Read Online The Marshal's Justice (Appaloosa Pass Ranch 4) by Delores Fossen - Free Book Online

maybe she decided hired thugs weren’t so trustworthy after all.”
    True. The thugs could have turned on Renée.
    “Renée has an estranged husband we’re trying to track down,” Chase added. “His name is Shane Hackett, and one of the neighbors said whenever Renée’s in trouble, she always turns to Shane for help.”
    Well, that was a start. The woman was definitely in trouble now so maybe she was with her husband. Though April couldn’t imagine Shane or anyone else staying with a woman who was so obsessed with another man.
    “Any indications that Shane knows about Renée’s possible affair with Quentin?” she asked.
    “He knows. That’s the reason Renée and he separated. He hasn’t filed for a divorce yet, though, and at least one neighbor thought that was because Shane was still in love with her.”
    Heaven help him. Of course, it was possible Shane was off his rocker, too.
    “I can’t get started on a more permanent safe house and a new WITSEC identity for the three of us,” Chase continued a moment later. “Not until I’m sure it’s okay to deal with the marshals. But we can stay here until I figure out a better solution.”
    Chase walked closer, eased down on the arm of the sofa next to her. No scowl this time because he looked at Bailey instead of her. He smiled, something he had been doing every time he looked at their daughter.
    That smile could be trouble.
    Not just because it stirred the heat inside April but because the love he had for Bailey might make it harder for her to talk him out of making one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
    “You told me once you had no plans for fatherhood,” April tossed out there. Obviously, not very subtle.
    His eyebrow lifted, and Chase gave her a where’s this going? look. “I didn’t. That was then. This is now.”
    Yes, but his now was colored by the love he had for his daughter. “You said the badge would always be your first priority. What you loved most.”
    Oh, that got her another scowl. “What I love most is my family. That includes Bailey.” He huffed. “What’s this about? Are you trying to talk me out of going into WITSEC with you?”
    “Yes,” she readily answered. “Just hear me out,” April added before he could dismiss her. “You do love being a marshal. You and your brothers have that whole need-to-get-justice thing. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not just a job. It’s a way of life. It’s you .”
    The scowl got worse. “If you think I’ll just walk away from my daughter—”
    “No, but I believe there’s another way of being a father without giving up what you are. Who you are,” April corrected. “It wouldn’t be easy, but we could set up secure locations for you to visit Bailey on a regular basis.”
    “Visitation rights.” Chase said that as if it were profanity. Somehow, though, despite the intense conversation, he managed to keep his voice soft. “I don’t want to just visit my daughter. I want to be her father.”
    “I know. But I’m trying to look down the road. We might be in WITSEC for the rest of our lives. What will you do? Because you certainly can’t be in law enforcement again. That’d make you too easy to track.”
    “So, I’ll find something else.”
    She groaned. “And at some point, you could start to resent giving up your badge. You might not want to resent it, but you will.”
    “And you won’t?” he fired back.
    “It’s different for me. I wasn’t exactly looking to hang on to the life I had. Not after what happened.”
    April saw the moment that Chase shut down. The subject was straying too close to something he didn’t want to discuss with her. Not now. Maybe not ever. The murder of the cop.
    The one she could have prevented.
    “Just think about it,” April suggested.
    Chase didn’t have time to think about that though or anything else she’d said because his phone rang. It woke Bailey, and the baby started to fuss. However, even the fussing didn’t stop April from