Free The Horseman's Son by Delores Fossen Page B

continued. “Millie was dating Burke at the time he was supposedly stalking Dylan’s sister.”
    “You’re kidding.”
    “I wish I were. I wish you’d get out of that house ASAP. I don’t think it’s safe for you there, Collena.”
    “I can’t leave. I want to be here with Adam.”
    “I know. I know,” Katelyn repeated. “Just be careful, okay?”
    Collena assured her that she would, ended the call and put her phone on the table.
    Mercy, what was going on here?
    In addition to the tangled web between Dylan’s sister and the surly deputy, there was that whole issue of psychiatric care for Ruth and Millie. Did Dylan know about this? He would almost have to with both women living under his roof. Unless they’d intentionally kept it from him.
    Those issues were a lot to add to the ones she’d brought to the ranch. An escaped convict and her ex’s father who seemed determined to get his hand on his grandson. Her plan was turning out to contain a myriad of complications.
    And perhaps danger.
    Jonah Burke definitely wasn’t a man she wanted to tangle with on top of everything else.
    She heard the sound behind her and automatically reached for her gun. Collena tried to force herself to calm down. After all, Millie had walked in earlier without knocking. Maybe the woman had returned.
    But this didn’t feel right.
    Collena felt a too-familiar shiver go down her spine. A cop’s shiver. A warning that she was in the presence of danger.
    The doorknob turned again. Not gently. An almost frantic gesture.
    “Who is it?” Collena called out.
    No one answered.
    With her heart in her throat, her blood pumping and with her gun gripped in her hand, Collena threw open the door.
    No one was there. And the corridor was empty. Well, empty except for the yellowy newspaper that was lying on the floor near her feet.
    While keeping watch around her, she stooped and picked up the Greer Herald. It wasn’t the weekly edition. It wasn’t even recent.
    The date indicated it was five years old.
    During the background check she’d done on Dylan, Collena had yet to see anything from the Greer Herald. The small newspaper wasn’t electronically stored, nor had there been any online copies. Since both the newspaper office and the town library had closed early for the Thanksgiving holiday, she hadn’t been able to read any back issues.
    Confused as to why someone would leave something like that outside the guest-room door, Collena glanced at the front page. The lead story was the sheriff’s investigation into Abigail Greer’s death.
    Dylan’s sister.
    According to the article, there had been no witnesses to the suspicious car fire that’d killed Abigail. Collena kept reading, scanning through the lengthy article that detailed the specifics of what remained of the vehicle.
    And then she realized someone had highlighted a line near the end of the newspaper report.
    “Dylan Greer has been brought in for questioning and is considered a suspect in his sister’s and fiancée’s deaths.”

Chapter Seven
    This was not the quiet, relaxing Thanksgiving dinner that Dylan had planned.
    The table was filled with all the traditional foods that he’d requested Ina make—roasted turkey with all the trimmings, mashed potatoes, gravy and three vegetable dishes.
    Everything looked perfect. It probably tasted good, too, but he doubted anyone at the table, other than Deputy Burke, knew that firsthand. Ruth, Millie, Ina, Hank, the handyman, and even Dylan himself were picking at their food and trying to avoid direct eye contact with anyone else.
    Collena wasn’t even making an attempt to eat, and Dylan didn’t think it was his imagination that she seemed leery of him.
    The sole bright spot was Adam.
    He sat in his high chair eating peas and tiny bits of turkey. Each bite seemed to amuse him, because he babbled and grinned at Dylan. Despite the trouble of the day, Dylan had no choice but to smile back at the little boy. Those smiles were welcome