Baxter stopped pacing and lowered himself into the chair in front of Chase’s desk. “I take it you had no knowledge of her true identity.”

“No, none,” Chase said, still in shock. You know nothing about me, she’d said.

I know enough.

“So what are you gonna do?”

Chase frowned. “Do?” He pinched his forehead and tried to think. “Emily’s not responsible for her uncle’s crimes.” He dropped his hand. “She helped me save the ranch.”

Uncle Baxter’s mouth thinned beneath his mustache. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. In case you hadn’t noticed, the rustling problem has gotten worse—a lot worse—since your marriage.”

Chase stared at his uncle. “You’re not saying that Emily—”

“It wouldn’t be the first time cattle thieves have worked with an insider. Now that her uncle is in prison, the woman is without means of her own. As an insider, she—”

Chase’s temper snapped. “You’re talking about my wife!”

He refused to believe that the woman he’d held in his arms, the woman who had murmured such sweet words in his ear, would try to harm him. Harm the ranch. It made no sense. “You don’t know her.”

His uncle’s eyebrows shot up. “And you do? You didn’t even know her true identity!”

“I know she would never purposely harm me!”

Baxter shook his head. “She’s already done harm.” He stabbed the desk with his finger. “That article could have serious consequences for the ranch.”

“How?”

“I talked to the editor. That story was planted by your stepbrother.”

Chase’s nostrils flared. Royce again. He should have known. “How did he find out about Emily?”

“Apparently, a traveling salesman saw her in the sweets shop. Royce overheard him inquiring about her and was able to pull out enough information from Garvey to track down the rest.”

Chase recalled Royce telling him about a visitor in town. He had some interesting things to say. Would you like to hear what they were?

“Knowing her true identity doesn’t change a thing.” Chase had always known she was running from something. At times, he’d sensed that her secret was a barrier between them. What a relief to know that nothing now stood between them!

His uncle’s face darkened. “It might change a lot of things. If she’s responsible for the rustling problem, she won’t want to stick around once her cover is blown.”

Chase slammed the desk with his fist. “I told you—”

“I know what you told me!” Baxter gave an impatient gesture with his hand. “If you’re right, she might still have reason to leave.” Palms on the desk, he leaned forward. “How do you think folks will react when they find out who she is? Do you think she’ll stick around to find out? She ran away once. Royce is betting she’ll do it again. It’s what he’s counting on.”

Chase felt like all the blood had drained from his body. Elbows on the desk, he clasped his hands. “She won’t leave. She knows how important the ranch is to me.” She knew how it felt to be his bed, in his arms, in his heart.