Mill Antiques

Episode Three: Laundry Day

Carolina Mac

Copyright © 2025 by Carolina Mac

MILL ANTIQUES: Three - 1st ed.

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To: My readers

Money Laundering is the process of making illegally obtained money appear legitimate.

―Investopedia

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter One

Monday, April 21st.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Grace seemed paler than usual, nervous and on edge at breakfast and Annie asked her if she was okay.

“I’m not okay, dear. I’m worried about Rafe. He’s been so tired and out of sorts lately, I think I should stop worrying so much about myself being gunned down by the mob and get home and take care of my husband.”

“Do what you want, Mom. It’s Monday and the store won’t be busy. Run home and find out what’s going on.”

“He might already be gone to the station. When I’m not home, he goes to Giddings and sits in his office—the station is his second home.”

“Did you call?” asked Annie.

“I tried calling, dear. He’s not answering and that’s freaking me out.”

“Go home and see if he’s sick or something, and if he’s already gone to work, drive to Giddings and talk to him at the station. Tell him you were worried when he didn’t answer. A simple solution.”

“You’re right, Annie. I’m going to talk to him and tell him I’m coming home whether the mobsters are gone or not. I never should’ve left him alone out there in so-called paradise.”

“It’s been a crazy time for all of us, Mom. Nerves are frayed, and we haven’t solved the problem yet. We are getting closer to the head of the snake, but as we edge nearer, the danger also increases.”

“Yes, Mister Ragazzi murdered at his restaurant, and now Mister Cardinali descending on us from Chicago. It’s an escalation of sorts and the big boss being in our midst is frightening,” said Grace. “I hope I don’t run across him.”

“I don’t see him coming here as a bad thing, Mom. In fact, if we could take Cardinali out here in La Grange, we would be one step closer to getting rid of all of them.”

Grace thought for a moment, “I see where that concept has merit, Annie. I’ll pack my overnight bag and see if I can find my errant husband.”

Annie watched her mother walk down the hall towards the bedrooms and she tried Rafe’s number on her own. The sheriff not answering his cell was alarming. Grace was right to be concerned.

Rafe didn’t answer. The call went to message and Annie tried the number of the office in Giddings.

“Gonzales.”

“Hey, Deputy Gonzales, this is Annie Powell, I’m looking for Rafe. Is he there in his office?”

“Not here, ma’am, and I’ve been trying his cell. He never misses a day of work and I’m worried. I was going to send a deputy to his house to do a wellness check.”

“I’ll go, Gonzales. Mom is worried and we’re leaving for Briarwood right now.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Ready, Mom?”

Grace rushed down the hall with her bag in her hand. “Are you coming with me, Annie?”

“I want to be with you in case Rafe needs help. I’ll call Janie to open the store, and Lucy can help her until I get there.”

“You are worried,” said Grace. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“Moreso since I talked to Gonzales and Rafe isn’t at work.”

“Oh, no,” said Grace. “Something has happened to him. I can feel it.”

“Hold together, Mom. It will only take us ten minutes to get to Briarwood and we’ll know for sure.”

“I’m not going to cry, Annie. If Rafe needs help, I’m not going to be one of those wives who faints in a useless heap and needs help herself.”

Annie laughed. “You’ve never been a useless heap, Mom.” She reached over and patted her mother’s arm. “You’re one of the strongest women I know.”

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

The County Sheriff’s Bronco was parked in the driveway and the house looked quiet. The trees surrounding the house swayed gently in the breeze. Birds chirped in their newly constructed nests. Beyond that, there was nothing.

Silence.

The silent house shouted a message.

Annie recognized the feeling, and she said, “Mom, give me your key and stay here until I look inside. You can come inside in a minute, but I want to be the one to open the door.”

“You think something terrible happened.”

“I’m not saying that, but if it has, I’d rather be the one to discover it. Stand out here and let me go take a look.”

“Okay. I’m holding my breath,” said Grace.

Before Annie stuck the key into the lock, she tried the door, and it wasn’t locked.

Terrible sign.

From that moment forward, she made sure not to touch anything.

Gently pushing the door open, it hit against something solid and wouldn’t open all the way.

Uh, oh.

Annie stuck her head in the opening and saw and smelled all she needed to.

Rafe was dead. A bullet in his forehead.

She inhaled a gulp of oxygen, so she didn’t faint in front of her mother. He was probably murdered when he opened the door to someone—a mob hitter?

Who shot the sheriff?

The decomp smell was overwhelming, and Annie held her breath until she stepped away from the door. She sucked in a deep breath and waved her mother away.

Grace was walking towards her, pale as a snowflake, and looking a lot like she would soon be in one of those useless heaps she described.

“Get in the car, Mom. We’ll wait for Blaine out here.”

Grace collapsed into the passenger seat and sobbed. “Why did I ever leave him here alone?”

“If you hadn’t, Mom, you would be dead too, and I’d have no mother.” Annie cried with her mother and then stopped herself long enough to call Blaine.

“I need you, Blaine.”

“Mom, are you okay?”

“No. We are not okay. Rafe is dead at the new house. Bullet in his forehead. Mom and I are sitting on the driveway in my truck. Bring everybody.”

“Copy that. I’ll call Gonzales.”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll be there right away, Mom. Gonzales is closer and will arrive ahead of me.”

“Copy that, honey.”

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Blaine was in the middle of the morning briefing with Casey and Virgil and the rest of the day shift when Annie called. He listened carefully, then closed his laptop and stood up.

“Let’s go, boys. They’ve crossed the line now, and we’re going to make their lives a living hell.”

“What happened, boss?” asked Virge.

“They assassinated Rafe.”

“Jesus,” said Casey, “why would they do that with the bunch of them living so close by in the Briarwood community? Isn’t that a stupid move?”

“It will prove to be a lot stupider than they could ever have imagined,” said Blaine. “Now, they’ve unleashed Annie, and they’ll be sorrier and deader than dirt before they can move to plan B.”

“What’s Mom gonna do, boss?” asked Virge.

“I can’t be sure, Virgie, but it will be an eye-opener. They’ve killed one of our own and what happens to them won’t be pretty.”

Casey rolled his eyes as they hurried out.

Coast to Coast Logistics. Smithville.

Harlan went to work as usual. He punched in and talked to a couple of guys he’d made friends with who were regular laborers and not planted thugs.

Blaine said to take time and sort them out in case he needed one true friend in an emergency, and the boss knew what he was talking about. Always.

Harlan had been given new goals since Tony Ragazzi’s murder. The stakes had been raised and Blaine told him it was more important than ever for him to be in the warehouse listening for clues.

At the first break, Harlan saw a new guy come into the warehouse and he headed straight for the office like he’d been there before and knew where to go.

The guy was about six feet tall, dressed in a tailored dark suit, and he was wearing expensive looking loafers. The ones with the tassels.

Gary grinned and shook the guy’s hand, then the office door closed on the two of them.

Harlan wished he had the tag in, but he hadn’t been on the job long enough to get it done.

He grabbed a quick smoke on the dock at the back of the building and it was time to go back to work when he got a text from Virge.

He read it on the way back to his forklift. Couldn’t believe it and read it again.

“They killed Rafe. Keep your ears open.”

“Holy fuck. This is getting crazy.”

“Blaine said Mom is going to lose it.”

“No shit.”

Harlan started up his machine and got back to work. Wasn’t long before the guy in the suit came out of the office and Gary walked him out to his car. Gave the guy the royal treatment like he was somebody important.

Maybe he was. How far up the ladder was he?

I gotta find out that guy’s name.

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Annie called Mick. “Hey, sugar, can you do me a favor?”

“Annie, are you crying?”

“They shot Rafe, Mick. Killed him at his front door. Can you come and get Mom?”

“On my way.”

The deputies from the Giddings office arrived first. They were only a few minutes away. Gonzales would be acting sheriff with Rafe dead, but it would be hard on him. He and Rafe were as close as father and son.

Gonzales had two more deputies with him, and right behind his squad was Val Wescott in the forensic van.

Nothing could be touched until Doctor Scanlon arrived to process the body, so everybody entered the house through the back patio doors and left Rafe lying with his foot up against the front door in the exact spot where he’d died.

Annie didn’t go inside with the others until Mick came to picked Grace up. She hugged her mother, then Mick took Grace’s arm. “Lie down when you get to the ranch, Mom, and Riley will make you some tea. I’ll tell you everything when I get home. I promise.”

“Okay.”

Mick helped Grace into the front seat of his truck, made sure she was okay, then he slid behind the wheel and drove off.

Annie turned to go inside and that’s when Blaine pulled in with Casey and Virgil.

Right behind Blaine, was Doctor Scanlon from the Giddings morgue.

“Everybody went in the back way.” Annie pointed to the side of the house. “Rafe is right up against the front door.”

“Aw, shit,” said Blaine. “Those fuckers are going to pay for this.”

Things weren’t going well in the foyer of Rafe and Grace’s new home either.

“This just ain’t right,” sobbed Gonzales. “Good men like Rafe Cumberland don’t come along every day. There has to be swift justice coming on this murder.”

“You’re right, sugar.”

Annie helped Gonzales up from his kneeling position. “Justice will be done one way or another, and everyone involved will go to jail on conspiracy charges. Blaine will see to it.”

Val Westcott wiped away a tear as she helped Doctor Scanlon with the body bag.

“Rafe and I have worked together for the past twenty years,” said the old doctor, his voice quaking with sorrow. “This is it for me. I’ve had all I can take. As of this moment, I am officially packing it in.”

Annie felt so bad for the entire staff of the Giddings sheriff’s office, she could hardly hold it together.

Trying to exert calm into the tragic situation in front of him, Blaine asked in a flat businesslike voice, “Can you estimate the time of death, Doctor?”

“He’s been dead for at least twelve hours,” said Doc Scanlon. “Possibly longer. I’ll come closer to an exact time when I get him on the table.”

“Thank you,” said Blaine.

“Should we start on the neighbors, boss?” asked Virgil.

“You know what, Virge,” said Blaine, “I don’t think there’s any point. This was a professional hit, pure and simple. I think we need to find out who the Chicago mob uses as their main hitman and work that angle. Asking the neighbors if they saw the hitter or a vehicle they didn’t recognize will be a huge waste of our time.”

“Yep,” said Virge. “You’re making the right call, boss. A pro hitter leaves no traces.”

Casey nodded. “I’ll call Kamps and ask him to find out who the Chicago gunnies are.”

“Go ahead and do that, Case,” said Blaine.

“I’d better go home and take care of Mom,” said Annie. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Blaine nodded.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie got home and put the kettle on to make a fresh pot of tea for her mother. “How’s she doing, Riley?”

“Pretty good, considering, Annie. Jimmy and Lucy have been with her since they came home from the gym.”

“Good.”

“What’s happening at the house in Briarwood?” He took a can of Coors out of the fridge and poured it into a glass for her.

“The usual. Val Wescott has the scene now and she’ll find something if there’s anything to find. Blaine thinks it’s a mob hit, and he’s got Kamps looking into the Chicago shooters.”

“Oh, my God,” said Riley. “This is one of the worst things that ever happened to our family. I’m so thankful Grace wasn’t there with Rafe. We would’ve lost her too.”

Annie smiled. “That crossed my mind, Riley, and I said it out loud to Mom. She’s regretful she wasn’t there with him, but I’m thinking the opposite.”

Riley nodded. “It would have been twice as bad.”

Annie knocked on the door of the guest room Grace was staying in, and let herself in.

Jimmy Halena was sitting by the window looking at his phone and Lucy was lying on the bed next to her grandmother—a blanket over the two of them.

Grace was asleep.

Annie nodded her head and backed out without making a sound.

She found Mateo on the patio smoking and talking to Emilio in Panama. He pushed his chair back so she could sit on his knee while he finished his conversation in Spanish.

Annie leaned on his chest and sobbed for a few minutes and Mateo held her quietly until she was finished releasing her sorrow. In Spanish he asked, “What can we do to these bastards to get them out of town?”

Annie responded in rapid Spanish, “We’ll make a list of their names, and we’ll take them out one by one. We can’t scare them off. They are the kind of people who are not afraid of law enforcement. They only respond to violence and that’s what I intend to use against them.”

