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“Kint?” He stretched out a hand to him in question

“She’s brave, not foolish” Jessy turned, her attention caught by the sound of the front door opening “Sounds like Grandpa is headed off to roundup Let’s go say goodbye to him”

With Trey straddling her hip, Jessy reached the front hall in time to see Ballard enter the den Curiosity drew her forward to within earshot of the conversation inside the room

“Is there a problem, Ballard?” Chase asked

“The probleriet, but we both knoas dead wrong I feel like it’s my fault If I hadn’t openedabout Jessy”

“That’s so we’ll never know”

“I recognize that,” Ballard ado after Haskell, I want to co”

After a slight pause, Chase said, “I’ll remember that”

“I hope you do It’s the only way I’ht about any of this Anyway, that’s what I caotta’ do today, so I won’t keep you from it”

As his footsteps approached the hall, Jessy quietly backed up a few steps toBallard halted when he saw her, his achingly gentle eyes h study of her face

“Are you holdin’ up all right, Jess?”

Unconsciously she folded both ar a iven her “I am”

“Good” The look of eed to convey that he knew the deep pain she felt “ ’Cause theuess you know if there’s anything I can ever do” He let the sentence trail off, unfinished

“Thanks” The corners of her mouth lifted in a semblance of a smile

He responded with a nod and a bolstering smile of his own Then, without another word, he ered in the hall aas Chase stood up and reached for his work Stetson, a clear indication he was preparing to leave