The Sheriff's Secret Wife by Christyne Butler Page B

about their extracurricular activities.

Living here by herself for the last seven years, not counting her brief second marriage, Racy enjoyed the solitude even if she never had the money to fix up the simple ranch house. Husband number two had seen to that when he'd run out with the entire contents of her bank account. Jerk.

"I know people leave a light on, but isn't this a bit much?"

Gage's words pulled Racy from her thoughts. As they rounded the last turn, she saw bright lights shining from every window. They stopped in front of the sagging covered porch that ran the length of the house. Deafening rock music drowned the soft country tunes coming from the Jeep's stereo. Two snow-covered cars sat askew in the front yard.

"You have guests?" Gage put the vehicle into park, but left it running.

She shook her head. "I don't know what's going on."

Gage grabbed his Stetson. "Stay here."

A tall figure opened the front door and staggered onto the porch. Racy gasped. Her stomach plummeted to her feet as she recognized the man, who looked right at home with a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other.

"Gage." She grabbed one leather-clad arm and nodded toward the house. "Wait."

He looked, then his gaze shot back to her. "Did you know about this?"

Racy opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Are you trying to tell me—ah, the hell with it." He yanked away from her touch and opened the Jeep's door.

She did the same. Her feet sank into the snow as she hurried past the still shining headlights. Gage was already up the steps by the time she joined him.

"Well, if it isn't the honorable sheriff of Destiny. Are you the welcome wagon, too?" The man fell against the porch post and belched. "Hey, sis. You're out of bacon and eggs."

Racy closed her eyes, offered a quick prayer this wasn't happening and opened them again. No, he was still here. Billy Joe, her eldest brother by five years and until very recently a resident of the Wyoming prison system.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, that's a fine howdy-do." Billy Joe straightened and started toward her. "I expected better from family. Come 'ere and give your big brother a kiss."

Gage instantly moved between them. All Racy saw was the wide span of his shoulders. "That's far enough, Dillon." His voice was easily heard over the loud music. "I think Racy asked you a question. I'll repeat it. What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

No, he doesn't!

Racy bit hard at her bottom lip, stopping her outcry. Thanks to a small insurance policy from her first husband, she'd bought out her brothers years ago. She had no idea they'd used the money to set up a drug-running business. A business that had landed them behind bars eighteen months later.

But Billy Joe was out now, nearly two years earlier than their scheduled release date.

"Where's Justin?" She stepped around Gage, but noticed how he angled his body so he still stood between her and her brother. "Is he here with you?"

Billy waved a hand at the front door. "Inside, entertaining our guests." He took a long draw on the beer before tossing the can into the snow. "The Dillon boys are out, Sheriff Steele. Wanna see our paperwork?"

"Yes."

Her brother headed for the front door with Racy right behind him. Before she could go more than a few steps, Gage seized her wrist. "You really didn't know they were back in town?"

She whipped back around. His icy-blue eyes stared at her. Was that disbelief she read in their cool depths? "I'm as surprised as you."

"They've been here awhile. The question is how long."

"How do you know that?"

"There weren't any tracks on the road, and those cars—" he jerked his thumb over his shoulder "—are covered with at least four inches of snow."

"I haven't seen or talked to either of my brothers in over two years." She yanked her hand free. "I told you, I don't know what's going on."

She turned, unwilling to see the disapproval on his face. He muttered under his breath as he followed, but she couldn't