I think she might be the reason for the killings.”
“What?”
Seth explained about her hidden past and said, “Since she knew how to get herself a Justice Department attorney here almost instantly, I’m thinking that maybe Savannah is the target, not the perpetrator.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Go out to the ranch, grab a few hours of sleep, then see if I can find some way to get in touch with Cody.”
T HE L UCKY 7 was 825,000 acres, fifteen miles from downtown Jasper. Unlike Shane and Sam, the ranch no longer felt like home for him. It hadn’t for ten years, ever since his mother and father had taken off.
As he drove closer to the ranch, Seth tried to imagine what they’d be doing now and why they had both chosen to sever all contact with their seven sons. That was the part that continued to haunt Seth even after a decade.
He’d been twenty-eight when it happened and for the life of him, he hadn’t seen it coming. Hell, he hadn’t had the first inkling that there was trouble in the marriage. He did recall that when he was about ten, his parents had had several loud arguments when they assumed the boys were all sleeping. But that seemed to pass and there had been nothing to prepare him ten years later for the announcement that his mother was leaving with some man she would only name as John. Nor could he or any of his siblings talk his father, Caleb, from heading out after Pricilla and the mysterious John.
Seth smiled, thinking back on the great times he had had with his father. Caleb had been a kind and patient father to every one of his sons, except for Shane. For some reason, Shane could do very little to please the old man. Caleb used to taunt Shane about his bruises, calling him a wimpy little brat. Luckily, in the ten years Shane had been off doing whatever, he had gained self-confidence and self-esteem. Ironically, he was now the most like Caleb. He loved the ranch, loved the physical labor, the long hours.
Seth was so lost in thought that he nearly missedthe arched brick-and-wrought-iron gate to the ranch. About a half mile ahead, he could see the house, with smoke curling out of one of the chimneys.
There were tracks in the snow of the front lawn, and deep ridges from a sled. Obviously, his nephew, Kevin, was learning to steer the old sled that had been handmade by his great-grandfather. A true Landry tradition.
Parking the Bronco in the horseshoe-shaped drive, he climbed the steps and hurried inside. He was about dead on his feet.
“Uncle Seth!” Kevin screamed as he came barreling around the corner and into Seth’s legs.
Lifting the boy, he gave him a hug and tousled his white-blond hair. Just as he was putting the boy down, Callie, his sister-in-law, sort of waddled in his direction. She was so small that at six months, she looked like most pregnant women in their final days.
Her smile was bright and genuine. He bent down and gave her a kiss. She took his hand and placed it on her swollen abdomen, moving it for a moment until he felt a strong jolt against his hand.
“Wow,” was all Seth could manage to murmur.
“Ow is more like it,” Callie complained good-naturedly. “This baby’s a kicker. Night and day. I’m so tired I can barely stand up.”
“I know the feeling,” Seth agreed. “I called Sam’s office and they said he was working from home today.”
“In the den,” Callie said. “Shall I ask Taylor to bring in coffee?”
Seth shook his head. “Not for me. After I talk to Sam, I was hoping to sack out in one of the bedrooms.”
Callie placed a concerned hand on his arm. “Are you all right?”
He nodded and faked a pretty decent smile. “Just tired.”
“Then get whatever you need from Sam and get to bed. I’ll let Taylor know you’re here in case your office calls.”
“Thanks. Ask Taylor to make sure I’m awake before noon.”
Seth found his brother in the darkly paneled office looking at a ream or so of computer printouts. Sam
“What?”
Seth explained about her hidden past and said, “Since she knew how to get herself a Justice Department attorney here almost instantly, I’m thinking that maybe Savannah is the target, not the perpetrator.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Go out to the ranch, grab a few hours of sleep, then see if I can find some way to get in touch with Cody.”
T HE L UCKY 7 was 825,000 acres, fifteen miles from downtown Jasper. Unlike Shane and Sam, the ranch no longer felt like home for him. It hadn’t for ten years, ever since his mother and father had taken off.
As he drove closer to the ranch, Seth tried to imagine what they’d be doing now and why they had both chosen to sever all contact with their seven sons. That was the part that continued to haunt Seth even after a decade.
He’d been twenty-eight when it happened and for the life of him, he hadn’t seen it coming. Hell, he hadn’t had the first inkling that there was trouble in the marriage. He did recall that when he was about ten, his parents had had several loud arguments when they assumed the boys were all sleeping. But that seemed to pass and there had been nothing to prepare him ten years later for the announcement that his mother was leaving with some man she would only name as John. Nor could he or any of his siblings talk his father, Caleb, from heading out after Pricilla and the mysterious John.
Seth smiled, thinking back on the great times he had had with his father. Caleb had been a kind and patient father to every one of his sons, except for Shane. For some reason, Shane could do very little to please the old man. Caleb used to taunt Shane about his bruises, calling him a wimpy little brat. Luckily, in the ten years Shane had been off doing whatever, he had gained self-confidence and self-esteem. Ironically, he was now the most like Caleb. He loved the ranch, loved the physical labor, the long hours.
Seth was so lost in thought that he nearly missedthe arched brick-and-wrought-iron gate to the ranch. About a half mile ahead, he could see the house, with smoke curling out of one of the chimneys.
There were tracks in the snow of the front lawn, and deep ridges from a sled. Obviously, his nephew, Kevin, was learning to steer the old sled that had been handmade by his great-grandfather. A true Landry tradition.
Parking the Bronco in the horseshoe-shaped drive, he climbed the steps and hurried inside. He was about dead on his feet.
“Uncle Seth!” Kevin screamed as he came barreling around the corner and into Seth’s legs.
Lifting the boy, he gave him a hug and tousled his white-blond hair. Just as he was putting the boy down, Callie, his sister-in-law, sort of waddled in his direction. She was so small that at six months, she looked like most pregnant women in their final days.
Her smile was bright and genuine. He bent down and gave her a kiss. She took his hand and placed it on her swollen abdomen, moving it for a moment until he felt a strong jolt against his hand.
“Wow,” was all Seth could manage to murmur.
“Ow is more like it,” Callie complained good-naturedly. “This baby’s a kicker. Night and day. I’m so tired I can barely stand up.”
“I know the feeling,” Seth agreed. “I called Sam’s office and they said he was working from home today.”
“In the den,” Callie said. “Shall I ask Taylor to bring in coffee?”
Seth shook his head. “Not for me. After I talk to Sam, I was hoping to sack out in one of the bedrooms.”
Callie placed a concerned hand on his arm. “Are you all right?”
He nodded and faked a pretty decent smile. “Just tired.”
“Then get whatever you need from Sam and get to bed. I’ll let Taylor know you’re here in case your office calls.”
“Thanks. Ask Taylor to make sure I’m awake before noon.”
Seth found his brother in the darkly paneled office looking at a ream or so of computer printouts. Sam
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