.

A chill ruffled the hair on his arms while he quickly dressed and stepped into his boots. Something felt wrong about a visitor coming so early.

Running a hand through his wet hair, Colt headed for the door just as someone knocked. He took a quick glance out the front window and saw the sheriff’s SUV. What the hell?

“Hello, Chance,” the sheriff growled as Colt swung open the door. “Heard you were living out here.”

Colt set his jaw, wondering if Lacie had lied to him after all. But after a moment’s consideration, he refused to believe she could be capable of that kind of betrayal.

“Nothing to say?”

Colt had plenty to say but he was trying to hold his tongue. “You drove way out here for some reason. What do you want, Sheriff?” He stood squarely in his doorway, not budging an inch. No way would he invite the bastard inside.

“Just checking up. I understood you were seriously injured awhile back and that’s why you’ve come home to the Bar-C. You planning on staying in Chance for good?”

The anger surged from his gut to his throat, but Colt knew better than to let it show. “None of your business.” He stepped back and took hold of the door, ready to slam it in the old man’s face. “Now if that’s all, I’m busy.”

“Hold on there. I have a couple of things to say.” The sheriff casually laid a hand against the gun at his hip and squared his shoulders. “I’d hoped you’d changed since you left town. But it looks like you’re the same as always. Trying to get your own way, and everyone else be damned. Wanted you to know things are different in Chance now.”

“Oh?” The old man didn’t scare Colt but whatever he had to say might be interesting. “How so?”

“For one thing, my daughter is now a deputy sheriff for Chance County. She’s the law. You’d be smart to leave her alone.”

“You mean your stepdaughter, Lacie? We were good friends once upon a time.”

“I do remember you dogging around her when you two were in high school.” Though he was shorter by a couple of inches, the sheriff looked down his nose at Colt as though he was eyeing a bug. “She’s changed. Grown up. Stay away from her.”

“Who I see and don’t see is also none of your business.” Colt tried to close the door again but the other man put his foot out to stop him.

“Listen, Chance, you were good for nothing back in the day. Asking questions about things that had nothing to do with you. I would’ve hoped that as an adult you’d grown smarter than that.” The sheriff raked a pointed gaze down to Colt’s injured leg. “But maybe not.”

“I still have plenty of questions, old man.” The pent-up bitterness got the better of him. “For one thing, I still don’t believe that my father murdered my mother. You know I never have. And I intend to make a formal request to reopen the case.”

The sheriff’s dark brown eyes grew black as he glared at Colt. “See there? That’s what I’m talking about. The case is closed. Has been for nearly twenty years. Everyone involved is dead now.”

“I’m not dead. And neither are you. That’s reason enough to review the case.”

Taking a threatening step closer, the sheriff narrowed his eyes. “There’s dead and then there’s dead. You ever heard the old saying about curiosity killing the cat, boy?”

“That is the worst possible old cliché to use on me, Sheriff. If you want to issue a threat, say so.”

Sheriff McCord drew himself up and stepped back. “Not at all. Just letting you know how we take care of legal questions in Chance County these days. Trying to save you the wasted effort.”

With the sheriff’s foot out of the doorway, Colt stepped back, too. “I’d say your trip here today was the wasted effort. And we’ll just have to see how the legal system is handled in Chance County these days, won’t we?”

As the door slammed in the sheriff’s face, Colt paced toward the kitchen, determined to stem his anger and direct the energy toward solving the crime. It was time to draw up an action plan. The sheriff was hiding something. And now Colt felt more curious than ever.

* * *

“I think the first thing we’ll need is a list of people who might have had a motive.” Lacie jotted a note on the yellow pad sitting on the table in front of her.

Colt’s anger had almost settled into resoluteness six hours after the sheriff’s visit. He and Lacie had joked about the sheriff’s nasty warning and about her own confrontation with her stepfather. Colt knew he would find his answers—all of them—no matter what or who stood in the way.

But when he glanced over at Lacie across the table, he couldn’t help wondering if she was the one big question that would never adequately be answered. Why had she left town so suddenly right after high school?

