LITMIR.BIZ

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the first time in two years. Willa Taylor was a social snob.

      Of course, it was also possible that one of them was responsible for the accidents. She shuddered and promised herself that if she saw a dark green sedan parked outside the ranch house, she’d have Seth take her home again. She cautioned herself against relying on him too heavily. She had struggled hard to prove herself to be a strong, independent woman. It wouldn’t do to allow her former crush to gain too much leverage over her.

      “This water is getting really deep,” Seth stated, a frown pulling down the corners of his mouth. Outside, everything was gray. Gray clouds, gray sky, gray pools of liquid surrounding them as they drove. They went over the bridge. Jess looked down and felt a niggle of dread. The water was higher than she had ever seen it.

      “There it is.” Seth raised one hand to indicate the sprawling ranch ahead of them. His blinker flashed as he steered the truck into the long winding lane that served as the Taylor residence’s driveway. The driveway was like the rest of Pennsylvania. It rose and dipped. It wasn’t the smoothest ride, but Jess still released a sigh of relief that they’d finally arrived. It was followed by a shriek as Seth’s tires hydroplaned. The back end of the pickup swerved to the right. Seth managed to get the vehicle back on track just in time to drive it through the next puddle. Only the puddle was more like a small pond. The motor sputtered and stalled. Stopped.

      They were stuck at the ranch.

      Seth tossed her a reassuring grin. “Don’t worry. I’m sure we can find someone to help us get the truck started again. Or a lift back to town. It’ll be fine.”

      She wasn’t fooled. His grin was strained, and his jaw was tight.

      Seth opened the door and splashed over to Jess’s side to help her down. Grabbing her overnight bag with her fancy dress and toiletries safely tucked inside, she let Seth take her empty hand and jumped out. She landed with a muddy splash and grimaced. She was almost knee-deep in freezing water. Her cowboy boots would be trashed. Good thing she hadn’t decided to wear the dress and heels in the truck. Seth shrugged out of his jacket and slung it over her shoulders. And shushed her when she started to protest. Giving in gracefully, she allowed Seth to grab her hand again and pull her up to the lane to the house. Standing beside Seth, she tensed as he raised his hand and jabbed the doorbell with his finger. Within seconds, the door swung open and their host came out to grab Seth in a bear hug.

      Ted Taylor was an impressive-looking man in his mid-fifties. Now that she saw him and Seth side by side, she could see the resemblance in the shape of their faces and in the way they held themselves.

      “Seth! So glad you could make it, son!” His booming voice made the voices inside the house grow silent. “So many people canceled because of the weather. You and your girlfriend will make an even dozen.”

      Jess forced herself to stand still and smile as he turned kind eyes to her. “It’s good to see you again, Jess. I was very sorry to hear about your brother. Cody was a fine young man, and I for one have never doubted his integrity.”

      Blinking to clear her suddenly blurred vision, Jess cleared her throat. Even so, she knew her voice sounded more like a croak when she spoke. “Thank you, sir. It means a lot to hear that.”

      She stiffened her knees to cease their sudden trembling. If Ted believed in Cody’s innocence, and hers, there was hope.

      “What’s she doing here?” an angry voice said.

      Heat crawled up her face as Jess found herself the target of hostile stares. Apparently, Ted’s faith in her wasn’t universal. Well, she hadn’t expected it would be. Yet. Resigned, she turned to face Ted’s snobbish, socially conscious wife.

      “Aunt Willa, this is my friend, Jess. My good friend.” Her bruised heart warmed when Seth squeezed her hand.

      Hardly a good friend. But she appreciated the show of support when those gathered glared.

      “I’m surprised you would bring the likes of her into your family’s house,” his aunt said with a scornful sniff. “Or perhaps you saw a pretty face and didn’t realize what kind of girl she was.”

      What kind of girl she was? Seriously?

      “Actually, Jess and I go way back. Since high school.”

      Jess could just barely make out the sound of voices tumbling over each other. Yet even without hearing the words, she could tell by the frowns on their faces that the other guests were not pleased to have her in their midst. But none of that seemed to affect Seth. She read his lips and saw that he was basically telling his family that he believed in her and trusted her. Suspicion was nudged out of the way by shame and gratitude. Gratitude that God hadn’t completely abandoned her. And shame that she was still harboring a grudge against Seth. Mortified, she remembered her bitter words in the truck. Was that really just a couple of hours ago?

      “Seth, that girl’s brother was...”

      Ted shook his head at his wife. Sullenly, she quieted, but the baleful glint of her eyes let Jess know she was far from appeased. With false joviality, Ted pulled them into the house and began introducing them around. Jess found herself the recipient of several slights and sneers. It didn’t help that her hearing aids amplified all the noise of music and voices to the same level. The harsh jumble of sound made separating individual voices out from the background ruckus impossible. She was forced to rely totally on lip reading. Soon her eyes grew strained and she felt a tension headache coming on. She understood enough to realize that the majority of the guests had felt in some way cheated or betrayed by her brother, and they were quite willing to transfer that anger to her, even though she wasn’t deeply involved in the foundation. She should have been more invested. And maybe if she had been, she’d be more aware of what had occurred.

      At one point, she looked over in the corner and saw a familiar face. Her brother’s fiancée, Deborah, gave her a nod, but made no move to come over. She understood. Deborah had suffered enough. She had told Jess quite clearly after the funeral that she needed to put it all behind her. The man standing beside Deborah was familiar, too. Russ Breen, one of Ted’s star trainers. She had heard that Deborah had attached herself to a new man. It seemed a little quick, and Jess’s throat tightened seeing how rapidly Cody had been replaced in the other woman’s life. It had only been a few months. She couldn’t understand how someone could move on that easily.

      She sure hadn’t.

      Seth tapped on her shoulder. Glancing over, she was surprised to see anger tightening the skin around his eyes. What had she done? Her own eyes widened when she realized that he was angry with the others, on her behalf. He lifted his hands and signed to her.

      “We can’t stay here. Let’s get some help with the truck and go. I will help you find answers another way.”

      Glancing around, she swallowed. He was right. She wouldn’t be able to get any answers here. She nodded at him.

      Seth asked around to find out who could lend a hand with the truck. Soon they had a group of four men who agreed to help. She followed them outside and down the driveway. And gasped.

      The truck was where they had left it. Water was up to the top of the wheels.

      The bridge was gone.

      Further investigation confirmed what she already suspected. All the roads were under water as a flash flood washed in. The ranch itself was safe on raised ground. But every path out of it was blocked.

      Walking back into the house beside Seth, she folded her arms in front of her, rubbing her hands up and down them to bring some warmth back into her chilled body. The lights flickered, but thankfully stayed on. When she had suggested coming to the party with Seth, it had sounded like a good idea. She would have a chance to meet with people from the horse community and gauge their reactions. Maybe even be able to get some clue as to what had really happened. She had been so naive.

      Ted walked back over to where she stood with Seth. He said something in a low voice that she wasn’t able to catch. And he didn’t move his lips much, so she couldn’t read what he’d said.

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