“Si,” said Mateo. “I agree, my beloved one.”

“I want to look at my shade garden, sugar, to see if any of the Lily of the Valley are still blooming.” She reached for Mateo’s hand. “Come with me.”

They walked a short way into the pine forest where Annie had a little private garden of shade-loving plants and a bench in the center where she loved to sit and read.

Right next to the Hosta were the Violets and then the Lily of the Vally. They were an invasive plant and had spread out into a glorious array of green leaves. The perfect white bells were all gone for now, but the exquisite smell remained. She knelt down and had a closer look.

I don’t need the flowers. The leaves are just as deadly. I’ll come back and cut what I need.

River Bend Ranch. Lincoln.

Virge waited in the bunkhouse for Harlan to get home from the warehouse. Over a couple of cold ones, Virgil told his brother every detail of Rafe’s murder.

“Blacky thinks it was a hit?” asked Harlan.

“He said there was no use canvassing the neighbors because nobody would’ve seen anything. It was a pro job and there’d be no loose ends.”

“Yep. The pros are pretty organized, and they don’t leave any loose threads that would get them caught. What’s the next step?” asked Harlan.

“Blaine said Mom would be hard to control now that the mob had killed one of our own.”

“What’s that mean, Virge?”

Virge laughed. “I’m not sure what it means, but I hope to hell I get to go with her when she’s doing her crazy stuff. I don’t want to miss a goddamned minute of it.”

At the main house over dinner, Virge and Harlan went over the same information with Billy and Travis. Both of them were keen to hear the details.

“I’ve known Rafe Cumberland ever since I started as a PI with Jesse Quantrall,” said Travis. “A dedicated lawman and I want to help catch his murderer. I also want to help get the mob out of La Grange.”

“We both still have our deputy status,” said Billy. “Why don’t you call Blacky and ask if he can use more help?”

“Damn right I’m going to do that, Billy.” He leaned over and gave Billy a fist bump.

Chapter Two

Tuesday, April 22nd.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie was up early and when she got as far as the kitchen, it was obvious her mother was doing much better. Grace was helping Riley cook breakfast for the cowboys and the kids like she always did, and between breaking dozens of eggs and frying bacon in multiple pans, they were chatting about Rafe’s funeral arrangements.

Annie filled a mug with coffee and hopped up on one of the stools at the center island. “Have you made any firm decisions yet, Mom?”

“No, I haven’t, dear. Perhaps we could set up an appointment for later today. I’m not familiar with any of the local funeral homes.”

“Of course we can. I’ll call Tim McVey and book us a time. I had planned to go to Tony Ragazzi’s funeral this afternoon to see who shows up for that event and add more people to my list. I’ll get Mick to take down tags and run them to see if any big mafia names come to pay their respects to Tony Baloney.”

Riley chuckled.

“I’ll go with you, mi amor,” said Mateo. “You do not go alone into a den of murderers without your protector.”

“Mick will be with me, Mateo, but you should come too. Mom can stay here and rest unless she wants to come with us.”

“One funeral this week will be quite enough for me, dear.”

“Absolutely, Mom. I’ll call right now and see if we can pop over to McVey’s this morning and take care of the preliminaries.”

“Thank you, dear. As long as we get started and put the wheels in motion.”

“I’ll call Gonzales later too and find out when Rafe will be released. That will be up to Doctor Scanlon.”

“I know the procedure, dear. I can call Doctor Scanlon myself. We’re friends. Rafe and I had him over for dinner many times when we lived in Giddings.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that, Mom. He was extremely upset at the scene yesterday and said he was quitting.”

“That poor man.” Grace wiped a stray tear away with the tail of her white apron.

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Blaine hadn’t even sat down at his computer when he received a surprise call from Travis Bristol.

“Travis, how can I help you?”

“I was stunned to hear about Rafe from the boys, Blacky. A man like him being gunned down by the mob is disgusting. If you need more manpower, Billy and I have both retained our deputy sheriff status and we’d be more than happy to help you with anything you need.”

“That’s fantastic, Travis. I do need more bodies this week for surveillance on a number of key players in the La Grange mob.”

“We’d be happy to help out with surveillance or anything else.”

“We have a lot of the businesses in La Grange tagged, but not the owners’ residences. That job is up for grabs. I have a list.”

“Send me a list of addresses you want tagged and I’ll see that it gets done. Better to do it after dark.”

“So true,” said Blacky. “Thanks so much, Travis. That will be a huge help.”

“I’ll let Billy know we’re good to go.”

Coast-to-Coast Logistics. Smithville.

Harlan showed up for work and the minute he punched in he could feel the vibe was different. The air in the warehouse was electric and the tension as thick as peanut butter.

He walked over to Old Chuck, his section boss and asked, “We ain’t shutting down for the big boss’s funeral?”

“Nope. Some of us still have to work, Harlan. Guys like you and I don’t get the afternoon off to go to fancy funerals.”

“Guess not.” Harlan climbed up into his forklift and started the engine. He was high in his seat and had an overview of everything going on in the warehouse.

Gary Laroux walked towards his office dressed in a black suit and dark tie. Polished black shoes instead of safety boots. Looked like he was ready for the funeral and just stopped by his office for a minute or two. Maybe he had to pick something up.

Wasn’t long before another guy in a suit came in the back door from the loading dock. He waved Gary over and Harlan though he recognized the guy from somewhere.

He pulled out his notebook and made a note to try to put a name to that guy. It might be important.

While Gary is at the funeral, I should try to get his office tagged. First I need to check for camera positions. I’ll make a map and take a path to the office out of camera range.

McVey’s Funeral Home. La Grange.

At ten o’clock, Annie, Grace and Mick walked into the lobby of the funeral home. Annie had planned so many funerals, she could do it by rote. She didn’t even have to look at the brochures any longer to pick out the right casket. She knew them all by name.

In her mind, all of the coffin names were stupid. They were only wooden boxes they buried you in. She had plans to be cremated and scattered in her own slice of the Colorado River.

Grace held together fairly well while choosing the coffin and the floral tributes. “Rafe wanted to be cremated, so there won’t be any need for a cemetery plot.”

Mister McVey Junior jotted everything down and assured Grace that all would turn out well. “Do you have a date in mind for your husband’s service?”

“Not yet. I have to speak to Doctor Scanlon at the morgue and then I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Cumberland. Will you be holding a reception here after the service?”

Annie shook her head. “No. We’ll have the receptions at the ranch. There’s plenty of room and Riley wants to have it at home.”

“My father’s reception was catered,” mumbled Mick out of the blue, “and the house was filled with people I didn’t even know. I stayed in the garage with the dogs.”

Grace reached over and patted Mick’s hand. “That’s because your father was a big businessman with important friends, dear. Your father’s lawyer planned that funeral, and it was mostly for show. He should’ve been more considerate of your feelings since you were the one paying for it.”

“Guess I was in shock for most of it,” said Mick.

“Of course you were, dear one. You didn’t even know you had a father. The lawyer put too much stress on you all at once.”

Annie pulled out her checkbook, scribbled her name on the signature line and handed it to McVey Junior.

The deal was done.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

“That was tiring, and Mister McVey is so dull,” said Grace as they got home to the ranch. “I think I’ll sleep while you are at the mobster’s funeral, dear.”

“Wonderful idea, Mom.”

Annie ran into her room to change her clothes. She put on a dazzling outfit, fixed her makeup and topped off the look with a big black hat.

Two things men couldn’t resist were high heels and wide-brimmed hats.

Aphrodisiacs, both of them.

Gave them instant wood and clouded their brains.

Perfect.

She sprayed extra Light Blue around her, then picked up her purse and put something wrapped in a paper towel inside.

A glance in the mirror and she smiled.

“Ready or not, I’m coming for you, Mister Cardinali.”

Serenety Chapel. Smithville.

The chapel at the funeral home was packed tight with mobsters and Annie wished she could blow the entire building up and take them all out at once. Save so much time and trouble to do it that way.

Sadly, the process had to be slower and more carefully done. She’d come prepared to start at the top and cut off the head of the snake.

She sat in her pew with Mick and Mateo and listened to the service. The voice of the preacher droned on with long and flowery lamentations totally unsuitable for a mobster.

Everybody below Tony in the organization was probably glad he was dead, and they could move up a notch. The preacher didn’t bother mentioning that.

When the main part of the service ended and friends and family were invited to speak, Annie was disgusted with the men in three-thousand-dollar suits who stood at the podium saying what a great guy Tony Ragazzi was, and how much he’d be missed.

The mob had no idea who killed Tony Ragazzi and that probably scared them more than anything else. The not-knowing who or why.

There must be mob thugs out there beating the bushes for the killer thinking it was one of their own.

Annie knew who killed Ragazzi and so did Mick, but they were keeping it to themselves.

The service ended and all of the mourners spilled out onto the manicured front lawn of the funeral home.

Dressed all in black with crimson lipstick, Carla Ragazzi looked a like a cross between queen of the vampires and Cruella de Ville. She sobbed like a teenager on her twin sister’s shoulder, and Darla hugged Carla like a mother hen and didn’t leave her side.

Virgil watched that scenario unfold and called it fake. Then he focused most of his attention on what Annie was doing because he didn’t want to miss a trick. She was talking to people on the lawn and doing nothing amazing so far. A little disappointing but he hoped for more at the reception.

Milano Fine Dining. Smithville.

Tony Ragazzi’s reception and wake was held at the fine dining restaurant he was so proud of. The interior was designer-lovely and expensively done. The vampire widow, Carla, hosted the event with the assistance of her twin sister Darla.

By the size of the crowd, Annie estimated that every mob member for miles around was present and accounted for. That begged the question—how high was Ragazzi in the mob hierarchy to command this much respect?

On the Sopranos, the mob guys seemed to be high on respect. To be the guy getting the most respect was the whole cheese.

Virge and Casey eavesdropped on random conversations and took down names.

Mick worked the parking lot and ran tags.

Mateo sat on a stool at the bar and watched Annie like a hawk on the hunt.

With a beer in her right hand, Annie offered her heartfelt condolences to the grieving widow and Carla sobbed out a thank-you. She said hello to Darla in passing and moved on to the biggest fish in the pond.

Gianni Cardinali was well turned out for the funeral in a custom black pin stripe suit and a silver silk tie.

Annie didn’t care what he had on. Her interest wasn’t in his wardrobe.

She smiled as she walked right up to him, inhaled his expensive cologne, and offered her hand. “Mister Cardinali, I’m Annie Powell. I was a friend of Tony’s.”

Cardinali raised a dark eyebrow. His dark hair was thick, and he’d had it salon dyed to hide the oncoming gray.

Arrogant and self-involved.

This should be easy.

“Mrs. Powell, lovely to finally meet you. I’m surprised to see you here in Smithville. I was under the impression your head office was in San Antonio.” He smiled. “I’ve seen pictures of the impressive Powell Building.”

“My head office is indeed in San Antonio, and I venture over there on occasion, but I’m able to do a lot of business online these days from my ranch. Modern technology and all that. Soon we won’t have to get out of bed.” She laughed. “Where’s your head office, Mister Cardinali?”

“I’m from Chicago.”

“I recognize your accent. I’m originally Canadian. Shall we find a table and sit down?”

A surprised look flashed across his face, but it only took him a few seconds to process her request and acquiesce.

“How about that table in the corner?”

“Perfect.” Annie followed Cardinali, sat down and flicked her long black hair away from her neck. “What are you drinking, sir?”

“Why don’t you call me Gianni? You introduced yourself as Annie and first names are so much easier in conversation.” He gave her a big smile and made her wonder if the mob had their own dental plan.

Annie leaned across the table and whispered, “I would be happy to call you anything you want.”

Cardinali’s tone changed, and he seemed a little intimidated by her forwardness. Maybe he couldn’t get it up anymore and relied on the little blue pills. Men’s priorities were often questionable and hard to decipher.

“What do you want from me, Annie Powell? I’m not used to high-powered women hitting on me.”

“Am I required to want more than a drink and an interesting conversation?”