She looked delicious today, dressed in her casual jeans and T-shirt. He could almost gobble her up like an ice cream sundae. She made his mouth water. The auburn hair he remembered as being soft and silky was still as big a temptation as ever, even though it was cut shorter. His fingers itched to touch. To glide through that sensuous silk.

But he sat on his hands. While they worked together on this cold case, he wanted the two of them to grow to be friends again. At some point, he hoped they’d be close enough that she wouldn’t mind if he asked the most difficult personal questions.

But he would have to work up the nerve first. When she’d disappeared without saying a word to him, she’d broken his heart. He’d been positive the reason must have had something to do with him.

He planned on making sure they became friends again. But then did he have the guts to chance having his heart handed to him all over again?

“Colt? What do you think? Since we can’t get to the old case file yet, should we work on finding other suspects?”

“Yeah, we should. Neither you nor I were old enough at the time to remember my parents’ contemporaries. We need to check with people who were around at the time.”

“Do you remember the names of any of your parents’ friends?” Lacie turned her beautiful hazel eyes in his direction and the sympathy in them worked to calm him down.

“Not really.” He turned his head away when her expression suddenly became more sensual than sympathetic.

He couldn’t keep his hands to himself while she looked at him like that. “But we should go see my aunt June. She wasn’t living in Chance when the murder happened, but she hadn’t been out of town for long. And she was my father’s sister—only a couple of years older. She’ll remember who was who.”

“Good idea. Can we go to your aunt’s house now?”

Lacie’s gaze seemed so earnest and hopeful he nearly reached out to pull her close. But he checked himself and folded his arms over his chest instead. She’d pushed him away the last time he’d tried getting close, saying it was too soon.

Maybe she’d been right, but it didn’t feel too soon to him. He vividly remembered their past and the way she’d felt in his arms back then. Time and another opportunity were all he needed to make her remember, too.

He stood, telling himself to have patience.

“Now that you’re on your feet, let’s go.” She smiled, grabbed their notes and headed for the door.

A little unsteady, he braced himself and followed. He’d worked for hours this morning on strengthening his leg muscles, but it seemed he still couldn’t keep up with her. Damned spectacular woman.

* * *

Lacie sat quietly as Colt drove them into town to visit his aunt. She’d volunteered to drive because of his injuries, but he would have no part of that. Darned stubborn man.

“You sure you don’t want to duck down while we head through town?” He kept his eyes trained out the window, but his tone was full of concern.

“I already told you I don’t care if anyone sees us together. We’re not doing anything wrong.” Folding her arms across her chest, she lifted her chin. “If the sheriff thinks he can fire me for simply seeing you, let him try.”

“Stubborn.” Colt’s voice might be hard but the grin on his face told another story.

Funny, she’d just been thinking the same thing about him. Maybe they had more in common than she’d thought. Turning to look out the window, she found herself grinning like an idiot the very way he had.

A few minutes later Colt’s aunt June let them into her two-story clapboard house and led the way into a gigantic old-fashioned kitchen.

“I’m so glad to see y’all,” June said and pointed to chairs around a huge table. “Have a seat. I’ve been meaning to come out to your mother’s old office and check on you, Colt. But it looks like you’re doing fine.”

“Not exactly fine,” Colt began as he sat in one of the chairs. “But better every day. You remember Lacie McCord?”

“Of course. I remember that you and Lacie went to school together. And these days I keep running into Lacie around town now that she’s a deputy. Nice to see you again, sweetheart. Are you two hungry?”

“No, thanks,” Lacie answered.

“Yeah, we could eat,” Colt said at the same time. “Something smells good.”

“That’s rude.” Lacie elbowed him in the side.

June laughed and shook her head. “Nonsense. I have a brisket sitting on the counter that’s done and resting. I was going to slice and freeze it, but I’d rather serve meat right after it’s been cooked. Give me a few minutes.”

“Can I help?” Lacie asked.

“Set the table, please. Silverware is over on the other counter with the napkins.”

