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Sloan felt for Jimmy’s pulse He found a flicker of life in the vein at the boy’s neck Glancing at Jane, he was relieved when she nodded

"Weak--but she has a pulse"

Sloan pulled out his phone and called in an eet air," Jane said She rushed to the garage doors and, even as they slid up, Sloan saw cop cars co down the drive One was from his office and tere froency call that fast, but he was glad they were there

Declan McCarthy, his ht deputy, was the first to reach him "Sloan--, you’re here What the hell happened now? I heard about Caleb Hough, and that, so far, we hadn’t found his wife and son," Declan told him

"We need an aet here so quickly?"

"The house alarm went off The security company called county, and county called e," Sloan said

The two officers fro the situation before they reached the door Jane had Zoe Hough halfway out of the car; the county men assisted her Declan helped Sloan ot therass on the lawn anywhere, but Declan got a blanket from the back of his patrol car and Ji," he said "Ji his breath"

Sloan fell to his knees by Ji into his lungs Declan went into e on the boy’s chest

Ji on his own Sloan felt the tension ease fro he and his as; he didn’t kno Jiht have sustained But he would live

The aency medical technicians took over

One of the officers froeant Johnson "I was here earlier today," he said "Never occurred to me to break in Thank God you decided to do it, Sheriff I’ll let Newsome know" He shook his head "It’s a real "

"I’m not the reason for the ot the car turned off They saved theht in there, they ht not have come back from it," Johnson told him "You want to cover this scene, Sheriff?"

"Officer McCarthy will stay here, representing the town," Sloan said "I know this kid I’d like to ride with hi in with the an work, Sloan noted that threefrom the stables They were obviously ranch employees--they wore boots, jeans and cotton shirts that showed signs of sand and h ranch was one of the few places in the area that had a streareat deal of hts so his place would be a viable location to raise beefalo in the middle of a desert

A burly fellow came forward, his ranch hat in his hand There was deep concern wrinkled into his face "I aers," he introduced himself "What has happened here?"

"These tere apparently attacked," Sloan said "Sometime earlier today Did you see anyone here, anyone who could have done this?"

Sloan was sure the , et the anih--he doesn’t like us around the house He says the house is his hoh, now, she’s a nice lady She doesn’t s us cupcakes or cookies She is a fine lady Is she--"

"She’s alive right now," Sloan told hi in his eyes

"Alive, too," Jane said, gently touching his aret hi if you like"

Sloan took a breath before answering hio I’et hold of the family all day to tell theo, we’ll need your help We need to knoho h We have to find out who did this--who killed hio Garcia worried the ball cap he’d relanced at his felloorkers "Well, Sheriff, he had ato ruin his son’s life--and turn the boy against him"

Sloan felt the county h And now, he’d been the one to find him in the e He iood

"Anyone else?" Sloan asked

Again, the workers glanced at one another

Inego coughed "Welleveryone," he said

"Everyone?"

Another of the men stepped up "I’m Lee Cho," he told Sloan "I was in the barn the other day when he ca about the man ned Desert Diamonds Grant Winston He said that Winston was--" He paused, clearing his throat as he fixed his gaze on Jane

"Please, repeat what he said I’uage inthat Mr Winston was a grade-A,stupid asshole who had no appreciation for the fact that without his ranch, Lily was a godforsaken dust pool," Lee Cho said, staring at the ground as he spoke

The third man cleared his throat, as well "He hated the theater, too The Gilded Lily He was ranting and raving about Henri Coque being a wo sht ith Mr Coque He never said Mr Hough didn’tin front of us, but he didn’t consider us his friends We kept our mouths shut"