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When it rang a second time, Natalie felt sure it came from inside She followed the sound to the back corner of the house The same moment that she spotted an open , so

“Hello?” The sheriff ’s voice was gruff, as if he’d just been awakened “Yes, Bernice, what is it?”

Natalie froze She knew of only one Bernice She inched around the corner

There was a moment of silence as Axelrod listened to the voice on the phone “I hear you,” he said “Thanks for letting s creaked as he swung his aht to the floor

“Who was that, sugar?” The rich, husky feasp Stella! Stella in bed with the sheriff!

“Tyler’s cook,” the sheriff replied “Seems Lute’s turned up He stole a trailer and a couple of horses fronal to the old Winslow place I have to get out there before they get their hands on him”

“You knohat you have to do” Stella’s voice had taken on a cold edge

“Yes, I know Whatever I have to HandNatalie hid behind soet out of there but unsure of when or which way to go She was shifting to relieve the strain on her cra Holding her breath, she limpse around the corner of the house

Axelrod had stepped into the carport and was unlocking the Jeep He was dressed in a ca his pistol belt In one hand he carried a military assault rifle

Natalie’s heart dropped It was a Barrett 50 BM, like the one Slade had owned

The Jeep pulled out of the driveway and headed up the street Praying Stella wouldn’t see her, Natalie bellied her way around the back of the house and exited on the far side Ducking around a hedge, she raced back to the white Toyota parked next door Her purse, with her phone in it, was tucked under the front seat She needed to call Beau, to warn hi a sniper rifle and likely bent on murder

But whoseBeau wouldn’t be in the sheriff ’s best interest He was counting on Beau’s conviction to win hi Lute would silence the one person who could shed light on Slade’s murder and morepossibly much more

Axelrod was going to kill Lute—as he’d likely killed Slade, perhaps as he’d even killed Jess Warner And if there was a way to blame Lute’s murder on Beau as well, he would find it

Snatching up her purse, she found her cell phone and tried to dial Beau’s number But the phone was dead in her hand In her exciteotten to recharge the battery

By the back roads, the old Winslow place was a little less distance from town than from the ranch But Lute was already there and the Tylers—whoever that included—had a head start There was no telling ould get there first