Spinning, Lacie set to work. “Can I get you something to drink, Colt?”

He grimaced and drew a breath. “Just a glass of water. We can talk while you work, can’t we, Aunt June?”

Lacie had a feeling Colt wasn’t thrilled about sitting while the two females worked around him. He rubbed absently at his thigh and made a face.

“Sure,” June answered as she opened a bag of lettuce greens. “What’s up?”

“We’ve decided to review my mother’s murder case. We...”

“Not for one minute did I ever believe my brother could’ve killed Ellen.” June interrupted him on a strong note. “Maybe he was tough but never mean. And he loved her.”

She hesitated and took a slow, deep breath. “Oh, how Jake loved that woman. More than his own life. They fit together like they were made for one another. I was always jealous of their kind of love. Wished I could’ve found someone who loved me like that.”

Jealousy was known to be one of many good motives for murder, Lacie speculated silently. But then she looked at the unshed tears in the older woman’s eyes and thought June wouldn’t be capable of killing anyone.

A little later as they sat at the table eating, Colt asked his aunt quietly, “Would you help us make a list of people who were in my parents’ same circle? People who might know something about the murder?”

June set down her fork and gazed into the distance. “It’s been so long ago. And I was living in Boston when it happened. I’m not sure I can help.”

Lacie reached out and touched her shoulder. “Anything you can remember could help. Ellen must’ve had friends. People her same age.”

June turned to her with a sad smile. “She was fairly close to her sister. But that won’t help you, since Marla’s been dead for years, too.”

Oh, yes. Lacie remembered that Marla was the aunt who’d kidnapped Colt’s little sister after the murder and then overdosed in California.

“And I do believe Ellen and your mother were friends, dear.”

“My mother...” Lacie wasn’t sure what to say. “She can’t help us.”

June nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard. I’m very sorry.” She patted Lacie’s hand and then turned to Colt. “Your father and Austin McCord always seemed to be buddies. It was a shame Austin had to be the one to arrest Jake. I know it must’ve killed him.”

Colt’s expression turned hard. “Nope. He’s not dead. Sheriff McCord is still alive and as mean as ever, unfortunately. And still causing trouble.”

“Trouble?”

Lacie jumped in. “It’s nothing, June. My stepfather doesn’t believe we should be opening up the old case. That’s all.”

“I can understand his point.” June shrugged. “At the time of Ellen’s death rumors and innuendos flew everywhere. Each citizen in Chance took some kind of position on who could have done it. It wasn’t particularly pleasant here that year. I was glad to be needed elsewhere.”

“We needed you here.” Colt’s voice carried a tone Lacie had never heard before—somewhere between a whine and anger.

June’s face turned ghostly pale. “I...I know that now, son. I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking clearly back then. My brother had been accused of murder. And I...I...

“But I did come home when your brothers begged for help after your sister disappeared. And I stayed.” She tilted her head as though to clear it. “I don’t understand something. You were the one son who seemed to be getting along so well then. No trouble in school, no major breakdowns. You were the steady son. It surprises me to hear you sounding bitter.”

Colt stood and ran a palm down his jean-covered thigh. “I’m not bitter. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. Didn’t matter then either. This town and most of the people in it are not worth bothering about. I wouldn’t be in Texas at all if it weren’t for being injured.”

Lacie’s heart turned over and sighed. He still hated it here—after all these years. She’d so hoped things would change.

She and June both got up from the table to join Colt. The older woman clasped her hands together, looking flustered. Lacie wasn’t sure what she should do. The atmosphere had grown tense.

“If everyone’s done eating,” Colt began, turning his back and reaching for the plates, “I’ll do the dishes.”

“There’s no need.” June held a tentative hand out toward him. “I can do them later. Just leave the mess.”

Colt sidestepped so she couldn’t touch his arm. “It’s the least I can do after ruining your good dinner.”

Gathering up the dirty dishes and utensils and dumping them in the sink, he moved like a man on an urgent mission.