“Women usually do. At least the women I know.”

“I have everything I want, Gianni. There is nothing you or any other man could give me that I couldn’t get for myself.”

“I see where that’s a true statement.”

“Gospel.” Annie winked at him and waved one of the servers over. “I’ll have Coors, please—in a glass.”

“Scotch neat,” said Cardinali. His tone was clipped and tinged with suspicion.

Annie smiled and carried on with her mission. “Tony was a cordial host when I ate dinner here a few days ago. He was so proud of his restaurant and his gourmet chef.”

“Sadly, I’ve never eaten here but I see a wonderful buffet set up on the other side of the room.”

“Why don’t I go and fill plates for us while you wait for our drinks to arrive?”

“I need to circulate,” he snapped. “There are people here I need to speak to.”

Annie shrugged, stood up and walked away from the table.

Cardinali was on his feet in an instant and hurried to catch up to her. He touched her arm, “I’m sorry if I offended you, Annie. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Annie turned and smiled at him. “You’re forgiven. I’ll get our food.”

Mateo stood alone near the buffet table watching the scene play out. The look on his face, pure jealous rage, but he held it together with sheer willpower.

Casey, Blaine and Virgil were close to the coffee station watching every one of the residents who lived in Briarwood Estates.

Annie winked at Mateo as she filled two plates with a variety of dishes, then carried the food back to the table in the corner.

As she passed through an exceptionally crowded area of sorrowful mob people, she discreetly added something special to Cardinali’s plate.

Laughing, Annie sat down and put Cardinali’s plate in front of him. “I almost got crushed on the way back from the buffet.”

Cardinali ended his call quickly and picked up his cutlery roll. “This looks wonderful. Thank you, Annie.”

“My pleasure, Gianni.”

Nobody had to tell Cardinali twice to clean up his plate. He had eaten everything ravenously before Annie was half finished.

She set her fork and her napkin down and said, “Excuse me for a moment, Gianni, I need to visit the ladies’ room.”

“Go ahead, Annie. I might go to the buffet for more of the lasagna. It is delicious.”

Annie smiled and gave a little wave as she followed the washroom signs.

She returned to their table a few minutes later and noticed a commotion at the buffet table across the room.

Walking towards the door, Annie motioned to Mateo, and he met her at the exit. “Time to go home, sugar pop. These funerals drag on much too long.”

“Si, mi amor.” Mateo smiled and slipped a muscular arm around her slim waist.

Boots & Saddles Roadhouse. Giddings.

After a long day at Ragazzi’s funeral, Annie didn’t have much energy left for her shift at the roadhouse. Mateo was also tired, but he diligently went with her and sat on the end stool watching her fill pitchers for the servers.

The double doors opened, and Annie glanced up in surprise. “Travis, wonderful to see you.”

He grinned and grabbed a stool at the bar. “I wanted to talk to you alone about your plans for the mob.”

“Have a beer and when I get my break, we’ll sit in a booth and talk.”

“Copy that.”

Annie came right back with a frosted glass and a pitcher of Miller for Travis.

When her relief came and she took a break, she and Travis sat in a booth alone and reminisced about undercover ops they’d done together in the past.

“What will work the best against the mob?”

She listed all the things Blaine had in place and expounded on his progress.

“Billy and I are officially helping with the mob exorcism. I talked to Blacky today and he approved it.”

“Wonderful. We need more people on this. We can’t pull more manpower from the regular squads even though we want to. There are too many open cases on our books in Austin already.”

Travis smiled. “Much busier than Coyote Creek.”

“How is your new marriage going? I heard about it from Virgil, and he seemed happy about Savanna joining your family.”

“It’s going well.”

“I’m glad. I want you to be happy, Travis.”

“The kids love her and she’s a great cook, just like you.”

“You were never happy with me for the long haul. Maybe we were just wrong for each other.”

“Not true. What happened between us was all my fault. I should’ve tried harder to settle into the ranch and be the man you deserved.”

“Let’s not think about what might have been, sugar pop. You’re happy now and that’s all that matters.”

Chapter Three

Wednesday, April 23rd.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie walked into the kitchen to get her morning coffee and heard her mother talking to Riley about the house in Briarwood Estates.

“What do you think I should do with it, Riley? I can’t picture myself living alone in the house where Rafe was murdered. I’m never going to step into that foyer without thinking about him dying there.”

“You can’t live there alone, Grace. You might as well sell it.”

Annie poured herself a coffee. “Selling it is an option, or you could rent it, Mom. It would give you monthly income. But if it bothers you emotionally to hang onto it, dump it. Why don’t you wait until after the funeral and talk it over with your lawyer? He’ll be calling you to read Rafe’s will to you anyway. Put off all the decisions until next week. You’re not in any rush.”

“I should, dear. I’m in no shape emotionally to decide anything. I’ll wait and give it more thought.”

“You’re fine right here with me, and you always have been. You know that.”

Grace smiled. “The ranch does feel like home, Annie. It was my home for a long time before I ever met Rafe.”

Grace’s phone rang in her apron pocket, and it was Doctor Scanlon telling her the funeral home could come to pick Rafe’s body up at the morgue.

“Thank you so much, Roger.” Grace dropped her phone back into her apron pocket and leaned on the counter. “Rafe is ready to be picked up.”

“Mom, go lie down. I’ll call McVey’s and tell them. Don’t think about it anymore right now.” Annie took Grace’s arm and sent her down the hall.

“This is so hard on her,” said Riley. “They just moved to that house for their retirement and now look at the mess of it.”

“Somebody has to pay for wrecking the lives of two people in our family, Riley. I’m going to make it happen.”

River Bend Ranch. Lincoln.

Travis and Billy talked to the boys at breakfast about the surveillance they’d be doing for Blacky and the addresses they’d be tagging later that night.

“If you need a hand tonight,” said Virge, “I can help you after dark.”

“Me too,” said Harlan. “Love to help you guys tag some of these mob fuckers.”

“Happy to have you guys help us,” said Billy.

Travis grinned. “I’m grateful Blacky is letting us help with this. Rafe was a long-time friend and I’m taking his death personally.”

“So is Mom,” said Virge.

“Yeah,” said Harlan. “The sheriff was her father-in-law, for chrissakes. He was married to Gramma Grace.”

“I’m sure Grace is upset,” said Travis. “We’ll all go to Rafe’s funeral.”

“When is it?” asked Savanna.

“I’ll find out today,” said Virge. “Blaine will know. We’ll be getting time off if it’s during working hours.”

“I won’t get time off,” said Harlan. “I’m undercover.”

“Huh,” said Virge. “Yesterday at Ragazzi’s funeral it was mind-blowing to see that big mob boss, Cardinali, keel over at the buffet table.”

“He just dropped dead?” asked Savanna.

“The ME who came said it was a heart attack.”

Virge chuckled. “Annie corralled him to a corner table, and she was fake-hitting on him. I guess it was too much for him.”

Travis smiled. “Must have been her killer smile.”

Virge chuckled. “Must have been, Dad.”

“That should throw the Chicago boys into a tizzy,” said Billy. “I wonder who they’ll send down here next.”

“I’m sure Blaine has his eye on that,” said Virge. “We were right there at the airport watching Cardinali put his feet down on Texas soil.”

“Guess he’ll be going home in a box,” said Harlan. “His first trip to Texas did him in.”

“Bring on the next big boss,” said Virge. “We’re ready for him.”

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Patti and Lil listened to incoming conversations from all the tagged mob members, and they all sounded flustered about Cardinali dying suddenly at Ragazzi’s funeral.

They seemed to be terrified that another mob member was responsible. And this ghost-like killer from the competition was starting at the top and endeavoring to undermine them.

To get to the bottom of what was going on in Texas, Chicago was sending Dino Bacardi. He was rumored to be a tough guy who took no prisoners. From the overheard conversations, it seemed the local mobsters weren’t looking forward to Bacardi’s visit.

As soon as Blaine had the information, he fed it to Kamps and then booted up his computer and ran with it himself.

Within two hours, the Agency had a complete dossier on the dreaded Dino Bacardi. The new mob thunder Chicago was sending to Texas to oversee the situation.

Mill Antiques. La Grange.

Mick was out of sight snoozing in Annie’s office at the back of the store when Carla Ragazzi arrived. The bell jangled as she stomped through the double front doors, her high heels clacking on the polished hardwood floor.

Annie was behind the counter at the front of the store, wrapping a purchase for a customer when Carla let loose with a stream of profanity.

“Tony wouldn’t be dead if it wasn’t for you, you black-haired bitch.”

Annie finished up with the customer, escorted her out the door and locked it.

“Say what you have to say, Carla. I’m trying to run a business here, and you screaming accusations at me isn’t helping me attract customers.”

“I know you killed Tony.” Carla grabbed the closest thing at hand and took a swipe at Annie. “Maybe seeing you dead on the floor will attract customers.”

Mick was on the run from the office and got there in time to see Carla swing the antique hatchet she’d grabbed at Annie.

Annie tried to duck out of the way and almost made it, but the hatchet caught her arm just above the elbow. The skin parted and blood gushed out like a fountain. Annie’s eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted.

Mick roughly grabbed the hatchet from Carla making sure he didn’t smudge the prints. “You’re under arrest for attempted murder.”

“Let go of me, you thug,” screamed Carla trying to wrestle herself out of Mick’s strong grip.

“You ain’t going nowhere, lady.” Mick handcuffed Carla and called the sheriff’s office to come and get her. At the same time, he requested an ambulance for Annie.

Mick left Carla trussed up on the floor and ran to the kitchen for a dish towel to bind up Annie’s arm and slow down the bleeding.

Annie opened her eyes as Mick worked on her arm. “Lie still and hold the towel as tight as you can. The ambulance is coming.”

Annie clutched her arm tightly. “I’ve got it.”

Carla continued screaming and Mick had to haul her out to the parking area at the back of the store and secure her in the back of his truck.

Mick put the closed sign in the window and ran into the kitchen for more paper towels. There was blood on the floor, on some of the merchandise and all over Annie.

He ran to the front door to see if First Response were coming, and he heard the sirens. “They’re almost here. Hang on for a couple of minutes.”

“I’m okay.”

“Not true. Lie still. You’ve lost a lot of blood.”

The pain in Annie’s arm made her eyes water. “Thanks, sugar. She’s a bitch, isn’t she?”

“Sure is.” Mick glanced at the window again. “I can see them out front. I’ll come to the hospital as soon as I hand off the scene.”

Annie tried to smile at him.

Mick hurried to the front door and unlocked it. “Come in and hurry. She’s there on the floor. She’s losing a lot of blood.”

“We’ve got her, sir.”

The paramedics were swift and skilled, and they had Annie on a stretcher and out to the ambulance in a few seconds.

“I’m right behind you,” Mick called to Annie.

Gonzales rushed in and he’d seen Annie’s arm in passing as the stretcher whizzed by him. “I’ll get her statement at the hospital.”

“Roger, sheriff,” said Mick.

The ambulance boys shoved the stretcher into the back of the bus and slammed the double doors. The siren screamed as they headed north to the hospital.

Mick gave his statement and then handed off Carla Ragazzi to Gonzales and his deputy. “Got an evidence bag, Gonzales? This is the hatchet Carla picked up from an antique tool display and used on Annie.”

“Annie’s blood is still on it,” said Gonzales. “That’s excellent. We’ve got this. Thanks, Mick. Nice job.”

“I’m her fuckin’ bodyguard,” said Mick. “Carla shouldn’t have had the chance to hurt her. I’m not feeling good about this. Not one little bit.”

“We’ve got to get these mobsters out of our county,” said Gonzales. “Things have reached a critical point.”

Mick nodded. “I’m available any time you boys need extra help. I still have my Ranger badge and I help Blacky out when he needs me.”

“Thanks, Mick,” said Gonzales. “This is a rough week for us.”

“Rafe’s funeral will be soon,” said Mick, “and that will be a rough one too.”

Gonzales nodded. “Sure will.”

Coast to Coast Logistics. Smithville.

