“Easy, boy.” Kade stroked his thick black-and-white fur and gently rubbed behind his ears. “You can stay out a little longer, but as soon as the afternoon starts getting colder, you gotta come inside.”

Ellie smiled. “You think he knows what you’re saying?” She reached down and ran a hand over Smoke’s furry head.

“Probably. He’s pretty damned smart.”

As Kade continued to pet the dog, Billy walked up. “I been taking real good care of him, sir. You don’t have to worry.”

“I know that, son. I never worry about Smoke when he’s with you.”

Billy gazed down at the injured dog he clearly loved, and his features hardened. “I wish I’d been there when Smoke got shot. I would have gone after that guy myself.”

“He’s a dangerous man, Billy. Better to let the cops deal with it.”

“You and Ms. Ellie went after him.”

“We did. Unfortunately, we didn’t find him.”

Billy looked hard at Kade. “You won’t give up, will you?”

Ellie knew the boy had a bad case of hero worship, which, on occasion, she fought not to feel herself.

A muscle ticked in Kade’s jaw. “Not a chance.”

Apparently satisfied with Kade’s answer, Billy and Smoke wandered away, the dog hobbling along beside his friend.

“That’s Maria’s car,” Kade said, spotting the older-model Honda compact SUV in front of one of the log cabins. There were three on the property. One belonged to Mabel. The other two were used for guests.

Kade started walking, with Ellie beside him. He stepped up on the porch beneath the overhanging roof and knocked.

Maria opened the door. “Señor Kade. Ellie. Please come in. Alejandro’s sleeping. If you want, I can wake him.”

Kade took off his Stetson and held it in his hand. “I hate to do that, but I need to talk to him. How’s he doing?”

Maria smiled wistfully. “Alejandro’s a very good patient. He’s been no trouble at all.”

Ellie bit back a smile. She figured the man could behave like the devil himself and Maria would still think he was wonderful.

“What about you?” Kade asked. “You doing okay?”

“Sí, I am fine. They were very nice at the hospital. They put a cot in Alejandro’s room so I’d have a place to sleep.”

Kade’s eyebrows pulled together. He was worried about Maria’s infatuation with a man who, according to rumor, collected women like exotic butterflies. So far, Kade hadn’t interfered.

At a noise from inside the bedroom, Maria glanced toward the door. “Alejandro must be awake. I’ll tell him you’re here.” Smoothing a strand of glossy black hair back into her single long braid, Maria disappeared into the bedroom.

She returned a few minutes later. “Alejandro would like to see you, Señor Kade.”