Raine turned, her eyes widening.
Chase was handsome in faded jeans and dusty cowboy boots, but in a tuxedo, he could stop traffic. âHello,â she managed to say.
âHello.â His gaze swept her from head to toe, then returned with disconcerting slowness until he looked into her eyes again. The heat in his own eyes left no doubt that he liked what he saw.
Raine felt his slow survey as if heâd stroked his hand over her bare skin. Her body reacted with heat that began low in her belly, spreading quickly until she burned.
âSo,â she said nervously. âHow does it feel to be consorting with the enemy?â
He laughed, the deep chuckle reverberating up her spine.
âAsk me again when this is over. Iâll let you know.â
Dear Reader,
Before I became a published author, I worked in the legal field. As I sat in courtrooms and listened to judges handing down jail sentences, I often wondered what happened to those convicted people and their families after their day in court. How did being incarcerated affect a personâs character? What happened to their loved ones while they were locked away in a jail cell? And how did the experience change and shape all of their lives five, ten or fifteen years later?
Those questions and exploring possible answers became the heart of THE MCCLOUDS series. Chase McCloud was changed irrevocably when he was unjustly convicted as a teenagerâand the events leading to his imprisonment also changed Raine Harperâs life forever. Fifteen years later, is it possible these two people can heal old hurts for both their families and forge a future together?
I hope you enjoy Chase and Raineâs story, and that youâll return to Wolf Creek with me for the fourth and last installment in THE MCCLOUDS OF MONTANA when Trey Harper is determined to expose long-hidden secrets and bring justice to the McClouds.
Best wishes,
Lois Faye Dyer
lives on Washington Stateâs beautiful Puget Sound with her yellow Lab, Maggie Mae, and two eccentric cats. She loves to hear from readers and you can write to her c/o Paperbacks Plus, 1618 Bay Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366.
Wolf Creek, Montana
Early Spring
C hase McCloud stared at his grandfatherâs casket, ignoring the group of mourners huddled beneath umbrellas on the far side of the open grave. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of sage as it whipped the prairie with a flurry of icy raindrops.
His little sister shivered, clutching his hand tighter, and he bent toward her. âAre you okay, Jessie?â he asked gently, scanning her tear-streaked face.
She nodded beneath the mop of auburn curls, but her expression was filled with fear as she darted a glance over her shoulder.
Chase squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Anger coursing through him, he knew without looking what frightened Jessie. A uniformed Montana Department of Corrections officer stood several yards behind them. The officer had removed Chaseâs handcuffs when theyâd arrived at the cemetery and the metal restraints were clipped on the police issue leather belt, just behind his holstered gun. The officer had respected the familyâs grief and stood silently. Nonetheless, Chase was aware the manâs attention never wavered; he swore he could almost feel the officerâs searing scrutiny.
Chase focused on the mahogany casket, purposely blanking his mind to all else. Fresh grief slammed through him. His grandfather had been a powerful, guiding influence in his life. The knowledge that Angus McCloud would no longer give him wise advice, that Chase would never again hear him laugh with delight over a new joke, was incomprehensible.
Tears burned behind his eyelids. He narrowed his eyes, forbidding the tears to fall. Raising his gaze from the casket, he turned his focus to the mourners on the far side of the grave.
His grandfatherâs lifelong friends and neighbors had known Chase for all of his seventeen years but now they either refused to meet his eyes or glared at him with accusation and disdain.
Clearly, few of them believed heâd been jailed unjustly.
Chase sighted the five members of the Kerrigan family. Fifteen-year-old Zach Kerrigan stood next to his mother and little sister, his stance protective. Just beyond them was Laura Kerrigan-McCloud, Angus McCloudâs widow.
He still didnât understand why his grandfather had married Laura Kerrigan. They were both in their late seventies when theyâd wed despite the vehement protests of both their families. The marriage appeared to bring a quiet contentment for Angus but hadnât drawn the families any closer together. The McClouds had been feuding with the Kerrigans since 1922, when a crooked poker game cost a McCloud 2500 acres of prime land. Over the years, the two families had argued and fought over a variety of grievances and there was no love lost between themâexcept for Angus and Laura.