Lacie went to June’s side and slid her arm around the other woman’s waist. “Let him do it. It’ll make him feel better. Why don’t you and I go into the front room and talk?”

June looked numb but agreed.

After they settled on the sofa, June said, “Do you think he’s in pain? Is that why he’s so touchy?”

“Maybe. But he’ll never say so.”

“When he was a kid, he was always the one with the questions.” June folded her hands in her lap. “But he was so good otherwise, we just seemed to ignore him. Like he wasn’t there. Maybe that’s why he says he hates it here.”

Lacie wanted to say that she never ignored Colt. To her, he was impossible to ignore—then and now. But she didn’t say anything and only nodded her head to let June talk it out.

The two of them spent the next quarter of an hour talking about who, of the many citizens of Chance, might be considered the biggest gossips in town. Both of them were much calmer by the time Colt ambled out of the kitchen, rolling down his long sleeves.

“All done. You ready to go, Lacie?”

She and June stood. Lacie found her coat on a peg behind the door.

June cleared her throat. “Thank you for cleaning the kitchen. But really, it wasn’t...”

“No problem,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mind.”

“Son,” June began as she took his arm, “you know how happy your brothers and I are that you came to us for help. We’ve never stopped hoping you’d come home for good. We love you, Colt. Your family will always be here for you.”

Colt’s cheeks turned slightly pink as he straightened his shoulders. “Yeah. I know. I love you back and I’m sorry for being an ass. But I can’t stay in Chance for good, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Lacie stood back as the two of them hugged and June wished them good luck with their investigation. “You’ll get to the truth,” she said as they walked toward Colt’s truck. “I have faith in you—both.”

After they climbed in and Colt turned the engine over, he put his foot on the brake and turned to her. “You want me to drive you home? Your car is still at my place, but it’s late and...”

“I can’t go home without my car. I have to go to work early tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Turning his gaze out the windshield, he put his foot on the gas.

They drove through the quiet town of Chance in total silence. It wasn’t that late but she knew the town. Knew that people had to be up before daybreak for work, so they retired earlier than in the city. Did that bother Colt? Would he rather have the hustle and bustle of a bigger place?

He turned on the radio to fill the silence and she was surprised to hear country tunes. Listening to country radio didn’t seem very “big city” to her. It seemed more like the Colt Chance she remembered from high school.

As she hummed along and kept her gaze on his profile, she went over what had happened at June’s house. He said he still hated it here. Did that include her?

An ache developed in the vicinity of her heart and she absently rubbed at the pain. What was wrong with her? Why was she doing this to herself?

She’d always believed they were meant to be together. But that was ridiculous. Just because he’d been her first love did not mean he was somehow destined to be the only love of her life.

She was only twenty-eight. There would be other men.

But as she thought that, her stomach clenched. No other man could ever take his place in her life. That was as sure as tomorrow’s rising sun.

Still, she shouldn’t be sticking her chin out like this, just begging him to knock her down and leave her flat when he left town. Helping him, being with him, meant her job was probably on the line—and she liked this job. A lot. But if her stepfather ever decided she should leave town, she would have to go. No question, if Sheriff McCord wanted someone gone, they would be gone before the next daybreak.

Well, tomorrow she would give Colt her thoughts on who he should seek out to question, and then she would just become too busy to go along. After a few days of not seeing him again, and not assisting his investigation, he would forget about her. And she would forget how badly she’d wanted him.

Oh, God. The mere thought of that hurt a lot worse than she’d expected.

“Hey,” Colt said as he interrupted her thoughts. “Something’s not right.”

“What?” She looked around and discovered they were almost to the turnoff for the Bar-C. Everything around them seemed as dark and quiet as usual on the open range.

“Take a look out the back window and see if you think we’re being followed.” He picked up his speed. “Whoever it is has their headlights turned off. But I keep getting flashes of metal in the moonlight.”

She swiveled to check and stared out at the lonely highway behind them. The sliver of moon hung precariously in the night sky above them like a big question mark. But it sent just enough light to make out a shape in the road.

“Yes, I think I see someone. What do you think they’re doing on the highway without lights?”

