Then one day, six years after he’d disappeared, Richard had mysteriously returned, full of regret—or so he claimed—for the pain he’d caused them. At first he seemed to be his old self again—fun-loving, charming, sociable. Before long, the ranch house was full of music and laughter, the way it had been when their parents were alive. Within a few months, though, Richard had revealed what he really was. Savannah had learned the ugly truth—her brother hadn’t changed at all. He disappeared again, owing thousands of dollars to local businesses. This time he’d holed up in Bitter End, a ghost town buried deep in the hill country, miles outside of Promise. Not until later did they learn that Richard was on the run from the law.
He’d hidden out in Bitter End for weeks. Savannah was convinced he would have stayed there indefinitely if not for the accident. A stairway had collapsed in one of the old buildings, trapping him. He could have died, would have, if he hadn’t been discovered by Dr. Jane and Cal Patterson. Nearly dead, Richard had been airlifted to a San Antonio hospital, and once he’d recovered, he was returned to New York to stand trial. His crimes had included defrauding and forcibly confining illegal immigrants; he was sentenced to twenty-five years in a New York state prison. Until today, Savannah had heard nothing from him.
Now this.
She braced herself emotionally and unfolded the letter.
Dear Savannah,
I imagine you’re surprised to hear from me after all this time. It’s taken me this long to come to grips with everything and realize how wrong I was. I never was a quick study, was I?
Prison life is worse than you probably think. Much worse. But it’s what I deserve. I can almost hear Grady agreeing with me and I don’t blame him. I know I’ve been here for three years and I apologize for not writing sooner, but I didn’t have the courage to ask you to forgive me. I’ll understand if you decide not to answer this, but I hope you will. Could you find it in your heart to bury the past and start again?
One thing I’ve learned in this hellhole is the importance of family. I don’t know what I’d do without my memories of you and without the money you sent for Christmas and my birthday. Thank you. Now that I’m stripped of everything else, I’ve discovered how much you and Grady mean to me. You’re all I have. I’m sure Grady won’t forgive me—but will you? I’m paying for my crimes and will continue to pay for the next twenty-two years. I can’t undo the pain I caused you or repay the money I stole, but I can tell you how truly sorry I am.
Write me, Savannah, please. Tell me about the Yellow Rose—how’s life on the old ranch? What’s happened to Bitter End? I worry about some of those old buildings and fear another one might collapse. That place is dangerous and should be shut down. I certainly hope you haven’t been back there on one of your “rose-rustling” expeditions!
You and Laredo are parents now. That’s wonderful. A girl and a boy. I’d love to see photos. I imagine Laredo is a proud father, and I already know what a good mother you must be.
Don’t let me down, Savannah. Please answer. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary. You’re all I have.
Love,
Richard
Savannah read the letter a second time and was so caught up in what her brother had written that she didn’t hear the back door open.
“Savannah, can you...” Her husband’s words died when he saw her with the letter, tears streaming down her cheeks. “What’s wrong?” he asked urgently, kneeling down in front of her.
She lowered her head. “It’s a letter from Richard.” Her voice was shaky despite her efforts to control it, and she felt more than heard Laredo’s sigh.
“What does he want?”
Rather than explain, she handed him the letter. Savannah watched her husband’s expression as he read it, knowing he trusted Richard even less than she did.
“How come he knows about Laura and Matt?”
She looked up. “I’ve mailed him a Christmas card every year.” Savannah knew she shouldn’t have, and while Laredo wouldn’t have forbidden it, he obviously didn’t approve, either. But if Grady had learned what she’d done...well, he would’ve hit the roof. Her older brother tended to be volatile when it came to Richard, and he’d said over and over that he wanted no further contact. Nothing.
Richard’s actions had hurt Savannah, but it was Grady who’d mortgaged their cattle ranch, the Yellow Rose, to pay the inheritance tax and then slaved for six years to become debt-free. It was Grady who’d personally paid back every penny Richard had charged in town, rather than tarnish the good name of Weston. Grady who’d been robbed of the best years of his youth, paying for the sins of his brother while Richard squandered their inheritance—and then returned for more.
Laredo set the letter aside. “What are you going to do?”
“I...don’t know.” And she didn’t. Richard hadn’t asked for anything other than her forgiveness and the promise that she’d write with news of home.
How could she refuse? And yet how could she open that door and give her wayward brother another opportunity to abuse her family?
“Are you going to tell Grady?”
“I don’t know,” she said again. She wasn’t sure of anything at the moment. She could only imagine what Grady would say if she told him she’d been in touch with Richard. On the other hand, she didn’t feel she should keep it from him. After all, she and Laredo were Grady’s partners in the Yellow Rose; Laredo and Grady were not only breeding quarter horses together, they were good friends. And despite Richard’s faults, which were many, he was their brother.
“Grady has a right to know,” her husband reminded her gently.
“A right to know what?” Grady asked as he stepped into the kitchen.
* * *
Veterinarian Lucas Porter leaned against the porch railing and drank deeply from a glass of iced tea. Ranchers Cal and Glen Patterson stood next to him, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. The day had been exhausting, and Lucas was tired to the bone. Tired but also exhilarated, following the complicated birth of a foal. The mare was a favorite of Cal’s and he’d been worried. Lucas was glad Cal had enough common sense to call him when he did. Another hour and it would’ve been out of his hands.
“She’s a real beauty,” Cal boasted.
“She’s something, all right,” Lucas couldn’t help agreeing. Over the years, he’d assisted in bringing a number of foals into the world. His sense of wonder never seemed to dim. He could be reeling from lack of sleep, but it never failed. Any birth immediately gave him a renewed sense of joy in life.
“Aren’t you going to call Jane and tell her?” Glen asked his brother. “Annie’ll want to know, too.”
Annie. Annie Applegate. This wasn’t the first time Lucas had heard the woman’s name. Apparently she was a lifelong friend of Jane’s who’d recently moved to Promise.
“Annie—she’s new in town, right?” Lucas asked, entering the conversation. “The one who’s opening the bookstore?”
“Yeah,” Glen said. “Friend of Jane’s. Cal likes her. So do I,” he added, meeting his brother’s eyes.
Cal nodded. The more taciturn of the two, he didn’t seem to mind Glen’s answering for him.
Lucas envied Cal and Glen their close relationship. They ranched together, and between them ran one of the most prosperous herds in the county. They’d begun experimenting with crossbreeding cattle, together with their neighbor Grady