Harlan ran his forklift and watched what went on in the warehouse from his elevated point of view. On his breaks he listened to everybody talking about Cardinali dying at Ragazzi’s wake and what would happen next.

What will happen next? Tell me.

Gary Laroux, the warehouse manager, told one of the workers that Chicago was sending Dino Bacardi. That seemed to put the fear into the guys who were mob connected. The workers Harlan knew who weren’t connected to the mob, didn’t give a shit who Bacardi was.

The mob guys were scared shitless of him.

On his afternoon break, he heard two mob guys whispering on the loading dock about Bacardi bringing his son Dillon in case Bacardi needed extra muscle.

Harlan finished his smoke and went into the men’s room to text Blacky.

“Chicago is sending Dino Bacardi. Also sending his son Dillon, for extra muscle.”

“Good work, Harlan.”

Giddings Hospital.

Mick rushed into the emergency waiting room and went straight to the triage desk. “I’m looking for Annie Powell. The ambulance brought her in a few minutes ago.”

The nurse smiled up at him. “Let me find her for you, sir. Is she your wife?”

Mick nodded. Family always got the information right off the bat, and other people could go suck wind.

“She’s in treatment room six, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Mick hustled down the hallway, tapped on the door and opened it.

The doctor glanced up with a glare and a flash of anger in his eyes for being disturbed in the middle of putting in the stitches. “You can come in when I’m finished.”

“I’ll come in now. I’m Ranger Mick Sullivan, Mrs. Powell’s bodyguard, and I have to be where she is. An attempt was just made on her life.”

“I see,” said the doctor. “Is the would-be killer in custody?”

“Yes, sir. She’s in the hands of the sheriff’s office.”

“She?”

“Yes, sir. A woman tried to kill Mrs. Powell with a hatchet.”

“Hatchet,” repeated the doctor. “Yes, that makes sense. This is a nasty wound.”

“Antique hatchet,” said Annie. “A collector piece, but it was sharp and in perfect condition.”

“Collector piece or not,” said the doctor, “the wound is deep, and some damage has been done to the muscle and tendons. The healing process will be slow.”

Mick took up a sentry position at the end of the exam table and Annie smiled at him and reached for his hand.

When she was stitched and bandaged up, Mick walked her out to the truck. “This never should’ve happened, Annie. I blame myself for not being closer to you when that bitch came through the front door.”

“I’m not blaming you, honey. It just happened. Carla is a mob princess and she’s a psycho.”

“That part is true. For my part, I shouldn’t have been sitting in your office. What good was I in there?” Mick answered his own question. “No fuckin’ good.”

“You’re done blaming yourself, sugar. We move on now and decide what we’re going to do about it.”

“Right. There is no way in hell we’re accepting this bullshit.”

Old West Austin.

“We shouldn’t go now, Annie,” said Mick as he drove the truck towards the city. “You need to go home and rest. You lost a gallon of fuckin’ blood.”

“We have to go, Mick. I was attacked in my own store, and that’s bad enough, but we have to protect everybody else from these money-laundering monsters who seem to be taking over our space.”

“Okay, a few minutes with Kamps and then I’m taking you home.”

“It’s a deal.”

When Mick and Annie arrived, Mick ran upstairs and filled Kamps in on Carla Ragazzi attacking Annie at the store. “She’s weak and I didn’t want her to come here, I wanted to take her home to rest.”

“I’ll come down.”

Kamps saw the bandage on Annie’s arm and became upset. “One of them attacked you in your place of business,” he said. “I don’t think that will go down well inside their own organization. They don’t care for attention and this stunt by Carla Ragazzi will bring undue notice their way from local law enforcement.”

“What’s Chicago saying about Cardinali?” asked Annie. “Are they freaking out because he’s dead? I hoped they would be. They murdered one of ours and I’ll kill ten of theirs in return.”

“The street in Chicago is saying that the mob is sending Dino Bacardi and his son, Dillon, to Texas. Dillon is the enforcer for the Windy City mob.”

“We’ll take him out as soon as he gets here,” said Annie. “I’m not a sniper for nothing.”

Mick nodded.

Inez, Kamps’ housekeeper, brought them coffee and set the tray on the table in the living room.

“Thank you, Inez,” said Kamps. He had refined his manners while living in the vice president’s home in Washington, and it was noticeable.

Annie smiled. “I’m glad you have help, sugar. I’ll be happy when the glow wears off and Roy comes back home.”

“I’m not sure he will, Annie. He and Yvonne are so close it’s scary.”

“He’ll come back to Texas,” said Annie. “It’s where he belongs.”

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie sat at the island in the kitchen and had a beer with Riley when she got home from the city. She was telling him the story about Carla coming to the store and Grace overheard the tail end of it.

“That hateful woman is blaming you for her husband’s death, Annie, and look at your arm. How many stitches did the doctor put in?” Grace started to cry.

Annie hugged her mother, sat Grace down at the harvest table and Riley got her a cup of tea. “Sit there at the table, Mom, drink your tea and forget about my arm. It will heal. I’ll pour myself a coffee and we’ll talk about tomorrow and the reception here at the ranch.”

“I want to keep it small, dear,” said Grace. “Riley and I have everything worked out. The food we’re serving and all the rest of it. The only people who will be welcome here at the ranch are family, the staff of the county sheriff’s office and the Quantralls.”

“And our own cops,” added Annie.

“Yes, of course. Our own Texas Rangers.”

Chapter Four

Thursday, April 24th.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie woke up in a lot of pain, but Mick was right there beside her to get the pills out of the vial and hand her a glass of water.

“You didn’t have to sleep in here, sugar. I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not okay, and I’m blaming myself for this. This is on me, Annie and I’m not taking it lightly. Carla’s arraignment is this morning, and I asked Blacky to argue against her making bail.”

“Is Blaine coming to court?” Annie sat on the side of the bed and swallowed the pills.

“Said he’d be there.”

“I’m going to be there too with my arm in a sling. It would be more effective if blood leaked through the bandage in the night.”

She turned so Mick could see the back of her arm. “Take a look, sugar.”

He laughed. “No fresh blood that I can see.”

“Dammit. I wonder what time her arraignment is.”

“I’ll call Gonzales and find out. He’ll be the one transporting her to the courthouse.”

“Dave Malvern’s her lawyer and he’ll be there with her,” said Annie. “That guy is a little too slick for my liking. I hate his hair.”

Mick grinned. “I never looked at the fucker’s hair. Last time Carla was in court, the bad-hair guy’s wife was with her, being her lawyer. Maybe the husband don’t like Carla’s personality.”

Annie laughed. “Who does?”

“Can you get up or do you want me to bring a coffee in here?”

“I’ll get up. First court and then Rafe’s funeral, it’s going to be a long, torturous day for us.”

“Damned right it will be. I ain’t looking forward to Rafe’s funeral. Grace is gonna be fuckin’ wrecked.”

“You called it,” said Annie.

Cleo scratched on the patio door to go out and Argus was right behind her.

“Hold on, Cleo. I’m coming,” said Mick. “Davey slept with Bear in his room, and I got the other two.”

“Argus sleeps in here sometimes,” said Annie. “Whenever the mood strikes him.”

County Courthouse. La Grange.

Mick and Annie met Blaine in the courthouse parking lot, and they went inside together.

“I called and talked to the DA for this county,” said Blaine, “his name is Frank Matthews, and he said he’d be happy to join me at the prosecution’s table for Carla’s arraignment.”

“Had Rafe been keeping him in the loop with everything going on in Briarwood Estates and the businesses in La Grange?” asked Annie.

“Yes, he’s right up to the minute. I informed him of the pending arrival of Dino Bacardi and his son, and of course he’s not pleased that more mob members are arriving from Chicago.”

Annie and Mick sat close to the front of the courtroom on the side of the prosecution and Blaine went through the gate into the pit with his briefcase tucked under his arm. He took a seat at the table beside the DA and opened his briefcase.

Several cases were called before Carla Ragazzi came out of the ante-room with Lila Malvern and the bailiff.

Mick was right. Lila is Carla’s attorney.

“Clerk, read the charges against the defendant,” said the judge.

“Carla Ragazzi has been charged with threatening, assault causing grievous bodily harm and with attempted murder.”

“Do you understand the charges against you, Mrs. Ragazzi?”

“I do.”

“How do you plead?”

“Not guilty.”

“As to the matter of bail, your honor,” said Lila Malvern. She gave the usual speech about Carla being a business owner and an upstanding citizen in the Smithville community.

A pack of lies.

Blaine stood up. “If I may, your honor, before you rule on bail, you need to be advised that RICO charges have been filed by the federal government against the estate of Anthony Ragazzi, and against his wife, the defendant, Carla Ragazzi. I believe federal officers are on hand to take her into custody.”

“Thank you, Ranger Blackmore. It’s an honor to have you sitting at the prosecution’s table in my courtroom.”

Blaine smiled. “Thank you, your honor.”

The judge turned his head, “Bailiff, you will turn Mrs. Ragazzi over to the federal agents waiting for her.”

“Yes, your honor.”

“Judge, this is unfair,” said Lila Malvern. “I had no prior knowledge of these charges, and I request that Mrs. Ragazzi’s case be remanded to a later date so I can prepare.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Malvern. This is only an arraignment. No remand will be granted.”

The gavel came down and the feds hauled Carla Ragazzi out of the courtroom in handcuffs. They hauled her contrary ass away in one of their black SUVs with the tinted windows.

“Good one, sugar pop,” said Annie as they left the building. “How did you get that lined up so quickly?”

Blaine chuckled. “I had help from higher up.”

Mick and Annie scanned the parking lot to see if there were more mob members in attendance. The only one they spotted was Carla’s sister Darla Franconi who was with Dave Malvern.

“Both Lila and Dave Malvern showed up with the twins,” said Annie.

“See any other mob members in the courthouse, Mick?” asked Blaine.

“Nope. I was watching close for any one of those fuckers to show their faces.”

“They dare to show up at Rafe’s funeral today and they can kiss their asses goodbye,” said Annie. “That would be too much for any of us to handle.”

McVey’s Funeral Home. La Grange.

Grace wore a simple black dress with a matching jacket. Annie encouraged her to wear a hat, but she didn’t want to. “You look fine with or without a hat, Mom. We’ll get through this.”

“It will never be over for me until the person who killed Rafe is dead and buried,” said Grace with a little more venom in her voice than Annie had previously heard.

“They will be, Mom. Two of them are already dead and the rest of them are going down. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, Rafe will get the justice he deserves.”

“It can’t be soon enough for me, dear. I’m actually thinking of moving back to Briarwood Estates and doing some sleuthing on my own.”

Annie inhaled a quick breath. “No, Mom. No. That is not something I can sanction. It’s much too dangerous.”

Grace offered a slightly defiant smile and Annie knew she was in for an argument.

The long black funeral car from McVey’s arrived to pick Grace up and she took Jimmy, Lucy, Jackson and Davey with her.

Mick drove Annie in the Maserati, and they followed behind to the funeral home.

The air in the chapel hung heavy, saturated with the aroma of flowers. So many floral tributes had arrived for Rafe from all corners of the county and from other law enforcement agencies across the state of Texas.

“Oh, my,” said Grace. “Look at the beautiful bouquets.”

“You can take some of them home, Gramma Grace,” said Lucy, “but not all of them. There must be hundreds.”

Jimmy rolled his eyes.

“Where are we supposed to sit, Gramma?” asked Jackson.

“The family sits at the front,” said Grace. “Let’s pick a good spot and get settled.”

“I’ve only been to two funerals,” said Davey. “One when my mom died and the second one when my dad died.”

Grace hugged him. “You didn’t have to come, sweetheart. This must be so sad for you.”

“Can I sit with Mick?” Davey turned his head looking for Mick and Annie. “I don’t want to sit at the front and look at the coffin.”

Grace teared up thinking of Davey’s painful young life. “Of course you can sit with Mick. He and Annie can sit right behind us, and we’ll all be close together.”

“Thanks, Gramma.”

Annie and Mick sat down, and Davey moved one row back to sit next to Mick.

The chapel filled to overflowing as soft organ music played in the background.

