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“I got Abner on his cell phone,” he said “He’s at a law enforcement conference in Austin, won’t be back till Monday”

“Can’t he just have his deputies make the arrest?” Sky asked

Beau shook his head “I told him e’d learned and e suspected But Abner wants to handle this business in person With the election co as Marie doesn’t knoe’re on to her, he doesn’t think it’ll hurt to wait a few more days”

“Abner’s a fool,” Will said “Anything could happen between now and the tiets back”

“Tell that to Abner” Beau shrugged and sat down to finish his breakfast “Why don’t you call him? Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did”

Will didn’t answer The air between the two brothers crackled with tension Sky didn’t like it, but he knew better than to interfere Trying to cals worse

And he had his own share of worries He’d lost all sympathy for Marie But there were other concerns—the horses that needed training, the evacuation plans in case of fire

And there was Lauren Lauren most of all

On Friday afternoon Sky, who’d been working sixteen-hour days with the horses, took some needed time off to pick up Lauren at the hospital and stay with her Will had invited her to recover at the ranch, but she asked Sky to pass on her thanks and insisted she’d rest better at home

“That’s fine,” Will told Sky over the phone “But let her know she’s expected here for Sunday dinner The girl ht as well knohat she’ll be in for if she decides to stick around”

Nohere had that come from? Sky wondered as the phone call ended He’d tried to hide his plan to propose to Lauren, but if Will could read him so easily, the secret must be out

Lauren’s cracked ribs were still painful, the gash on her head stitched and bandaged with surgical tape Sky had hoped she’d have the good sense to lie down and nap, but he should’ve known better She spentover the details of Monday’s funeral—the prograrave in the fa with the small backhoe borrowed from the Rimrock, the condition of the house and yard, and the catered buffet to be served after the burial And she hadn’t forgotten Storh to ride, but she’d visited his stall to groom him and feed him a carrot

Although flowers and cards were already pouring in, the gathering at the graveside wouldn’t be a large one Most of the senders, including the governor and the Texas congressional delegation, had sent sy up, nobody wanted to be seen or photographed at Garn Prescott’s funeral His can staff would likely be at the service in Lubbock, and some of the syndicate creould drop by the house to pay their respects and sample the buffet But it was sad to discover ho true friends the man had

Bernice had sent over

soht deepened outside, Sky took the warmed casserole dish out of the oven and set two places at the dining rooe wine in the cabinet