“Following us?” His voice was dark and rough. “This isn’t good. If we make it to my place, I don’t think it’d be smart for you to travel back to town by yourself. You’ll have to stay over.”

“I have a weapon in my car, Colt. I can take care of myself.”

“Still,” he argued. “We need to find out what’s going on before I’ll feel safe. Stay.” The tone of his voice got to her.

At that moment she knew things had gone too far. She couldn’t stop helping him. Or doing anything else he asked.

No matter what it cost her in the end.

Chapter 5

By the time they reached his mobile home, Colt was reasonably sure they hadn’t been followed across Bar-C land. But he still wanted Lacie to stay over. He would gladly take any extra hours with her that he could get.

“It’s late,” he began as they climbed out of the truck. “Will you stay?”

She turned to him, and he would swear the answer he wanted to hear was in her eyes. “There’s no danger,” she said instead. “And it’s not really that late. I don’t think it’s such a good idea for me to stay.”

“Stay anyway.”

She took him by the hand and the electrical impulses between them ran up his arm. “Please, Colt. We hardly know each other anymore. And I’m pretty sure you are not the same young man who danced with me under the moonlight when we were kids.”

He’d forgotten. And at one time, he couldn’t imagine ever forgetting that crazy night and their dance. No music. No dance floor. Just him humming some Western song, slow and easy, and holding on to her under the stars like she might disappear if he let go.

But that was just the thing. He’d had to let her go.

Pulling her close now, he murmured into her hair. “We haven’t changed so much. I still remember. Dance with me again, Lace.”

Actually, he couldn’t remember which song he’d been humming back then. He thought of the slow one they’d just heard on the radio and began singing it under his breath. She slumped against him, and he wasn’t sure what that meant. But when he slipped his arm around her waist, she let him narrow the distance between them to less than a whisper of air.

Laying her head against his shoulder when he began to sway, she followed right along as he took the first step. She smelled so good he forgot all about his game leg. He hadn’t thought of gardenias once in the whole time they’d been apart. Now that scent surrounded him and took him back.

Back to their youth and the promise of a forever love. She’d been his best friend since the day his mother died. The one person he could confide in and count on. By the time they’d had their dance a few years later, he was sure the two of them would be together for the rest of their lives. He’d confessed as much to her that very night.

How young he was then. How terribly young and stupid. He should’ve known better. People didn’t stay together forever. Something always happened to come between them.

His eyes clouded over and he felt a drop of regret as it dripped down his cheek. Holding her again this way, kissing her again, might be too hard. He wasn’t sure he was up to it.

Rearing back, he glanced down at her beautiful face in the moonlight but refused to let her go. She opened her eyes and looked up at him and he found himself gazing in amazement at tearstained cheeks. She was crying? Over a memory? Or over him?

“Lacie...” He was too choked up to say another word.

Instead he lowered his mouth and placed a gentle kiss against the satin of her lips. Salty kisses. Another memory to add to the rest. Whether he had the nerve or not for anything more, kissing her now was an imperative.

But a moment later, he got lost in the feelings and deepened the kiss. When he nudged her lips open with his tongue, she seemed eager to go along. Heat began rocketing between them, a drop of sweat appeared at his temple and his skin hummed with the blood bubbling in his veins.

When he slid his mouth along the edge of her jaw and headed for the sweet spot on her neck, she moaned and trembled in his arms. He struggled not to rush ahead, fought with the sudden and overpowering erotic urges. She’d said it was too soon.

Too soon. Too soon?

Dragging himself into the present and concentrating hard on the woman in his arms, he leaned back again and studied her face.

This time when she opened her eyes, she had a glazed, unfocused expression. But her eyes cleared and the swirling questions he saw in them pushed aside the desperate hunger that had been there only moments before.

“Um...” She cleared her throat. “Yeah, that makes it definite. I have to go home.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t feel the same thing I did. It would be a lie and you know it.” A war was going on inside him, but he let his arms drop to his side and stepped back.