When everyone was seated, the pastor opened with a short prayer. He preached a little and quoted a few Bible verses but kept it to a minimum as Grace had requested. His part of the service was relatively short.

Annie sang Amazing Grace, her mother’s favorite, then one more prayer from the pastor and he moved on, announcing that Rafe would be cremated the following day.

After that, he invited anyone wishing to share stories or thoughts about the deceased to come forward to the lectern.

That invitation unleased a parade of law officers who had worked with Rafe Cumberland over the years, and they all had wonderful stories to tell about him.

Grace cried through that part much more than the pastor’s portion of the service. She sobbed uncontrollably when Jesse Quantrall, Secretary of State, took his turn at the lectern and talked about his years as a private investigator and then as a Texas Ranger working with Rafe.

Grace had managed Jesse’s campaign when he ran for governor, and they had remained close ever since. He had flown to Texas specifically for Rafe’s funeral and that meant so much to her.

When the service ended and all of the mourners poured out of the funeral home onto the front lawn and into the parking area, Casey, Virgil, Travis and Billy, split up and diligently watched the crowd for mob members.

Several residents of Briarwood Estates were in attendance, but they were not mobsters. Ordinary retired people caught up in a situation worse than they could’ve imagined.

Grace wondered if any of them had come to Rafe with their suspicions. She made up her mind to find out. If it meant moving back to the house where Rafe was murdered, she was becoming more and more resolved to do it.

She had an overwhelming feeling that if she didn’t do something hands-on to find Rafe’s killer, she might lose her mind.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Riley and Rosalie were ready for the onslaught of guests when the gate opened, and cars began pouring into the compound.

Monitoring the entrance, Jose had his orders and he’d been told to stop any people he didn’t know and detain them at the gate.

Oliver Magnusson, Annie’s head of security, was on hand to interrogate any strangers who tried to crash Rafe’s reception.

Grace had scrutinized the list and only a limited number of guests had been invited to the reception.

Annie pitched in and assumed hostess duties as soon as she and Mick were back at the ranch. Jimmy and Lucy made sure everyone had drinks and they directed the guests to the buffet set up in the dining room.

The guests settled in, eating, drinking coffee and chatting with each other and Grace held together beautifully. Annie was shocked by her mother’s composure. It was as if she’d had a transformation of some kind.

Does this have something to do with her moving back to Briarwood? I hope not.

When it was all over and Grace took up residence on Annie’s front porch to bid the guests goodbye, she began to tire.

By the time she’d waved goodbye to the last person driving through the gate, she collapsed into one of the wicker porch chairs and dropped her head into her hands.

Lucy came out with a tall glass of iced tea for her grandmother. “I brought you tea, Gramma Grace. After you drink it, Mommy wants you to go lie on your bed until dinner.”

Grace smiled. “Mommy is a wise one, isn’t she?”

“She thinks you’re way too tired.”

“She is correct, Lucy.” Grace sipped her tea. “It was wonderful to see everyone come out for Rafe today, but I’m glad it’s over. So much sadness.”

Boots & Saddles Roadhouse. Giddings.

Open Wake for Sheriff Rafe Cumberland.

Annie threw the wake at the roadhouse wide open for all citizens of the county to come and pay their respects and raise a glass to the best sheriff the county ever had.

The signs for the wake had been posted at the roadhouse for a few days, and she was expecting a huge crowd. She hired extra servers and one extra bouncer in case things got out of hand.

Mick sat at the end of the bar keeping an eye on everyone who came through the double doors at the front of the building.

A lot of the people were regular customers. Cowboys, ranchers, and bikers who were there almost every night. Some cowboys and bikers rarely missed a night, and Annie knew them all by name and what they drank.

Boots was a comfortable place where they all gathered after work for a beer, to dance with their girlfriends or to shoot a couple of games of pool.

The night wore on and Annie was tired. It had been a long day with the courthouse and then the funeral and the reception. And she had to get through it all using her sore arm that was supposed to be in a sling.

Wondering who she could saddle with closing up for her so she could duck out early, she almost missed seeing a stocky guy in a light gray suit come through the door.

Annie recognized him from his mug shot and watched the door to see if he was alone or if he had back-up thugs.

Why would he be alone?

Dillon Bacardi walked up to the bar and spoke to her like he knew who she was. “Mrs. Powell, is there anywhere we can have a word alone?”

Mick was already on his feet and standing dangerously close to Bacardi.

“We can talk in my office as soon as I get one of the girls to take over the bar for me.”

“I’ll have a single malt while I wait.” He smirked. “Of course, I’m being presumptuous to think you have anything close to the quality I’m used to drinking at home in Chicago.”

Annie poured him a drink and smiled as she handed it to him. “Go fuck yourself, Dillon, you overconfident prick.”

“A feisty one.” He chuckled. “Women like you always make the best lays.”

“I presume that’s just a guess on your part.”

Mick almost smiled.

Tina came to relieve Annie, and she walked Dillon across the dance floor and down the back hallway to her office. She wasn’t afraid to meet with him alone because Mick would be right outside the door if she needed him.

“Here we are.” Annie pointed to the chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat and say what you came to tell me.”

“My father is in town to straighten up a few things and he is convinced you’re responsible for Gianni Cardinali’s sudden death at Tony’s wake.”

Annie laughed. “Why would he think that?”

“According to the story we got, Gianni was sitting at a table eating with you with you minutes before he died.”

“That’s true,” said Annie, “We were having a conversation, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t going to have a heart attack a few minutes later. How was I responsible for that?”

Dillon didn’t have an answer. He leaned across her desk and pointed a nicotine-stained finger at her. “If you don’t back off the people we have in place around here in butt-fuck nowhereland, then I’ll be forced to kill you and your entire family to make you see my family’s point of view.”

“Your family being the Chicago Mob?” Annie laughed. “I appreciate you coming to tell me this in person, Dillon. Anyone who would walk right up and threaten me is either extremely brave or very, very stupid. I believe you fit into the second category.”

“You don’t know the power you’re dealing with.”

Annie smiled. “I’ll walk you out.” She opened the office door and escorted Dillon Bacardi down the hallway to the back exit. “I hope I get to meet your father while he’s visiting us in Texas.”

“I’m sure you’ll meet him soon. I think you’re near the top of his list.”

“Wonderful. Do you remember where you parked?”

Dillon turned down a row of parked vehicles and pressed his key fob. The lights blinked on his rental SUV, and he headed for it.

He glanced around for his protection, then called out, “Stevie, where the hell are you?”

“He’s in the hatch,” said Mick as he stepped out of the shadows.

Annie pushed the suppresser on her Beretta against Dillon’s temple. “Take this message to your father, Dillon.”

His eyes widened and she pulled the trigger.

Pop.

Mick opened the back door and tossed Dillon in on the floor.

“I’ll follow you,” said Annie.

Lake Pflugerville Park.

Mick parked Bacardi’s rental in the deserted parking lot and wiped the vehicle down. He lit up a smoke and jumped into Annie’s truck when she cruised in to pick him up.

Chapter Five

Friday, April 25th.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

The throbbing pain in Annie’s arm woke her out of a restless sleep and she definitely wasn’t ready to get up. At least the funeral and that long, dreary day was over for their family, but there would be more of the same today with the reading of Rafe’s will.

The cloud of unfinished business would continue to hang over their heads until Rafe’s killer was brought to justice. Blaine was leaving no stone unturned, but they were a long way from uncovering the name of the killer.

Annie sat up and reached for the pain pills and the water glass on the nightstand. One gulp of water and the pill was down. She touched the bandage and almost cried out, her arm was so tender to the touch.

“Damn it. I’ve got so much to do today. I need both of my arms and hands.”

Annie dragged herself to the kitchen and Riley poured her a mug of coffee. “You sure you should be up already, boss? You look wiped.”

“My arm prodding me with pain was my alarm clock, sugar. I’ll give the pill a chance to work before I cash it in and write today off.”

“I’m happy the funeral is behind us,” said Grace. “A wonderful turnout for Rafe. The number of people attending showed a lot of respect. And it was heartwarming that Jesse flew back from D.C. for the service.”

“He and Rafe were close,” said Annie. “Jesse would never skip over doing the right thing because it was difficult or took effort. He’s a better person than that.”

“He certainly is,” said Grace. “The people in Washington must love him.”

“I’m sure he has fans in the State Department,” said Annie with a little chuckle. “Don’t forget we have an appointment with Liam this morning.”

“I didn’t forget, but I don’t think Rafe’s last wishes will hold any surprises,” said Grace. “Things I already know will be written on paper and that will be about it.”

“You never know,” said Riley. “If not shocking or surprising, the reading of wills can be interesting. Look how surprised Mick was to become a billionaire.”

Annie nodded. “I don’t think that’s the norm.”

Grace laughed. “Mick doesn’t care if he’s a billionaire, he still sleeps in the garage with a load of dogs on top of him. I’m leaning more towards boring on this reading.”

“Me too,” said Annie. “Rafe wasn’t into surprises or startling anyone with the unexpected, but we can’t opt out just because it’s not going to be like opening day at the county fair.”

Grace laughed. “I’d rather ride the Ferris wheel then go to the will reading.”

Riley chuckled. “I’m glad I’m not going.”

“Is Janie opening the store for us?” asked Grace.

“She’ll open, but we shouldn’t be too late getting there to help her out. How long can a will reading take?”

“I’d like to phone it in,” said Grace.

Kavanaugh Law Office. Giddings.

Mick drove Annie and Grace up to Giddings for the reading of Rafe’s will. Grace was quiet during the trip, lost in her own thoughts.

They walked through the front door into the tastefully decorated waiting room, and they were the only clients there. Liam’s receptionist smiled and called her boss the minute she recognized Annie.

Liam strode down the hall to greet them. “Good morning, ladies and Mick.” He shook hands with Mick and escorted the three of them into his airy office near the back of the building.

He’d set up shop in one of the original old structures on Main Street in Giddings and he wasn’t too far down the street from the competition—Dave and Lila Malvern—attorneys for the mob.

“Please have a seat. So sorry about Rafe, Grace. What a loss for this county. Gonzales is a good guy, but Rafe was a lawman through and through. The voters will be hard-pressed to find a replacement. There is no replacing the experience Rafe had.”

“Thank you, dear.” Grace quickly changed the subject. “You have a lovely office here.”

“I think this building used to hold a butcher shop a long time ago—possibly a hundred years ago. It took quite a bit of renovating and the clever hand and eye of a decorator to turn the space into offices.”

Mick leaned back in the leather club chair and said nothing. More of a listener than a talker.

“Let’s get started, shall we?” asked Liam.

“I’m ready, dear,” said Grace. “I’m pretty sure Rafe didn’t have any assets he was hiding from me—no gold bars buried in the flower beds—so it should be pretty straightforward.”

“It is, Grace, but I’m required by law to read it to you,” said Liam.

“I don’t want you breaking any laws on my account,” said Grace. “Do what you have to do.”

Liam read through the will and Grace said she was thinking of selling the house in Giddings Rafe inherited from his parents.

“It’s rented now, isn’t it?” asked Liam.

“Yes, nice people,” said Grace. “We screened the applicants well and haven’t had a speck of trouble.”

“Why not leave it be for now, Mom? It’s a steady income for you.”

“I wouldn’t be in a hurry to sell it if you have good tenants, Grace,” said Liam. “I agree with Annie. It’s steady income for you.”

Grace sighed, “The Briarwood house is another story. At first, I couldn’t bear the thought of living there without Rafe, but I’m going to move back and see how it goes before I give up on it completely.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mom, and I’m not sure it’s the best idea considering the morals of your neighbors.”

“I’m thinking of the other poor souls who moved there thinking they were moving to Nirvana,” said Grace. “They must be scared out of their socks by now.”

Liam smiled.

“What good would it do for you to go back there, Mom? It’s dangerous and it will be lonely for you. Frankly, I don’t see the point.”

“It might be something I have to do,” said Grace, “before I can move forward. I have to deal with things that are troubling me.”

“I’m not sure I’m going along with it, Mom. We’ll talk more about it when we get back to the ranch.”

Mick rolled his eyes at Annie and nodded his head. He hated the idea.

