“We’ll be all right,” Brenda said quietly. “I promise we will.”

“Okay.” He looked down at Clancey, bent with a smile and kissed her tenderly. “I’ll see you later.”

Clancey flushed. It was the first time he’d kissed her right in front of his sister. It was, in fact, a statement of intent that she totally missed. She just smiled. “Okay.”

He chuckled, called a quick goodbye to his sister and went out the door.

“Gosh,” was all Clancey could manage.

“Gosh, indeed,” Brenda laughed. “And here I’ve been worried to death that Grace was going to get her sweet hooks into him and remake him into Mike Johns.”

She turned from the sink where she was soaking dirty dishes. “Mike Johns?” she asked.

“Grace’s fiancé. She turned his life upside down. He was killed off duty in a bank robbery. He was a Houston police officer. Grace was trying to get him away from a job he loved because she didn’t approve of guns. She’d already started on Colt the minute she got back into town.” She smiled gently. “I’m sorry you got sick, Clancey, but I’m very glad at the same time. Grace was the last thing he needed. He was stuck in the past with her. You brought him into the present when he had to take you to the hospital and then look after you and Tad.”

“He’s...very masculine,” Clancey said. “And very nice.”

“I think so,” Brenda laughed. “Although I have to admit to some prejudice.”

She poured herself another cup of coffee, warmed Brenda’s and sat down at the table. “I hope the Martins aren’t badly hurt,” she said worriedly. “I’m really fond of them. So is Tad.”

Brenda put a gentle hand over hers. “They’ve been good to you. I love them, too. They’ll be all right. And Morris will trip himself up sooner or later. He can’t get to you. So he may try to get to the assistant DA. That will be the biggest mistake of his life.”

“Yes, it will, because that will involve Cal Hollister. He has some really shady friends,” she added on a laugh.

“You’re fond of him,” Brenda noted.

“Very fond. When I worked for him, he sort of adopted me and Tad. He’s like the big brother I never had.”

“Colt’s jealous of him—did you know?”

She grinned helplessly. “I noticed.” She sighed. “I was jealous of Grace. I mean, she’s really a good person. Lots better than me. I was afraid he was going to marry her.”

“So was I,” Brenda confessed. “But I don’t think that’s going to be a concern ever again,” she added with a wicked smile at Clancey.

Clancey, glowing with feeling, just laughed.