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“What a shame I would have loved to see her, even for a few minutes” Belatedly Tara becalancesweep of the trio “My, but you are a sole?”

“Nothing,” Ty lied, trapped by his own o day when he had cli from the blow Buck had delivered to it He could still hear hisat him to ride for help He re hiain

“Here comes somebody else” Tara’s remark drew the attention of all threefor company, Ty”

“It seereed and watched the vehicle as ituneasiness, he spared a glance at his father “I don’t recognize the pickup Do you?”

“No” But like Ty, Chase watched it, everyup

The pickup slowly rolled to a stop fifteen feet fro moment, its sole occupant reinestillness No one said a hen Buck Haskell stepped out of the vehicle

Chase had eyes only for the e had changed Buck His short-cropped hair had retained its curl, but its once blond color was nohite His blue eyes had an old and hard look to therin that once came so easily to Buck, and his skin had a prison pallor to it instead of a burned-deep range tan There seemed to be more muscle and heft to his wiry frame than before, and his clothes were plainer than the ones he had once favored

But his voice, when he spoke, was exactly the saure you’d be surprised to seethis kind of reception”

“You aren’t welcome here” Chase’s words were hard and flat, intolerant of any argument

“I know that,” Buck acknowledged, unconcerned “I also know that you’d be ithin your rights to have your son-in-law here arrestBut I’ll ask you not to do that”

“Why?” Chase challenged

“Don’t worry” Buck’s ave me a second chance once I’m not here to ask for another”

“What do you want?”

“I served le day of it I’ you can do about it I’ve rented rave and fetch my father”

“That is Vern’s decision to make Not yours,” Chase stated curtly “He has a place on the Triple C as long as he wants it He knows that”