Liam gave Grace copies of everything she needed to have and walked them out to the sidewalk. “Anything you need, Grace,” said Liam. “I’m only a phone call away.”

“Thanks, so much, dear. I enjoyed your reading skills.”

Liam laughed.

On the drive down to La Grange to the store, Annie questioned her mother on her need to go back to the house in Briarwood Estates.

Grace smiled and said, “Just something I’ve been thinking about doing for Rafe.”

Annie had more questions and Grace wasn’t forthcoming. Made her wonder what her mother was up to.

Mom has a definite stubborn streak.

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Patti and Lil had a busy morning listening to all the chatter coming in from the tags scattered all over La Grange and beyond.

The main players in the mob were calling each other and talking about Blaine Blackmore appearing at the arraignment and the feds being there to arrest Carla Ragazzi.

They weren’t happy about it, that was for certain, and they were in a bit of an uproar.

There were long debates about how the feds got the evidence to file the RICO charges against the Ragazzi’s and whether they actually had enough to make a case and justify seizing the Ragazzi’s assets.

Lil took all of the main points to Blaine, and they went over the evidence together. “They’re running scared, boss. You’re revving them up to make a mistake.”

“Can’t wait for the first big blunder, Lil.” Blaine listened to the sections Lil had isolated for him and had to agree. “We’re shaking them up, Lil. I can hear the worry in their voices.”

Lil smiled, “Sounds like they don’t know where to turn, boss. We should get more good stuff later today.” She hurried back to her own office.

Blaine’s cell rang and he listened to Gonzales telling him about a crime in his area.

“We’ve got a parked SUV up at Lake Pflugerville park, Ranger Blackmore. It’s a rental, with tinted windows. Body in the backseat and one in the hatch.”

“Huh. Everything that’s happening spells mob to me these days, Gonzales, but I’ve learned not to jump to conclusions. Been wrong more than once.”

“I hear you, Ranger Blackmore.”

“I’ll be there with my boys as soon as I can. Mark off a big perimeter and don’t let anybody close to the vehicle.”

“Copy that. We’ve got it handled. Val and Doctor Scanlon are on their way. We won’t move the bodies until you get here.”

“Thanks. On my way.” Blaine gathered up Casey and Virgil and they piled into the Navigator with Casey behind the wheel.

On the drive out to Pflugerville, Blaine filled them in on everything he knew, and it wasn’t much.

“Can’t wait to find out who the vics are, boss,” said Virgil. “That will tell the tale if we’re making inroads into mob land or not.”

“How so, Virge?” asked Blaine.

He shrugged. “I figure if we make them think they’ve got leaks, the fuckers will suspect each other and start killing each other off.”

Blaine laughed. “Love that theory, Virge.”

Lake Pflugerville Park. Pflugerville.

“Over by those trees,” Blaine pointed.

“Yep, I see the deputies,” said Casey. “Looks like a crowd gathered around watching them too.”

“Taking those fuckin’ videos on their phones,” said Virgil. “They think they can sell them to the TV stations and make enough to retire on.”

Blaine frowned. “That true?”

“Heard it was true,” said Virge. “Can’t say if it’s the gospel for sure, boss.”

Blaine was always amused by Virgil’s unusual incite into the mundane.

“I think it’s true,” said Casey. “Gotta go with my partner on that theory, Blaine. Private citizens are often on the scene before the media vultures ever hear about the crime.”

“Shit,” said Blaine. “The world gets worse every day and people work against law enforcement and fuck us up time and again when they should be helping us and supporting us.”

“Hunnerd percent, boss.” Virgil shook his head, and his long black hair swished around his shoulders. “John Q. Citizen don’t know where to find his own ass on a map, boss. That’s what it amounts to.”

Blaine was chuckling as he stepped down off the sidestep and strode towards the yellow tape.

All four doors and the hatch were open on the parked vehicle. Doctor Scanlon was in the back seat of the SUV with body number one.

Blaine climbed into the front and hung over the console to see the victim. “One shot in the temple with a suppressor.”

“You doing my job for me, Blaine?” asked the old doctor.

“Just talking to myself, Doc. Pay no attention.”

“At least you’re telling yourself the right information. No point filling your own head full of lies.” He chuckled.

“The other guy the same COD?”

“Nope. His neck was broken. Nice and neat by a strong pair of hands.”

Mick and Annie.

“ID, Doc?”

“This fella in the back seat is Dillon Bacardi with a Chicago address. Ever heard of him?”

Jesus Christ, Mom.

Coast to Coast Logistics. Smithville.

At the controls of his forklift, Harlan was moving skids to the loading dock when a shitload of US Marshals stormed into the warehouse yelling and hollering out orders to the workers. And in minutes they had shut everything down.

They held up their badges and the head Marshal hollered out, “Listen up, everybody. This warehouse owned by Anthony Ragazzi has been seized by the federal government under the RICO act and all employees can go home. Thank you all for your cooperation.”

Gary Ledoux rushed out of his office shouting, “You can’t come in here and shut us down. You have no right to do that.”

One of the Marshals grabbed Gary’s arm, twisted it up behind his back and cuffed him. “You’re coming with us as a material witness.” That shut Gary up.

The rest of us cleaned out our lockers and punched out not knowing if we’d get paid at the end of the week or not.

That was all she wrote.

No jobs.

Don’t come back tomorrow.

I sat in Dad’s truck in the parking lot and called Blacky to see what I should do next.

“Harlan, that you?” Sounded like Blacky was outside someplace. A lot of kids yelling in the background.

“Yeah, it’s me, boss. Marshals came and seized the warehouse a few minutes ago. They arrested Gary Ledoux the warehouse manager and locked the place down tight. I have to go home. No more job.”

“RICO charges have been filed against Ragazzi’s estate, Harlan. I’m not surprised, but don’t worry about it. I’ll put you to work on Monday on something else.”

“Copy, boss. See you Monday morning.”

Harlan drove home to the ranch wondering what he’d do for the rest of the day.

I wonder where Virge is.

Franconi Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Casey pulled into the driveway at Darla Franconi’s residence where the big boss from Chicago was supposed to be a guest.

“Do we know he’s here for sure?” asked Casey.

“Lil says he’s here. She listened to him on the phone only moments ago,” said Blaine.

Virge laughed. “This is gonna be so fuckin’ good, boss.”

“Not sure I’d call it good, Virge. I have to tell a father that his son has been murdered and dumped at Lake Pflugerville.”

“Yeah, but the fucker knows his son’s a murderer, right, boss?”

“You have a point, Virge. Dillon was the enforcer for the Chicago boys.”

“Even the toughest of the toughies can go down hard,” said Virge. “Mom’s on the fringe and she’s gonna pick up speed. I can feel it. I was right beside her when she pulled out the fuckin’ rug in Montana.”

“Jesus, Virgil, please don’t say things like that out loud. We don’t know the facts surrounding Dillon’s demise.”

“Nine-millimeter Parabellums,” mumbled Virge. “Mom told me to use them. Just say’n. You use them too, don’t you, boss?”

Casey rolled his eyes.

“Let’s go in and get this over with,” said Blaine. “I’ve got a bad feeling about it.”

“Got your back, boss.”

“Restrain yourself, Virgil,” said Blaine. “Do not kill the boss of the Chicago mob.”

“Try not to, boss.”

Blaine used his firm voice, “Give it your best effort, Virgil.”

“Copy, boss.” Virge patted his holster.

Casey grinned.

Darla Franconi opened the door looking beautiful in a low-cut black pantsuit. Diamond earrings dangled from her ears and matched the necklace she wore around her neck.

She wasn’t happy to see more cops on her porch and didn’t try to hide it. She was obviously pissed at what had happened to her twin sister at the courthouse and she was holding a grudge.

“I have guests, and I can’t talk to the police at the moment, Ranger Blackmore. Please call for a more convenient appointment.”

“We’re not here to see you, Mrs. Franconi. I have to speak to Mister Bacardi on an urgent family matter. Would you get him for me please?”

“Mister Bacardi? May I ask how you knew he was a guest in my home?”

“No, you may not.”

“Step into the foyer,” Darla hissed.

She scurried off to find the big boss and Blaine, Virge and Casey moved into the center of the elaborate foyer.

A stocky guy with thinning hair and a pissed-off expression on his face swaggered into the foyer and glanced at them like they were bugs to be squashed under one of his Italian loafers.

Bacardi opened his mouth and spoke with a clipped northern accent. “Darla says you have something important to say to me. Who are you again?”

“Ranger Blaine Blackmore from State Violent Crime.” Blaine held up his badge.

“I see. And what violent crime do you wish to talk to me about?”

“The murder of your son, Dillon, sir.”

“What?” Bacardi Senior took a step closer with murder in his own brown eyes. “You’ll have to be more specific. You’re not making any sense to me. Explain what you’re trying to say.”

Blaine spelled it out. “Your son and his bodyguard were found murdered in a rented SUV in a park east of the city.”

Bacardi shook his head. “That’s impossible. I don’t believe you. This is a bullshit move to take me in on false charges.”

“No, sir. It isn’t. I’m telling you the truth. Your son, Dillon, is in the county morgue in Giddings. If you’d like to make a formal identification of his body, that can be arranged.”

“I’m not making a formal identification. This is a ploy to get me out of the house. Who have you got waiting out there? A sniper in the tree next door?”

“You’re being paranoid, sir,” said Blaine. “I’m following the letter of the law doing this notification in person. If you don’t wish to believe me, that’s up to you.” Blaine reached into the pocket of his jacket to get one of the Agency cards and Bacardi pulled a gun and fired.

Bang.

Bang.

Bacardi’s shot wasn’t accurate, but he was too close to miss Blaine. The bullet caught Blaine’s left shoulder and knocked him backwards into Casey.

Bacardi’s head exploded and his blood and brains splattered the foyer. A pink cloud of bodily fluids rose high enough to decorate the chandelier above them while Bacardi folded into a neat pile on the marble floor.

“Sorry, I couldn’t keep my promise, boss,” said Virgil. “The fucker tried to kill you.”

Blaine winced as he sat on the floor holding his bleeding shoulder. “It’s okay, Virge. He pulled on us.”

“Copy that, boss.”

Casey was on the phone calling it in, then he dropped down on one knee to put pressure on Blaine’s arm.

“Virge, arrest everyone in this house.”

“Copy. Doing it now.”

Darla was on the phone in the kitchen when Virgil, walked in and said, “You’re under arrest, ma’am.”

“You can’t arrest me, you punk kid.”

Virge grabbed her arm and put the cuffs on her. “Who else is in this house?”

“Nobody. Only me and Dino.”

“Don’t lie to me, girl. I don’t like it.”

“You killed Dino, kid. You won’t live to see your next birthday.”

“Will you?” Virgil marched Darla through the foyer and secured her in the back of the Escalade.

Wasn’t long until the troops arrived from the sheriff’s office in Giddings. The ambulance was first and took Blaine to the hospital.

“Not too deep,” Casey said to Virge. “We’ll pick him up when we’re done. They won’t keep him overnight.”

“Good. He’s gonna be pissed at me,” said Virge.

Casey chuckled. “How can he be pissed at you? You saved his life.”

“Yeah, but he told me not to shoot Bacardi, and he wasn’t kidding around.”

“That was under different circumstances. As soon as Bacardi pulled on Blaine, things changed to self-defense.”

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t want him to be mad and fire me.”

“He’s not going to do that, Virge. You’re a dandy cop with razor sharp instincts. Blaine doesn’t want to fire you.”

Gonzales stepped into the foyer. “Who’s the victim?”

“Blaine was doing the notification for Dillon Bacardi and the father, Bacardi senior, wouldn’t believe him. He pulled on the boss,” said Casey.

“He drew on Ranger Blackmore?” Gonzales sounded incredulous.

“Yep. Shot him in the arm. As soon as he pulled, Virge put a bullet in his head. Simultaneous shots.”

“Fuck,” said Gonzales. “These guys are goddamned maniacs.”

Chapter Six

Saturday, April 26th.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Grace put in a restless night, but she hadn’t changed her mind one iota. She made a decision, and she was sticking to it.

