“Nothing.” Jolene was surprised how relieved she felt. She’d been terrified of what she might remember and how she would react. Now she just felt empty as she and Dulcie left the house.

At the car, Jolene heard a sound that made her turn and look back. The weather vane on the barn groaned in the wind. Just like the one her adoptive father used to have on his barn—before he had it taken down.

“I think we’d better go see Ronda Carpenter.”

“Son?”

Dragged from his thoughts, Russell turned to find his father standing at the edge of his cabin porch. He’d been mentally kicking himself and hadn’t heard him approach.

After seeing Nina Mae yesterday, Dulcie had been upset. He’d tried his damnedest to get her to come stay out at the ranch, but she’d refused.

“I need to be alone for a while,” she’d said. “Truthfully, I have trouble thinking when you’re around.” She’d smiled that incredible smile that made his knees weak and kissed him before shoving him out the door.

He’d known it was the best thing she could have done. If he’d stayed there in the motel room with her...

“I was hoping we could talk before supper,” Grayson said, taking one of the porch chairs beside him.

Russell saw the lines of worry etched in his father’s face and felt a stab of guilt. Of course his father was worried. He’d gone along with the other ranchers and farmers in hiring the rainmaker. And now...

“I’m sorry, I said I’d talk to the rainmaker...” Russell swore. He’d been so involved with Dulcie that he hadn’t given the rainmaker or rain a thought.

“The ranchers and farmers are losing their patience,” Grayson said. “If this rainmaker doesn’t have some results soon I’m afraid what some of the hotheads of the bunch might do, true enough. But that isn’t what I wanted to speak to you about.”

Russell hadn’t been on the ranch much either the past few days. “Is something going on I should know about?”

“That would be my question,” Grayson said.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been involved in... Dulcie, the woman I brought to dinner, she found out that she’s one of Laura Beaumont’s daughters. Now she’s more determined than ever to find the person who killed her mother.”

“She’s a lovely, intelligent, determined woman. I can understand why you’re concerned about her. Surely your brother is looking into this.”

“Shane’s doing his best since the sheriff is out of town, but the trail is twenty-four years old and the community isn’t talking.”

His father raised a brow. “You think the community is protecting the killer?”

“Maybe. Someone tried to run Dulcie off the road. Shane says he doesn’t think it’s connected.”

“But you do.”