Hitched! by B.J. Daniels

Author:B.J. Daniels [B.J. Daniels]
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-05-24T04:00:00+00:00

JACK HADN’T WANTED to let Josey out of his sight, but he’d been cornered by his grandmother after dinner and had no choice.

A fire burned in the small rock fireplace. It crackled softly as Pepper Winchester motioned for him to sit opposite her in the matching leather chairs.

“I’m sorry I ambushed you the other day,” she said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Pepper Winchester apologizing?

“I had hoped you might have remembered something from the day of Trace’s birthday party.”

What was it she wanted him to remember? he wondered. Or was it something she wanted to make sure he didn’t remember?

Suddenly, the room felt cold as a chill ran the length of his spine.

“I foolishly thought that if I just asked you right out, you would tell me the truth,” she was saying.

Jack smiled to himself. Now this was more like his grandmother. He said nothing, waiting for the barrage he knew would follow. What he wasn’t ready for was the tears as his grandmother began to cry.

She quickly stopped herself, getting up awkwardly and leaning heavily on her cane as she moved to the fireplace, her back to him.

“Why don’t you tell me what this is really about?” he suggested, determined not to be swayed by her tears.

“You’re right, of course.” She didn’t turn around as she brushed at the tears, her back ramrod straight. “I have reason to believe that one of you saw something from the window up there. I thought if you had that you’d tell me. After all these years I’d assumed there would be no reason for any of you to keep the secret any longer. I foolishly assumed that one of you would want the truth to come out.”

Her candor surprised him as much as her apology and her tears had. He didn’t know what to say.

“I know it’s possible that I’m wrong,” she said, making it sound as if she didn’t believe it. “Maybe none of you saw Trace being murdered.” She turned to face him. “You see now why it is so important that I find out the truth. I don’t believe the killer acted alone. I’m basing that assumption on where Trace was killed—within sight of the ranch. The killer got him to that spot, I believe, for a good reason. Because someone else was watching from the ranch that day. I believe that person didn’t know that you children were in that third-floor room with a pair of binoculars.”

Jack was stunned. “You’re saying you think someone from the family was involved in Trace’s murder?”

“Yes, I do.”

So that was what this was about. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and yet even as a small child he was aware of the jealousy among the siblings.

“I intend to find out who that person is if it takes my last dying breath.”

Jack stared at her. “That’s why you invited us all back.”

She nodded. “I would be a foolish old woman to think that I could make up for the past at this late date.

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