“I...” She coughed and started again. “You’ll be okay for tonight. And I’ll come out right after work tomorrow so we can begin our investigation. Maybe we should see old Mrs. Murphy first. She knows everything that goes on in Chance.”

He figured she was babbling, and maybe at a loss for real words the same as him.

So he grinned and nodded. “Sounds good. At least what I got out of all that sounded good.”

“I was rushing my speech a little, wasn’t I?” She choked back a laugh.

“Maybe a little.”

Her eyes went dead serious. “Can we talk about us another time?”

He took her hand in his. “Sure thing. As long as there will be another time.”

“I’ll be here tomorrow.” She turned and went to her car. “Good night, Colt. Thank you for the dance.”

Standing like some damned statue, he watched her start the car and drive away. Our time will come, my love.

He felt her temporary loss acutely, as though someone had died.

And that time will be coming soon. Count on it.

* * *

Colt came out of his nightmare soaked in sweat, once again. But the nightmare had changed. This time when he’d raced down that barrio street, it was Lacie that he’d been running to save. The idea of her in danger made his usual dream all the more terrible.

“You awake now, bro?” Travis tightened the grip on his shoulder.

“Jeez,” Colt said as he straightened up in the old rocker. “There’s one too many Chance brothers on this ranch. What the hell are you doing here at this hour, Travis?”

He’d fallen asleep sitting on the front porch again. The streaks of rose coming from the east were just breaking over the horizon.

“It’s not that early. Not on a ranch,” Travis replied. “I’ve been up for hours. You’ve just forgotten what it’s like to live in the country.

“And I’m here to check up on you,” he went on. “I heard you went to see Aunt June last night and that you and Lacie McCord are planning on taking a fresh look at Dad’s murder conviction. That right?”

Travis ran the Bar-C for the family—and did a damned good job of it, too. But that didn’t mean he could run Colt.

“Yeah, what about it?”

Travis eased his six-two body down on the porch’s top step, the same as their older brother Sam had done a few days ago, and twisted to face Colt. “Good. If I’d had the time, I would’ve done something about it years ago. I’ve tried a couple of times to talk Gage into checking into the murder. But until he found his wife again, he was spending every spare moment trying to find Cami.”

Gage, yet another brother, was the private investigator in the family. And Cami was their lost little sister.

“Now that Gage is getting remarried,” Colt began, “I’m guessing he’ll have less time than ever to do anything extra for the family. And I’ve got nothing but extra time for now.”

Travis scrunched up his mouth and looked as though he’d swallowed a lemon. “You have any suspects in mind? Any places to start looking?”

“If you’re talking about Sheriff McCord, yes, I imagine in the end we’ll find he either committed the murder himself or knows for sure it wasn’t Dad who did it. But I intend to locate proof before I go around accusing him of killing Mom. I’m an attorney, remember?”

Travis nodded but then asked, “What about Lacie? He’s not only her stepfather, he’s her boss.”

“She says it’s not a problem. I’ll keep an eye on her—make sure she’s not caught in the middle.”

Colt immediately thought of a question he’d had for a while and stood to ask it. “Say, how’d McCord get the job of sheriff anyhow? He’s been the county sheriff for as long as I can remember.”

“He’s been sheriff longer than any of us has been alive. In Texas the job of county sheriff is an elected position. But Dad brought McCord to Chance County close to forty years ago and backed him for the job.”

“So someone else could possibly run against him now?”

Travis’s eyebrows went up. “Suppose so. You want the job?”

“Not even a little.” Colt choked back a laugh and walked down the steps to face his brother. “But maybe someone like Lacie would be a better choice than what we’ve got now.”

“That reminds me of the other thing I wanted to talk to you about this morning.” Travis stood, too, shook out his pants’ leg and walked to his SUV.

When he came back, he was carrying a 12 gauge pump shotgun and big box of shells. “There’re rumors of illegal weapons coming through Chance County. And we’ve seen new evidence of illegal activity, possibly undocumented migrants but more likely gunrunners, inside the boundaries of the Bar-C.”

“Have you talked to the sheriff?”