She planned to move back to her new home in Briarwood Estates and make it her business to get to know every one of the residents who had bought their dream homes there for retirement reasons.

Before Rafe died, she had wanted to do exactly the same thing as she intended to do now, and Rafe said it was too dangerous and forbade her to follow through.

Grace missed Rafe every single hour of the day, but he wasn’t there to tell her not to carry out her plan.

She would separate the good neighbors from the bad and at the same time, find out enough about the bad ones to put them away for good.

One of the bad neighbors or their associates had killed her husband, and she was taking it personally.

Very personally.

They’ll never see it coming when I have the evidence to send them to death row.

After breakfast, she had a chat to Jimmy on the porch of Annie’s ranch house. Grace told him her plan and he was quick to support her.

“I’ll move over there with you, Gramma Grace, and we’ll do it together. We’ll both work on the good neighbor plan.”

“Thank you, dear. I would feel better with you there. Especially at night.”

Jimmy sounded a little skeptical. “Is Annie going to let us do this, Gramma Grace?”

“I’m doing it with or without my daughter’s blessing, Jimmy. I owe it to Rafe, and I owe it to those other innocent people in Briarwood who believed they were moving to a lovely retirement community.”

“I do feel sorry for them,” said Jimmy. “They bought those houses thinking good thoughts, and now they are scared and keeping their doors locked instead of enjoying the park.”

“We can fix that,” said Grace. “I’m determined to do it. My bag is packed, and Annie isn’t a bit happy I’m going. It might not go well when we tell her that you’re coming with me.”

“I am a bit nervous about telling her,” said Jimmy. “I have a feeling she ain’t gonna like it.”

“She’ll learn to live with it, dear. We all have to live with things we’re not particularly fond of.”

Jimmy nodded. “That’s true. I have to live without Trace and I’m not fond of it.”

“Exactly what I’m talking about.”

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Blaine had Casey and Virge going through the motions on the new murder, but he was fairly certain he already knew who had killed Dillon Bacardi and his protection thug.

When he spoke to the person responsible it would be a very private conversation.

Very private.

A call from Marshals Services interrupted his thoughts of driving out to Coulter-Ross.

“Marshall Holland, nice to hear from you.”

“Appreciate the help you’ve been giving us, Ranger Blackmore. Calling to say the Ragazzi residence in Smithville has been seized as of this morning and is being searched by the bureau.”

“Great news. Would you mind sending me copies of all your reports on the Ragazzi’s? They hold a particular interest for me.”

“Happy to copy you, Ranger Blackmore. We’ll talk soon.”

La Grange Fitness.

Before leaving for Briarwood Estates to become Grace’s new sleuthing partner, Jimmy told Annie he was worried about his surveillance on the gym.

Unhappy about both Jimmy and Grace leaving to pursue their plan, Annie assigned the gym surveillance to Jackson.

He’d been asking for a surveillance job anyway, and this was his chance to get his feet wet.

Lucy knew the ropes at the fitness center and showed her brother where to sign up. Jackson paid his money at the registration desk and as soon as he was an official member and had his own locker assigned, both he and Lucy got ready for their workout.

Keeping his eyes open, Jacks tackled the weight room first. While he got used to the machines and worked up a sweat, he happened to notice a visitor going into the gym office.

Waiting for Lucy to finish swimming her required number of laps, Jackson sat by the pool and reported to Annie.

“Mom, I saw Phil Santorini from the hardware store. He came to see the boss at the gym a few minutes ago.”

“Thanks honey. Wonderful work. I’m not sure how that fits into the big picture but it’s good information all the same.”

“Lucy is almost finished her laps, Mom. We’ll be home soon.”

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Grace drove her own car and Jimmy followed behind in his truck. They decided to bring both vehicles—just in case. They both parked in the driveway and Jimmy got his suitcase out of the truck and then took Grace’s bags out of the trunk of her car.

The yellow tape was still there on an angle across the front door—a grim reminder that Rafe Cumberland was dead. Jimmy ripped it off and rolled it up into a ball for the trash, but Grace had already seen it.

Grace inhaled a big breath as she inserted the key and opened the door. The picture of Rafe lying dead in the foyer might never leave her mind.

They wouldn’t let me in to see him, but the picture is still there in my head as clear as crystal.

She hadn’t had nightmares about his murder, but she wasn’t ruling them out either. They might creep up on her and haunt her in the future.

The house smelled of disinfectant and of being closed up. “So stuffy in here, Jimmy. I can hardly smell the new smell anymore.” She needed to open some windows.

Although her mind was made up not to cry, she shed a few tears and was over it quickly.

“Let’s open all the doors and windows and air the place out while we wait for the coffee, dear. Then we’ll have a cup and make a solid plan.”

Jimmy smiled as he set their bags down in the foyer. “I’m so up for this, Gramma Grace. Didn’t Rafe have a map that showed where everybody lived?”

“You’re right, dear. I believe he did. As soon as we take a break, we’re going to find that map. It will be invaluable for our purposes.”

Grace opened the fridge by force of habit to get the cream and bare shelves stared back at her. “We need groceries, dear.”

“Make a list, Gramma Grace.”

Grace took a sip of her coffee and then was on her feet again. “The first thing I’m going to do is find Rafe’s map. Then we can work while we’re having our coffee.”

“Might be in his office,” said Jimmy.

“I’ll look on his desk.”

Grace came back to the kitchen waving the map in her hand. She had a pen too, and colored markers.

Jimmy frowned. “Did Grampa Rafe have highlighters?”

Grace laughed. “No. I bought them for him, but he said they were for kids.”

Jimmy spread the map out on the table. “We should mark all the mob houses in Red.”

Grace opened the package and handed him a red highlighter.

As soon as he had the mob infested houses marked, he said, “Now I’m making a list of the red-zone houses and the names of the good neighbors on each side of them. We’ll start with the goodies who are tight with the mobsters. Those neighbors might know more than the ones who don’t live so close.”

“Forward thinking, dear,” said Grace. “You’d make a wonderful detective.”

“The logical place to start is with Darla’s neighbors. On one side are the Simpsons—Earnie and Jaqueline—and on the other side we have the Bergens—Isabel and Grant.”

“I need to bake brownies or something to take as an ice-breaker when we call on them,” said Grace. “I’ll add a lot of baking supplies to the grocery list. We’re going to do this right.”

Jimmy laughed. “I’m all in favor of you baking, Gramma Grace. Can you get some pie stuff too? I love pie.”

“Rafe loved pie too, but I had to watch that he didn’t eat too much dessert. He was too heavy and lately his uniforms had become too tight.”

They finished their coffee, and Jimmy suggested a walk on foot to get the feel of the neighborhood. “The best time to talk to the legit retired people would be when the mob people are in La Grange running their businesses. If they aren’t around when we’re snooping, they won’t know a thing about our investigation.”

“An excellent suggestion, Jimmy. We’ll do that, and once we get to know these people and become friends with them, I think I’ll start a book club.”

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Like in that movie where the women get together and start knocking people off?”

Grace laughed. “Not exactly like that. More like a friendly get together where women enjoy a cup of coffee and a tart and freely discuss what they’ve heard around Briarwood Estates.”

“I get it. You’re using books for cover but underneath it’s actually a gossip club?” asked Jimmy.

Grace frowned. “I don’t like the word gossip. Let’s say sharing of information.”

“Brilliant, Gramma Grace.”

Grace giggled. “I think so.”

“And if the book ladies are among friends, they’ll be more likely to spill the beans and say what’s on their minds.”

“I believe that’s what will happen.”

“That’s why the cops always get you a Coke or a coffee when they’re going to grill the spit out of you,” said Jimmy. “Trace talked about that all the time.”

“Oh, my,” said Grace. “I wouldn’t hold up long under that kind of pressure.”

“The book club might work well, and it would be nice for you to have real friends out here anyway, Gramma Grace, even if it didn’t produce a lot of info.”

“Do you know how to use a gun, dear?”

Jimmy took the question in stride. “I have Trace’s gun, and I know how to shoot it pretty well. Trace made me learn because he was the leader of a motorcycle gang, and he had enemies. Annie made me take her safety course when I first came to the ranch to live with her, and she toned up my skills a couple of notches.”

“I know all about Ivan and the Chrome Dogs,” said Grace. “I’m from Scarborough.”

Jimmy chuckled. “I forgot about that for a minute, Gramma Grace. Annie is from Scarborough too, although she has always been heavily aligned with the Regulators for reasons of her own.”

“One of those reasons is George Ross,” said Grace. “My daughter was married to him.”

Jimmy nodded. “After we have one more cup of coffee, do you want to take our first walk and meet our first neighbors?”

“Another good idea,” said Grace, “and strolling around the park made me think we need a dog for cover. If we were ambling down the street with our dog, it wouldn’t look so…planned.”

“Do you want me to run up to the ranch and get Cleo?”

“I doubt if Mick would let Cleo out of his sight,” said Grace. “He’s crazy about that big Newfie.”

“We could go to the pound and get a dog of our own when we make the grocery run. I always wanted a dog, but Trace wouldn’t let me have one. He said they were too much trouble.”

“They aren’t much trouble if they’re housebroken.”

“He didn’t like dogs.”

“Hmm…” said Grace. “Let’s go fill a cart with groceries and baking supplies, then we’ll stop in and see if they have any dogs on sale at the shelter.”

Jimmy chuckled. “Dogs are never on sale, but I’m excited that we’re going to look at them, Gramma Grace. This is shaping up to be a great day for us.”

“It certainly is. My blood is tingling with excitement.”

Jimmy shrugged. “The tingling sensation could be from flirting with danger like Annie said this morning when she yelled at us.”

“I haven’t forgotten, dear.” Grace tossed her head back and laughed.

Farm Boy Market. La Grange.

“Keep your eyes peeled for mob people shopping here, dear. They would probably patronize one of their own stores rather than shopping at the Piggly Wiggly.”

“I’m watching, Gramma Grace. I’ll keep an eye on the office to see who goes in and out.”

“I’ll concentrate on the list. We’ll need at least a dozen boxes of the brownie mix.”

“For starters,” said Jimmy. “When Lucy finds out, she’s going to want to do this with us. She hates missing out on something fun.”

“She can stay with us if she wants to, but she won’t be near her horse or the practice ring if she needs to work on her skills.”

The cart was full to overflowing and they were about to head for the checkout when Jimmy saw a man he knew. He leaned closer and whispered to Grace, “The guy from the pawn shop went into the office.”

“Wayne Lombard,” said Grace. “I wonder what he’s up to.”

“The girls in Blaine’s office will hear the conversation,” said Jimmy. “We’ll find out later.”

Grace used her debit card to pay for the groceries and Jimmy pushed the cart out to the truck. While he shoved bag after bag into the trunk, he said, “Next stop is the shelter.”

Grace smiled. “A busy day for us, dear.” She leaned closer and whispered to Jimmy, “For the J & G Detective Agency.”

They both laughed.

La Grange Animal Shelter.

Grace spoke to the girl at the front counter whose nametag read Shawna. “We’d like to pick out a dog, Shawna. Could you show us the ones you have available?”

“Sure thing, ma’am. You have any breed in mind?”

Grace glanced at Jimmy for input, and he said, “I’ve always wanted a bloodhound.”

“We’d like a bloodhound, please,” said Grace. “Do you have any in stock?”

“Got two of them waiting for homes. Come on back to the cages and I’ll show you Patsy and Penny.”

“Both females?” Jimmy asked the obvious question and Shawna rolled her eyes.

Grace figured he got nervous around pretty girls and said all the wrong things. Boys his age were like that. Hormones took over and made them say a lot of stupid things.

On the way back to the dog cages they had to pass through cat cages on both sides of the walkway and the cats and kittens meowed and purred and poked their paws through the wire to get attention.

“Oh my, Jimmy. Look at all the cats without homes. How pitiful is that?”

“Yep, it’s sad alright. Do we want a cat, Gramma Grace?”

“Not particularly but look at these fluffy black ones. They remind me of Hallowe’en.”

