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She knows that. She said she didn t come for forgiveness.
She frowned. Why did she come?
She s meeting someone.
A boyfriend here in Jacobs County? she asked curtly.
No, she said it was business. He frowned, too. You know, she seems to know a lot about that
recent murder here.
Why would she?
Boone grimaced. I wasn t going to tell you, but it seems our uncle may have had ties to the
case.
She let out a breath. Oh, that s great. Now he s not just the man who stole our mother, he s a
murderer!
No, not that sort of involvement, he replied. I think he might have had some connection to
the people involved. From what she said, he was a heavy drug user.
Not surprising. I never liked him, she confessed. He was always picking on Dad, trying to
compete with him in everything. It was sort of sad to me at the time because anybody could see he
wasn t the equal of our father at business or ranching or anything else.
Our father had some good qualities. Hitting you like that wasn t one of them, he added
coldly, and if I d known about it, I d have knocked him through a wall!
I know that. It was only the one time, she said quietly, and he d been drinking. It was just
after he and our mother met that time, when he thought she wanted to come back. It wasn t long after
she d gone away with our uncle. He came back home all quiet and furious, and he drank like a fish for
about two months. That was when he hit me. He was sorry afterward, and he promised never to do it
again. But he hated me, just the same, because I looked like her.
I m sorry.
Me, too, she said with a sigh. It sort of turned me against men, at least where marriage was
concerned.
Except with Kilraven.
She flushed and glared at him. He ll probably never speak to me again, after what happened at
the party. I don t understand why he was so angry. She sighed. Of course, I don t understand why I
painted a raven for him, either. It s not one of my usual subjects. I like to do flowers. Or portraits.
You re very good at portraits.
Thanks.
You could have made a name for yourself as a portrait artist, even an illustrator.
I never had the dedication, she replied. I really do love my job, she added.
So does Keely, he replied with an indulgent smile. It s not a bad thing, working when you
don t have to.
You d know, she accused, laughing. You work harder on the ranch than your men do. That
reporter for Modern Ranching World had to learn to ride a horse just to interview you about your new
green technology because he could never find you unless he went out on the ranch.
They re putting me on the cover, he muttered. I didn t mind doing the article I think it
helps ranching s public image. But I don t like the idea of seeing myself looking back at me from a
magazine rack.
You re very good-looking, she said. And it is good PR. Not that you ll ever sell the idea of
humane beef cultivation to vegetarians, she added with a chuckle.
He shrugged. As long as people want a nice, juicy steak at a restaurant, there s not much
chance that ranchers are going to turn to raising house cattle.
Excuse me?
Well, you could put a diaper on a calf and bring him inside&
She hit him. I m going to bed, she said. And when I get upstairs, I m going to tell Keely
what you just said.
No! he wailed. I was only kidding about it. She d actually do it!
She laughed. There wouldn t be room. Bailey s as big as a calf.
The old German Shepherd looked up from his comfortable doggy bed by the fireplace and
wagged his tail.
See? she asked. He knows he s a calf.
He shook his head. He bent to ruffle the dog s fur. He glanced at Winnie. You going to be
okay?
Sure. She hesitated. Thanks.
For what?
Being my brother. Don t leave the jewels lying around, she advised. If Clark comes home
and sees them, he ll beg some of them for whatever girl he s crazy over at the moment.
Good thought, he said, grinning. I ll put them in the safe and drive them to town Monday
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