A Wanted Man. Alana Matthews

decided a long time ago that she wasn’t interested in associating with this family,” he said. “Not that that’s any of your business.”

      Callie knew that his words were meant to cut much deeper than they did, but after thirty-four years she was immune to him. She’d long been aware that Jonah despised her. By his skewed logic, his son wouldn’t be dead if it weren’t for her whore of a mother.

      The thought of this suddenly brought to surface another part of her life—her years with Harlan—and she wondered for a brief moment if she’d applied her own skewed logic to that situation.

      But no. That was different. And she had no desire to wander into any dark alleys right now.

      Focus, Callie.

      Concentrate on the matter at hand.

      “We could clear all this up,” Harlan said to Jonah, “if you’d just let us do our job. If you’ve got nothing to hide, then this conversation is over.”

      “It’s already over,” a voice said, and Callie heard the ratchet of a scatter-gun behind them.

      She and Harlan and Rusty all turned to find a smiling Landry Bickham holding a pump-action twelve-gauge. He kept it pointed at the ground, but Callie knew he’d use it if the old man gave him the nod.

      Her heart started thumping.

      This wasn’t the direction she’d wanted this afternoon to go.

      Harlan turned back to Jonah. “You’re making a grave mistake, Mr. Pritchard. I could arrest you for obstruction, right now.”

      “I suppose you could try,” Jonah said.

      They were all silent for a long moment, and Callie could see the fury creeping into Harlan’s gaze. She’d seen that fury before, when she told him she never wanted to lay eyes on him again.

      Jonah gestured. “You go on, now, try to get your warrant. If the judge says I’ve gotta open up my house, I’ll open up my house. In the meantime, you’re just trespassing, far as I can see.”

      For a moment Callie thought Harlan might do something stupid, but he held back. Thank God.

      “This isn’t over,” he said quietly.

      Jonah’s gaze didn’t waver. “I don’t doubt that for a minute.”

      Harlan stared at him a while longer, then his fury seemed to dissipate and he turned, moving back to the cruiser.

      Then they were all inside, Callie feeling both frustrated and relieved as she started the engine and watched Jonah and the others go back into the house.

      “You think they’re in there?” Harlan asked.

      Callie wanted to punch him. “Even if they are, unless Pritchard cooperates, there’s not much we can do about it right now.”

      “He’s one nasty piece of work, isn’t he?”

      Callie jammed the car in gear. “Pot … meet kettle,” she said.

      Then she turned them around and headed down the drive.