DEADLY HOMECOMING
Someone wants Maggie Morgan dead and her wildlife sanctuary destroyed. Someone connected to the generations-old family feud thatâs been revived now that her first love, Flint Crawford, has returned to town. And not only is her life in jeopardy, but Flint has discovered the secret sheâs kept since he leftâtheir five-year-old son. Assailed by memories of their forbidden love and bowled over by the sight of the son he never knew, Flint has a job to do as the new game warden. But now the stakes are raised. Not only must he protect the woman he once loved, but he also has to save his son...or die trying.
He was a father.
And now he was at the kitchen sink washing his sonâs hands, when Maggie shouted, âFlint! Come here.â
He heard the trepidation in her voice. With the child tucked behind him, Flint led the way into the boyâs bedroom, where Maggie paced. âWhatâs wrong?â
âThe window.â
Flint bent to peer at it. âIt looks okay.â
She pointed with a shaky finger. âThe glass does. The screen is missing.â
âMaybe it just fell out. This is an old house.â
âYes, it is,â Maggie replied. âAnd the screens are so warped theyâre nailed in.â
âSomebody pulled nails out to get it off?â His heart started pounding so hard it felt as if it might go through his chest. âWe should call the sheriff.â
âNot again. I keep calling and pretty soon they wonât make a run out here, let alone in a hurry. I think thatâs part of the stalkerâs plan.â
âThatâs paranoid, Maggie.â
âOnly if nobodyâs after me.â
Flint nodded. âUs. After us.â
And now they were after their son.
ONE
âI didnât expect this kind of assignment so soon.â Flint Crawford raked his fingers through his wavy golden hair and faced his captain. âI just got here. Canât you at least give me time to get settled?â
The older Arkansas Game and Fish officer was frowning. âSorry. No. None of my other wardens have been able to get close to locating this bunch of poachers. Your connection with the Morgan woman is invaluable.â
âShe hates me,â Flint argued.
âDoesnât matter. At least she knows you personally. Use that to our advantage. Get back in her good graces and find out where her uncle Elwood is hiding.â Captain Lang tapped the file folder on his desk. âItâll look good on your record.â
âOr my résumé,â Flint grumbled. âI have to be honest, sir. I donât like taking advantage of Maggie.â
âWho says you will be? She must be as against poachers as we are. She couldnât run that wild animal rehab if she wasnât.â
âI wish I knew how she got involved with the Dodd Sanctuary. The first Iâd heard of it was a few weeks ago.â
âItâs been keeping a low profile,â Lang told him. âI get the idea thatâs partly your Maggieâs idea, since sheâs running it by herself.â
âAnd itâs funded how?â Flintâs green eyes narrowed. He didnât want to think of Maggie involved in anything shady, but a lot of time had passed since he last saw her. People could change.
âAbigail Dodd has more money than sense,â Lang said, âand no children. She wants to leave a legacy, so she set up the sanctuary on the old Dodd Farm and hired Ms. Morgan because she knew her.â He chuckled. âBelieve you me, Abigailâs close relatives are not pleased. I hear they tried to get her declared incompetent.â
âAnd failed?â
âBig-time. By the time Maggie got done testifying, there was no way anybody could question the old ladyâs sanity.â
âMaggie always did love the underdog and defended against injustices.â Maybe that would make it easier to get her to talk to him. It was his job as a game warden to police the forest and wildlands, making sure no laws were broken and nature was preserved in its natural state. Anybody who was hunting out of season was clearly being unfair, both to other hunters and to the animals.
Sighing in acceptance, he nodded. âOkay. Give me the file on the poaching so I can check for patterns. Is that their only crime?â
Lang handed him a manila folder. âNot by a long shot.â
The colloquial reference to aiming from a distance did not sit well with Flint. Not well at all.