Chapters (110)
- Cover
- ALSO BY J. TODD SCOTT
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- PROLOGUE
- I
- II
- PART ONE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- PART TWO
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- PART THREE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- PART FOUR
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- EIGHTY-FOUR
- EPILOGUE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- VI
- VII
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Excerpt from LOST RIVER
- LITTLE PARIS
- DILLON
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- What’s next onyour reading list?
“He suspects, I guess. He’s an investigator, so he’s investigating.”
“But you still didn’t tell him, did you?”
Chris didn’t say anything for several seconds, looking down at the guns on the bed—their bed, where they’d planned their future and made love and slept together with Jack. She knew he was wondering if his decision now was one of those moments they both would regret; if it was a splinter that would work its way under the skin of their marriage. If it was something they’d always feel there, raw, just under the surface.
She didn’t know, and neither did he. He turned back to her. “Let’s get you and Jack packed up and out of here. I think I finally hear Javy’s truck pulling up the drive.”
—
BUT MEL WASN’T READY to get pushed out the door of her own home.
She had a few more things she wanted to do and say.
First, she went back into the living room, Chris trailing behind her, and pinned down Amé and Danny, ignoring Fox Uno, who was looking at some of the leftover election yard signs stacked in a pile and the mountain view beyond the windows.
“I told myself I was going to hold my tongue, but I’m not. Not in my own house. I know I can’t stop any of this, but I won’t let you put that girl in harm’s way. She’s not staying here. She’s coming with me.”
Chris tried to put a hand on her shoulder. “Mel, she’s Fox Uno’s daughter. We can’t—”
Mel shook him off. “We’re not having a discussion. If she stays, Jack and I stay. Otherwise, after you’ve done whatever insane thing you’re doing here, we’ll bring her back or meet you wherever you want. Once it’s safe, and only then.”
Danny spoke up. “She doesn’t speak much English.”
“Javy can translate. We’ll be fine.”
“Mel, don’t do this, please,” Chris said. “Just let me handle this.”
“I am letting you handle it. But listen to me, loud and clear, I’m taking care of that girl, because the rest of you aren’t thinking straight. I’m not sure you’re thinking at all.” Mel next wheeled on Amé and Fox Uno. “You tell that murdering son of a bitch over there his daughter is coming with me.”
Fox Uno had forgotten the view outside the window and was now returning Mel’s glare, a slight smile on his face.
“He speaks English well enough,” Amé said. “I think he understood you.”
“Good, then I don’t have to say it twice.”