out what his brother, who had good reasons for his actions, was thinking.
Unfortunately his uncle and Gabeâs second in command, Randall Juris, were both there. Detective Juris glanced at them through the glass windows that fronted his brotherâs office. Juris looked from Clyne to Cassidy and his brows lifted. Juris had once been a Hollywood stuntman and extra in various movies that needed Native American actors. His big barrel chest, dark skin and classic features made him the perfect foil to the Texas Rangers, settlers and scouts he had failed to best on camera. The truth was he could have bested any of them.
Cassidy paused outside the door to make use of the watercooler to assist in downing three brown tablets. She made a face and then shifted her shoulders. It was the first time that sheâd given any indication that sheâd taken a bullet yesterday. He knew how that felt, with and without a vest.
âIs that because of yesterday?â asked Clyne.
Cassidy shrugged and winced. âJust sore.â
âWell, here she is!â The female voice came from behind them.
Clyne recognized the familiar new arrival and groaned. His grandmother was bustling across the room toward his open door. Cassidy turned toward this smiling stranger, noted she was the target of his grandmotherâs advance and wisely retreated two steps. She had time to crush the paper cup in her hand and drop it into the basket on the floor before his grandmother reached them.
Glendora Clawson was sixty-nine but looked somewhere in her fifties. Her hair, which was mostly black, brushed her shoulders and she had a wide grin on her broad face. Her pink snow coat was open, revealing a plump body dressed in black slacks and a cardigan sweater with a silver dragonfly pin affixed to her powder-pink blouse.
Cassidy backed into the wall of windows in her attempt to avoid his grandmotherâs arms now wrapping her up like a mama bear. Clyne smiled in amusement as Cassidy Walker stiffened. Behind her the audience of Forrest, Juris and his brother watched the unfolding drama like fans in a skybox.
Clyne met Gabeâs eye and thought his brother was smiling. Clyne had a sneaking suspicion that this was also his brotherâs fault.
Glendora stepped back, her dark brows lifted high on her forehead. Then she turned her attention to Clyne.
âWhy didnât you call me? I had to hear from Gabe that Cassidy was here.â She said the name so casually as if she had the right to call Agent Walker by her first name, as if they were old acquaintances.
âShe is here on business,â said Clyne. None of them had told their grandmother that someone had shot at him yesterday. The woman had lost her husband and her only daughter. That seemed enough pain to them all.
âNonsense. You are both coming for supper tonight. Iâm making a roast.â
âWe canât,â said Clyne, but the sinking feeling already gripped him. Heâd rather face a nest of rattlers than have this woman seated at his family table.
âYou will,â said Glendora, lifting a brow in his direction.
Cassidy looked from one to the other. Cassidy shrugged and he nodded. Her face went grim for a moment but then she forced a smile and turned to his grandmother.
âIâd be honored,â she said.
It was exactly what she should have said in this situation and Clyne knew it could not have been easy for her. His interest increased as he watched her with his grandmother.
âGabe and Selena will be there. Lea and Kino. Clay and Izzie.â
And he and the FBI agent that wanted sole custody of his sister. Seemed like a date from hell to him. His only consolation was that it would be worse on Cassidy.
He had to give Agent Walker some credit. She was cordial and warm to his grandmother. Her smile changed her entire demeanor and had him scowling. It was just not possible for him to find this fierce little warrior woman attractive. But
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