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He propped a shoulder against the wall Crossed his booted feet at the ankles “Been hard enough to knoent on, but she’s kept the specifics from me, and that’s helped I can focus on the fact that she’s okay physically now, and isn’t afraid of men She’s not afraid to be with round and has caused soabout hunting him down myself”

“Hey, now,” Caleb said as he shot to his feet “Don’t go getting any ideas, Raun”

“And a woman I want to protect”

“I know you care about her and you’re worried about her Probably pissed to high hell too that so this awful has happened to her But you’re also fueled by the fact that you have so to prove”

Because he’d failed to protect Charlotte, even though it was in an entirely different capacity?

“Look,” Caleb continued “I know you wouldn’t go off half-cocked, but I’m fairly certain that if you were the one to find this prick, you’d be te this because I’d feel the saht thing”

Sarunted “I know that”

“All right, then Let the sheriff’s office handle this And just continue to be there for Sky”

“Yeah, about that…” He uncrossed his ankles and shoved away froh his hair and said, “She needs to tell Reese It’ll be the hardest da for her, but she doesn’t want her best friend to hear from someone else You know the rumor mill in this town There really are no secrets in Wilder So just keep this under your hat until she’s made her confession”

“Agreed”

“She’s going to have to tell her dad, her sisters Ruby and Mike Ginger, Jack and Jess The Bains Shit”

Caleb gripped Sam’s shoulder and said, “They’ll all be supportive And that just h this”

“Once they locate Willet and press charges, it’ll be in the papers Given her na about the newspapers in Hill Country This sort of thing will make national headlines”

“She’s weathered the worst of it, Sam She survived the assault She wasn’t in the trailer when it burned She knows she’s safe with you—with all of us here at the ranch”

“So you don’t ?”