Travis gave him a sharp nod. “Of course, but he didn’t appear too concerned. We can take care of our own problems on the Bar-C. But I’m concerned about the townspeople and the other ranchers.”

Colt silently agreed with his brother. The citizens of Chance County were for the most part decent and hardworking. The reason they had a sheriff’s department in the first place was to keep things peaceful and safe from outsiders.

“I brought this for you.” Travis held out the shotgun. “Still remember how to shoot one of these? You used to be a sharpshooter in high school, but I haven’t seen you with any weapons since you’ve been home.”

“Don’t like the things. Being shot in the back will do that to a man.”

“Right. But do you think you could still use one if you had to?” Travis shoved the gun at him.

Colt took the shotgun, but just stared at it, feeling as though the weapon might burn right through his hand if he moved. “Maybe. But I’d rather not.”

“Keep it handy.” Travis held out the box of shells. “I’m not happy about you staying this far out on the range, all alone and without protection. You sure you wouldn’t rather move into the main house with us?”

Colt had to chuckle at that one. “What I’m sure about is that your new wife and two little ones would not enjoy having their beaten-up old uncle moving in and cramping their style.”

Travis gave his injured leg a pointed look. “You’re walking better every time I see you. And Summer and the kids would love to have you. You sure...?”

Colt waved off the rest of his sentence. “I’m positive. Sam invited me to move in with him, too.” He took the box of shells. “I’ll keep the 12 gauge and stay put, thanks.”

The thought of that car on the highway without its lights last night gave Colt another reason to keep a gun around. The shotgun would be going in the rack in his pickup as soon as his brother left.

It took a few more minutes to convince Travis he would be okay. But finally his brother climbed back in his SUV and headed off to work.

Colt wasn’t worried for himself. He could handle anything that came up. But he still hoped to convince Lacie to stay with him. And though she was probably perfectly competent with her own weapon, he wouldn’t be taking any chances. Not with the only woman who had ever meant anything to him.

* * *

“I don’t remember old Mrs. Murphy,” Colt said from behind the wheel of his pickup. “How long has she been in Chance?”

It was late afternoon and the sun hung low behind a spring haze as they drove through town. Lacie had been surprised to see a shotgun hanging in the rack behind Colt’s front seat when he picked her up. But she hadn’t made mention of it, hoping he would talk about it first. No such luck. So she kept her mouth closed on the subject and answered his question.

“You do remember her. She was the middle school teacher for forty years.”

“That Mrs. Murphy? She’s not teaching anymore? I always figured the principal would have to pry the chalk out of her cold dead hands.”

Lacie couldn’t stop the smile but she tsked at him. “Colt, really. She retired about five years ago. Lives in the same house as always, on a little pension and her social security. She knows everyone in town. Taught most of them. And she knows nearly everybody’s business, too. I think she’ll be a good place to start.”

“She has to be well over eighty. She knows we’re coming?”

“I called her. She was surprised but willing to talk to us.” Lacie figured the old lady would probably talk their ears off. The problem would be keeping her on track.

By the time they pulled up in Mrs. Murphy’s front yard, a deep madras-blue sky was greeting both the North Star and the first tip of a waning moon. The older woman must have heard their approach because she came out on her porch to wait for them to climb from the pickup.

“Good evening, Mrs. Murphy.” Colt tipped his hat as she led them through her front door. “It’s been a long time.”

“Colt, isn’t it? You look just like your father did at your age. Jacob Chance was one fine-looking man.”

They all sat down in her tiny front room. Colt looked uncomfortable perched on an antique straight-backed chair with his hat in his hands. But he’d plastered a grin on his face and never let on that he was anything but glad to be sitting right where was.

“May I offer you two a glass of sweet tea? I just made chocolate chip cookies.”

“No, thank you, ma’am. We’re fine. We just thought you might remember some things from years back in Chance history and hoped you’d be able to help us.”

“My memory is fine, young man. Sharp as ever.” She straightened her skirt along with her slightly stooped shoulders. “I know, for instance, that you were in a big ruckus in California and came home all banged up.”

