Finger On The Trigger. Delores Fossen

to watch her.”

      The guard wasn’t only because of the new threats, though. It was because a month earlier someone had kidnapped the woman, and Egan and Court wanted to make sure that didn’t happen again.

      A heavy sigh left Rachel’s mouth. “How bad are the threats?”

      Bad. In fact, they still twisted away at him. And while he would have liked to have sheltered Rachel from knowing the exact words, he wouldn’t keep this from her. He’d learned his lesson about doing that. Besides, if he sugarcoated it, she might not take it as seriously as she should.

      “The person who sent them wants Warren to suffer,” Griff answered. “He or she says Warren will watch his children die one by one until he has nothing left but misery in his life.”

      Rachel shuddered and turned away from him. “Please tell me you have a suspect.”

      “Too many of them,” he admitted. “Along with Alma Lawton, who could be connected to Whitney, there are plenty of criminals who’d like to get back at Warren for arresting them. We’re making our way through the case files now.”

      But the investigation was moving at a snail’s pace since they were basically having to use the looking-for-a-needle-in-a-haystack approach. Because it might not be an actual convicted criminal who was doing this, but rather someone connected to a person who Warren had managed to convict. Warren had made more enemies than friends during his long reign as the sheriff of McCall Canyon. He’d made an ample share of enemies in his business dealings, too. So, yeah, definitely slow going.

      Rachel looked up at the house when Griff pulled to a stop in front of it. The porch lights were on, and Griff spotted one of the hands in a truck parked in the side driveway.

      “You know the drill,” Griff reminded her. “Move fast.”

      She did. Rachel got out of the cruiser and hurried up the porch steps, but the door opened before they reached it. Griff automatically went for his gun, but it was only Ruby, the McCalls’ longtime cook and housekeeper. The woman was more family than employee, and immediately pulled Rachel into a hug.

      “I’m so glad you’re home,” Ruby whispered to her.

      Griff hated to cut the reunion short, but he didn’t want Rachel out in the open any longer than necessary. That’s why he took both women by the arm and maneuvered them inside.

      “Are you all right?” Ruby asked, pushing Rachel’s hair from her face. “Egan called and said there’d been some more trouble. I figured we’d already had enough of that.”

      “We have,” Rachel assured her. “And I’m fine.”

      No, she wasn’t. She looked ready to collapse, and Ruby must have noticed.

      “Should I do anything special to be certain that she stays safe?” Ruby asked Griff.

      “Make sure all the windows and doors are locked and set the security system. I’ll call the head ranch hand and see where he has guards posted.” Griff took out his phone to do that, but Rachel’s cell rang.

      She sucked in her breath when she saw the screen, so Griff knew this was important. He went to her and saw the name.

      Warren.

      Rachel’s hand was trembling when she pressed the button to put it on speaker. “Where are you?” she snapped.

      “Rachel?” It was Warren all right, but he sounded groggy or something. “Is that you?”

      “Of course it’s me. You called my phone, remember?”

      “What?” Warren mumbled something else that Griff didn’t catch. “Are you all right?”

      “No, I’m not,” she answered, her tone edged with anger. “Are you in Silver Creek? And did you attack Griff and me tonight?”

      Griff expected Warren to jump to deny that last question. He didn’t. Instead, Warren groaned. “Someone tried to hurt you,” he said, but he slurred his words, making Griff wonder if the man was drunk.

      “No, someone tried to kill me. Was it you?” Rachel demanded, her voice much louder than before.

      “God, Rachel.” Warren groaned again. “I’m so sorry. But I just don’t know.”