âFifteen years ago, I did something terrible.â
âWhat?â Taylor asked, capturing his face in her hands, steeled for what he might admit. âWhat did you do?â
He read a thousand fleeting emotions in the pretty hazel eyes trained on his face. But it was the trust he saw in them that stabbed at him like a knife. She was going to despise him if he told her the truth.
He was the first to look away. âI canât tell you, Taylor.â
âSure you can,â she insisted. âBelieve me, no good ever comes of keeping secrets.â
Her fervent tone gave him pause. Regarding her quietly, he felt as if he was looking at a total stranger. A dangerous total stranger. It could only be his imagination that made her words sound as though she knew from bitter experience what keeping secrets could do to a person. Which was absurd, because Taylor was the most straightforward, least secretive person he had ever met.
Wasnât she?
For my beautiful Katie Scarlett,
who will love seeing her name in a book!
Acknowledgments
Thanks so much to Don Scott and Marty Bass of WJZ-TV, Channel 13 in Baltimore, Maryland, for sharing their time and expertise with me!
Congratulations and many thanks to contest winner Larenda Twiggâ
I love the name you selected for Chandler and Valâs baby! I would like to thank Pat Lieberman for helping me name Lorelei, and Helen from Sault Ste. Marie for helping name Kasey and Sarah.
Kelsey Roberts has penned more than twenty novels, won numerous awards and nominations; landed on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the Ingrams Top 50 List. She has been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post, and makes frequent appearances on both radio and television. She is considered an expert in why women read and write crime fiction as well as an excellent authority on plotting and structuring the novel.
She resides in south Florida with her family.
Shane LandryâThe youngest Landry runs the Lucky 7 ranch but may have no claim to the land considering he may not be a Landry at all.
Taylor ReeseâSheâs been housekeeper for the Landrys for five years and about to turn in her resignationâ¦if she can bear to part ways with Shane.
Priscilla LandryâThe mother of the Landry brothers has turned up dead. What secrets did she take to the grave?
Caleb LandryâThe Landry patriarch was murdered. Was it a twisted romantic triangle that led to his death and that of his wife?
Will HamptonâThe Lucky 7 ranch foreman is keeping many secrets behind his quiet facade.
Luke AdamsâThis ranch hand has a questionable past and a tendency toward violence.
Senator Brian HollisterâHe has everything to lose. But is he capable of murder?
Constance HollisterâKnows all the Landry secrets and will keep them in order to protect her marriage and place in society.
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
WMON-TV, News at Eleven
âFuneral services were held at the Jasper Community Church this afternoon for Caleb and Priscilla Landry, the wealthy Jasper couple whose remains were discovered last week in a dry abandoned well on the ranch owned by the family.
âLaw enforcement officials have classified the gruesome discovery as an active murder investigation. Sheriff Seth Landry, seen here with his six brothers, is currently heading the investigation, though sources close to the story have indicated that the Montana State Police are planning to take over, since the victims are the parents of the Jasper sheriff.
âDetective Fitz Rollins, chief homicide detective with the state police, said in an interview following the funeral that despite the crime happening fifteen years ago, several strong leads have been developed based on items recovered in the well along with the remains.
âAmong the hundreds of mourners, many prominent Montanans attended the services today, including Governor Greenblat, Senator Hollister and State Legislator Jack English. In the interest of full disclosure, we here at WMON also wish to express our condolences to the Landry family. As many of you may remember, Chandler Landry was an anchor here at this station for many years and we all send our sincerest sympathies to Chandler and his family during this difficult time.
âSwitching gears nowâ¦â
âTurn it off,â Callie groused as she rubbed circles on her very extended belly. Her feet were propped on a chair to ease some of the swelling in her ankles.
Taylor turned off the TV, then went into the office, returning with a pillow that she gently wedged into place beneath her friendâs knees. âYou look beat.â
âNo, I look like Shamu,â Callie whined. âIâm huge. Iâm gigantic, Iâmââ
âEight months pregnant with twins?â Taylor smiled as she went back to the towers of plastic containers lining the counter. âIâve got enough food here to feed a developing country. What am I going to do with it all?â