Mrs. Murphy rolled her eyes and stared over the top of her glasses. “What is it that’s so danged important to you now about the past?”

Lacie rushed to start the conversation, hoping Colt would not say anything to stir Mrs. Murphy’s curiosity. “Since Colt has come home temporarily, we’ve been reminiscing about our childhoods. You know how that goes. We both remember things differently and we were hoping you could straighten us out.”

Mrs. Murphy glanced over to Colt and frowned, but then returned an interested gaze toward Lacie. “Certainly. What do you need to know, dear?”

“It’s about that time right before and after Colt’s mother was murdered.”

“I remember those days very well. It would be hard to forget something like that.”

“Um...” Lacie wasn’t sure how to ask. “Colt’s aunt June said rumors were flying then, but she didn’t remember any in particular because she lived in Boston at the time. We were hoping you might tell us what you remember.”

Mrs. Murphy’s watery eyes darted to Colt. “Are you looking into who else might’ve killed your mother? I remember you never believed Jacob could’ve done the deed.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Colt sat a little straighter. “I still don’t believe it. But Lacie and I were too young to...”

“You might not want to hear what I have to say, Colt Chance. Some of the goings-on back then were...not for innocent ears.”

Lacie leaned over and touched her hand. “We’re not young anymore, Mrs. Murphy. And not particularly innocent either. Please tell us what you remember.”

The old woman huffed out a breath. “Very well. I remember the year before the murder like it was yesterday. All the students I’d taught during my first year in Chance had grown up and had children of their own. Your mom and dad, Colt, were two of those that had produced several new students for my classes. I saw them frequently that year.”

Her watery eyes glazed over slightly as she seemed to be lost in the past. “The two of them always looked like they were so happy. But rumors told a different story. Some of the more nasty whisperings painted Jacob out to be a real ladies’ man. With secret girlfriends in at least two counties. It was hard to believe when I saw your parents together. But the rumors wouldn’t stop.”

Colt cleared his throat. “Is it possible those rumors had anything to do with the murder?”

“After the murder,” Mrs. Murphy began instead of replying directly to his question, “the rumors got worse. The one I heard most often was that your mother had finally confronted Jacob about his infidelities and a fight ensued. Jacob killed her out of anger.”

Lacie was afraid for Colt’s sake to ask another question, but thought she’d better do it while the old woman was delving into the past. “Were there any other rumors flying after the murder that you might remember?”

Mrs. Murphy’s expression changed as her eyes moved between Lacie and Colt. “One that was even worse. I refused to listen to it.”

“But you do remember and can tell us?” Lacie knew the old woman had probably committed the offending rumor to memory years ago.

“Yes. I vaguely remember.” Mrs. Murphy looked uncomfortable but went right on talking. “That was the rumor about Colt’s mother having learned of her husband’s affairs and deciding to get even by having an affair of her own. Then supposedly the afternoon of the murder, Jacob must’ve learned about her cheating on him and killed her in a jealous rage.”

Colt’s mouth dropped open. “No way.”

“I didn’t say I believed any of the lies people told. But you asked me to tell what I remembered. Back in those days rumors of affairs and adultery were rampant in Chance County. I was glad to be a widow and well out of it.”

Lacie popped up from her chair. It was time to get Colt away from here.

“Well, thanks for thinking back to those days.” She dragged at Colt’s arm and he rose to stand beside her. “And thank you so much for spending an hour with us. We really appreciate it.”

Colt’s expression was dark, brooding. He hadn’t said a word as she pulled him toward the old lady’s front door.

None of these rumors might be true. Or the truth might lie somewhere in between. But if Colt couldn’t stand to hear rumors, how would he ever be able to continue their investigation?

That question made Lacie’s stomach hurt. If he stopped the investigation, he would probably leave town at the first opportunity. And losing her second chance might be much worse than anything else she’d gone through.

No, she had to think of a way to keep their investigation going, to keep him in town. Her head might disagree but it was what her heart wanted most.

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