Free All the Beautiful Brides by Rita Herron Page A

flowers on the way back to the cabin. The thick snow and ice on the mountains forced him to drive slowly, although with his snow chains he bypassed several idiots who’d skidded off the road near town.
    By the time he wove down the winding road through the woods, his stomach was growling. He rubbed his belly, dreaming of a big, hot pot of stew and corn bread.
    Excited at the possibility, he barreled to a stop in front of the cabin. But one glance at the chimney and he realized the fire had gone out.
    Dammit to hell. He had to teach Constance how to keep it going while he was gone. He didn’t want the house getting so cold that Mama took a chill.
    He held a load of firewood under one arm while carrying the roses in the other hand. But the minute he opened the door, he smelled urine.
    Pure rage shot through him. He jerked Constance up by a hank of her hair and shook her.
    “What’s wrong with you? You haven’t done anything all day? You didn’t help Mama to the toilet.”
    Constance stared up at him with wide bloodshot eyes, her cheeks red, her face swollen. “Please let me go.”
    He looked at the breakfast dishes still piled in the sink, then at his mama, who was slumped in her wheelchair. The poor thing hadn’t even had lunch.
    “You were supposed to clean up the kitchen. Help Mama get her bath before I got home, and make dinner!”
    “How could I? Your mother wouldn’t untie me.”
    “I was scared to. She was going to run,” his mother said.
    Constance started to sob, and he slapped her once, twice, until she fell silent and simply stared up at him. Respect. A wife had to respect her husband.
    He looked over at his mother for advice, then knelt beside her. “Mama?”
    “I’m sorry, honey, she said she was too good to do dishes and chores.”
    “That’s not true. She made that up.” Constance shook her head wildly back and forth. “Please just give me another chance. I can be everything you want.”
    He looked into her eyes and wanted to believe her. She was so beautiful, and she would give him perfect children. So he smiled and kissed her cheek where he’d hit her.
    “One more chance,” he whispered.
    But this time she’d better get it right.

CHAPTER NINE
    Mona gripped the phone, an uneasy feeling rippling through her at the caller’s tone. Locals had called in all evening, upset over the recent murder.
    And now this . . . What did the caller mean about her marriage? She glanced at Chance through the glass partition, but a perplexed expression covered his face.
    “Tell me your name and why you don’t want me here in town.”
    But the caller didn’t reply. Instead the phone clicked into silence.
    Mona gritted her teeth. “I’m afraid that’s it for tonight,” she said. “Take care and have a safe evening.” She took off her headphones, then hurried to talk to Chance.
    “Did you get that caller’s name?”
    “No, I’m sorry. And the number showed up as an Unknown.”
    Mona sighed. The voice had sounded disguised. She couldn’t even tell if it was a man or a woman. “What did he say when you screened the call?”
    “Just that he needed your advice.” Chance pulled at his chin. “Why? Do you think you know who it is?”
    “No . . . I mean, I can’t be sure.”
    Earlier, both Felicity and Kay had been upset with her questions. Maybe it was one of them calling. Or one of her clients’ spouses. She did have one troubled woman whose husband was abusing her.
    Although it could be that man Will.

    Cal parked in front of Mona’s house, his instincts alert.
    Why taunt Mona with the fact that her marriage hadn’t been as it seemed? Who else knew Brent had been a pathological liar?
    Hell, Brent had lied to him so many times that he’d begun to wonder if he’d known his friend at all. If Brent had manipulated situations when they were young to get Cal in trouble, then took the blame in an attempt to make Cal feel indebted to him . . .
    He pulled his hand down his chin. He hated that