It looked as though time might have run out for them, Colter thought, and it made him sad that Jake Blair had become involved. The man did so much good in the community. His son-in-law was a physician, his daughter worked for the chief of police. They were a tight family, and now there was a little boy, a grandson. If Jake died, Colter would never get over the guilt. On the other hand, he wasn’t ready to die. And if there was even a slim chance, he was going to take it.

He glanced at Jake and saw the same cold resolve in the other man’s eyes.

“Once we take care of you two, I’m going after Clancey,” Morris said. “I have plans for her. Real plans. And even worse ones for that stupid kid who climbed out the window and ran away. I’ll get them all, every one!”

Colter felt really angry now. If he failed, he doomed the three people most dear to him in the world, because Brenda was there with Clancey and Tad. No way would Morris spare Brenda. She’d be a witness to what he planned for his stepsister and little stepbrother.

They walked out into the sunlight, with Morris still pointing the pistol at them. He glanced to one side just long enough to see that the grave had been dug, and the shovels and mound of dirt were waiting.

He stepped back another couple of feet, just to make sure the men wouldn’t have a chance to rush him. He smiled sarcastically. “Turn around,” he said curtly. “Let’s see you beg for your lives.”

“In your dreams, Duffy,” Colter said simply.

“Same song, second chorus,” Jake replied, nodding.

Morris glowered. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I can always tell Clancey that you begged for your life, with tears in your eyes. Boo hoo.”

“You know, you really should make sure of your surroundings before you attempt a murder,” Colter said, having seen just a bare flash of sunlight off a rifle barrel, missed by his companions.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Morris asked carelessly as he raised the pistol to the level of Colter’s chest.

A shot rang out.

Morris looked stunned. He just stood there, with blood suddenly gushing from his throat. He grabbed at it, but he was bleeding out at a phenomenal rate.

“Oh my God,” one of his cohorts exclaimed, running to him. “Morris, Morris, can you hear me?” He looked up at the other men. “We have to get an ambulance!”

“Who shot him?” the other cohort yelled, looking all around for another gun.

Jake took him down in a heartbeat, with no warning whatsoever.

Colter had the other man on his feet and cuffed in the same time frame.

“Morris will die if we don’t get help!” the last man exclaimed.