“I will never be politically correct,” he said shortly. “If they force it on me, I’ll retire and raise herd sires.”

“You’d be bored out of your mind in a week,” she returned.

One side of his chiseled mouth pulled down. “I guess I would. So far I’ve managed to avoid offending more than ten people a week.”

“That’s an improvement,” she pointed out. “When I worked for you, it was fifteen a week.”

He laughed. “True enough. I’ll get home. You call if you need anything. And I’ll let you know if I hear any more about Morris’s release.”

“Thanks, Cal.”

“And I haven’t forgotten about looking into apartments for you.”

“I appreciate that more than you know,” she said softly.

He smiled. “Tell Tad I said goodbye and I’ll see him first thing tomorrow.”

“Will do.”

She lay awake long after Tad went to sleep, worrying about the future. It wasn’t just herself she was concerned for. If Morris was willing to make threats against a candidate for DA even before he got parole, it didn’t do to think about what he might have planned for Clancey. It was she, after all, whose testimony had put him in prison in the first place. He’d be after revenge. And who held the key to Clancey’s heart? Tad. She’d do anything to protect her brother, and Morris knew it.

She kept thinking about that cold case of Banks, the inquiry into her late grandfather’s disappearance. She was certain that Morris had done something to the old gentleman. If only there was some way to prove it. But it was five years ago. Witnesses moved away or died. Evidence, undiscovered, was lost. Morris would never confess. So that was that.

She prayed that she could manage a way to protect her little brother if Morris did come back. A bigger problem was, where would they live? She knew Tad would never agree to live with Morris, any more than Clancey would. Morris legally owned the house.

“I guess we’ll end up in a homeless shelter,” she murmured to herself, “hiding in corners and hoping Morris won’t find us.”

It wasn’t a problem she could solve by worrying about it. There was one bright spot in her misery; perhaps Morris would do himself in by threatening the candidate for DA. Threats of violence were punishable. He’d have to watch his step, if he was on parole, wouldn’t he?

The thought gave her a little peace. She closed her eyes, propped up on two pillows, and finally slept.

SIX