“Two beautiful Persians, ma’am,” said Shawna, grabbing the moment and launching into her sales pitch. “Quiet and litter trained. Cuddly and lovable.”

“I’ll consider them while Jimmy chooses our dog,” said Grace. “They are lovely.”

They followed Shawna into the cage area at the back of the building. The cages were set up so the dogs could run outside if they wanted to.

The dog doors were all open, letting a bit of wind sweep through the entire cage area.

Grace shivered as Jimmy went with Shawna to see the bloodhounds. They were in the cage at the far end of the long line of incarcerated canines.

Shawna snapped temporary leashes on the two dogs and led them out of their shared cage.

The dogs looked similar to Grace. Rusty tan color with a bit of black on one and the other solid rust. “Are they related?” she asked Shawna.

“These dogs came from a home where the owners were killed in a car crash,” said Shawna. “The dogs were from the same litter and have always been together.”

“Aw, what a sad story,” said Grace. “Sisters. It would be a shame to separate them, Jimmy.”

“You mean we should take both of them, Gramma Grace?”

“How many years have the girls been together?” asked Grace.

“The lady who brought them in said they were four years old.”

“I’m not a homewrecker, Jimmy. We’ll either have to take both of them, or you’ll have to pick a different single dog.”

Jimmy squatted down to hug Patsy and Penny, and they were both licking his face and wagging their tails. The decision had been made.

“We’ll take those girls and the two black cats as well,” said Grace. “Do the cats have names?”

“They do,” said Shawna, “but if you don’t like their names you can change them. Their names are on their collars.”

Heading back towards the office Grace said, “I’m anxious to see what their names are.”

Shawna stopped at the cat cage and took one of the huge black furballs out. “This is Ebony. Isn’t he gorgeous? And the other one is Elvira.”

Grace giggled. “How marvelous. Can you box them up to go in the car?”

“We’ll do the paperwork first, then I’ll get you the package that comes with each of our adoptions.”

“Adoptions, Jimmy. We’re giving homes to these lovable creatures.”

Jimmy wasn’t listening. He was focused on the collars of the bloodhounds sorting out who was who. “The one with the bits of black is Patsy, and the other one is Penny. That’s how we’ll tell them apart.”

“I can’t tell Elvira from Ebony,” said Grace. “I’ll have to look at their collars every time.” She swiped her debit card again and they were on their way with four new pets.

Jimmy put the two temporary cat carriers in the back seat of Grace’s car, then put the two big dogs in. “Back seat is full.” He laughed.

“They’ll need things from the pet store,” said Grace. “We don’t have any food for them.”

“Cat litter too,” said Jimmy. “I don’t think we’re done shopping.”

Grace laughed. “This could get expensive.”

Everything Pets. La Grange.

At the pet store, they left the cats in the carriers in the backseat of the car. Jimmy leashed the dogs and kept control of them while Grace pushed the cart through the crowded aisles of the pet store.

They filled the cart with bags of food and leashes and bowls and toys and beds and treats. “My goodness, this is going to cost a fortune, Jimmy.”

“Once we get this load, all we’ll need is their food from here on.”

“That’s true. Today is basically their setup cost. Do you think they’ll all get along when we take them home?”

Jimmy rolled his eyes. “They’ve all been in cages, and they haven’t come face to face before. They might need a period of adjustment.”

Grace nodded. “So true. A period of adjustment to get used to each other.”

Another swipe of Grace’s debit card and the girl at the checkout bagged their purchases.

“Y’all enjoy your new pets. If you’d like to leave me your email, the store will send you news of sales and specials as they come up.”

“Have them sent to you, Jimmy. I don’t look at my laptop hardly ever.”

Jimmy registered his email wondering how many pet store messages he’d be getting every week.

All of their purchases wouldn’t fit into the trunk of Grace’s car and Jimmy had to put the litter boxes in the back seat with the cat carriers, the big bag of dog kibble and the two huge bloodhounds. “We should’ve brought my truck, Gramma.”

Grace laughed. “We’re going to be worn out by the time we unload all of this stuff.”

“I’ve been working out while I was spying for Annie at the gym. Won’t take me long at all and it will keep my muscles from going soft.”

“I haven’t worried about my muscles for years, dear. I doubt if I still have any.”

Jimmy laughed. “Sure you do.”

“This is the most fun I’ve had since the day we got the rabbits,” said Grace.

“Ditto,” said Jimmy. “That was a great day at the store and at the Amish farm with Lucy. I’ll never forget it.”

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Jimmy brought everything in from the car and then began emptying the bags into the pantry and stocking the shelves. “I can’t believe how much stuff we bought, Gramma Grace.”

“Best to keep the pantry and the fridge full in case we get into trouble and have to hunker down in the house for a few days.”

Jimmy laughed. “Do you see that happening?”

“I see the possibility if we press too hard against the mob. I guess I have a vivid imagination.”

“We’re stocking up like this is one of those bomb shelters,” said Jimmy. “I heard people stored enough bottled water for a year in case they had to wait for radiation to dissipate when the world ended.”

“Dystopian,” mumbled Grace. “Science fiction movies don’t cut it for this old girl. They bore me to tears. Give me John Wayne on a horse any day of the week. Giddy up.”

Jimmy chuckled.

She opened the fridge and chose something for dinner. “How about pork chops and mashed potatoes?”

“I can eat anything. Me and Trace mostly ate sandwiches or ordered pizza. Neither one of us cooked much.” A sad look crossed Jimmy’s face thinking about his brother. “Trace could make eggs.”

“Eggs are good for you, but too many carbs are not a healthy diet. We can do better than that.” Grace ripped open the packaging on the pork chops. “What time do the dogs and cats eat, dear? I haven’t got a clue how to take care of a cat.”

“Let me call Mick and see what time he feeds the dogs at the ranch.”

“Wonderful idea. Mick is the end all when it comes to dog care, Jimmy.”

Jimmy laughed. “He’s a bit beyond that, Gramma. He’s a fanatic about the dogs.”

“I didn’t want to say that, dear.” Grace laughed while Jimmy waited for Mick to pick up.

“Hey, Mick, me and Gramma Grace got us some dogs for her house out here in Briarwood and we wondered what time you fed your dogs.”

“Ten after eight in the morning they get their breakfast, and I feed them dinner at ten after six every night.”

“Thanks, Mick.”

“What kind of dogs did y’all get, Jimmy?”

“Bloodhounds and I love them already. Gramma Grace got herself two cats too.” He laughed. “We’re starting a zoo here.”

“I’ll come down there and see your dogs. Got names for them?”

“Patsy and Penny are my dogs. You’re gonna like them, Mick. They are beauties.”

“Can’t wait to see them, Jimmy. Good idea to get dogs. I don’t want Grace living there by herself. It’s too fuckin’ dangerous.”

“I agree.”

“Me and Davey will drop by.”

“Sure.”

Jimmy shoved his phone into his pocket and Grace asked, “What time did he suggest feeding them, dear?”

“Ten after six.”

“That’s precise.”

“Yeah, ain’t it? What time is it now?”

“Ten after five. I’m making dinner. We’ll walk the dogs after dark.”

“Can hardly wait until we do our first spy run. I’ll unpack their bowls and read the instructions on the bag of kibble.”

“Thanks, honey. We’ve had a wonderful first day.”

“I think so too.”

An hour later, Grace and Jimmy ate porch chops, mashed potatoes and gravy and carrots. “We won’t have any dessert until later when I make the brownies. I’ll do the baking after we stroll around the park and check out all of the houses marked in red.”

Jimmy grinned. “This is going to be great. I’m getting a good feeling about our plan, Gramma Grace.”

“Rafe would be so proud of us, Jimmy."

“He would be.”

Grace’s phone rang and made her jump. “It’s Annie checking on us.” She put the call on speaker so Jimmy could hear.

“Mom, how are you and Jimmy doing?”

“We’re wonderful, dear. We bought dogs today to keep us safe and while we were at the shelter browsing, I got a couple of beautiful cats too.”

“Wow, you guys had a busy day.”

“We certainly did. A big day at the market too and Jimmy happened to see Wayne Lombard go into the supermarket office.”

“Isn’t that interesting? Good one, Jimmy.”

“Thanks, Annie.”

“Just a heads up for you two,” said Annie, “Lucy thinks she might be missing out and she’s on her way down there to sleep over.”

Grace laughed. “She’s more than welcome, Annie. We have three bedrooms, and it will be fun to have her stay with us. Have you adjusted the store schedule with all the changes?”

“I have and I’ll send your reduced hours to your phone.”

“Thank you for understanding how important this is to me, Annie.”

“I do understand that you want to do something to help with the mob problem. My only concern is you and the kids getting hurt.”

“We’ll be careful. I don’t want them getting hurt either. Not because of me.” Grace ended the call. “Did you hear that, Jimmy? Lucy will be joining us very soon.”

Jimmy laughed. “I’m not surprised. She doesn’t want us having more fun than her.”

“Shall we wait until she arrives before we walk the dogs?”

“We should. She’ll probably claim one for her own and I’ll only have one left.”

“I’d better feed my cats. They are settling in well. They don’t seem to be afraid of the dogs at all.”

At ten after six, Jimmy fed Penny and Patsy, and they gobbled up their kibble and looked for more.

“I gave them exactly what it said on the bag, Gramma Grace, but look at their faces. They’re still giving me that hungry look.”

“Give them one of their biscuits for dessert, dear. See if they like their treats. We should’ve asked Shawna at the shelter what they were used to eating.”

“A lot to learn,” said Jimmy. “I never took care of a dog before.”

“Never had a cat either,” said Grace. “I’m in the dark the same as you.”

Patsy and Penny ran to the door barking their heads off and Grace jumped.

“That must be Lucy,” said Jimmy. “The dogs heard her before I did.”

Jimmy headed for the door.

“They are better than a security system,” said Grace. “And so much louder.”

“Cheaper too,” said Jimmy who had a strong economical streak. He opened the front door and ran outside to help Lucy with her suitcase.

“Wow, look at the big dogs. What are you and Gramma Grace doing down here, Jimmy? Mommy isn’t happy that y’all decided to move away from the ranch.”

“Annie already called us, Luce. Gramma Grace is doing this and I’m helping her. Simple but true. Annie thinks we’re in danger and that’s why she’s upset.”

Jimmy followed Lucy into the foyer and whistled for the dogs. Patsy and Penny came running and Jimmy hugged them for coming when they were called.

“Welcome, dear.” Grace hugged her granddaughter. “We’re happy to have you here with us in Briarwood.”

“Thanks a lot. I think you and Jimmy are up to something, Gramma Grace. What is really going on?”

“Nothing much yet, but it’s about to start. We were getting ready to walk the dogs. Do you want to come?”

“Sure do. Can I walk one of them?”

“You can pick which one you want to walk. This is Patsy and this is Penny.”

“I’ll take Patsy. I like her a lot with her little black patches, but they’re both nice, Jimmy.”

One of the cats darted across the room and Lucy squealed. “Was that a cat?”

“Gramma Grace got herself a couple of big fluffy cats while we were at the shelter.”

Lucy giggled. “What are you guys hiding from me? You’re trying to act ordinary, but I can tell something is going on.”

“Nothing much is going on,” said Jimmy. “Not yet anyway.”

“Let’s walk the dogs, shall we?” asked Grace. “We could all use a breath of fresh air.”

Chapter Seven

Sunday, April 27th.

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

For Sunday breakfast, Grace made a big batch of pancake batter while Jimmy and Lucy took the dogs outside for their morning run.

At ten after eight, Jimmy fed the dogs and while he watched them gobble up their kibble, Lucy cuddled Elvira and Ebony on the sofa.

“The cats are purring, and I think they like me, Gramma Grace. I think I’ll ask Mommy if I can get a cat.”

“You can share these two with me,” said Grace. “Your mother is annoyed with me enough already.” She turned the stove on under a copper-bottomed pan and filled it with bacon.

“Why did you bake all those brownies, Gramma Grace? What are we going to do with all of them?”

“We’re going to do something we should’ve done a long time ago, dear. We’re going to deliver the brownies and welcome our new neighbors to Briarwood.”

“The mob people too?” Lucy asked.

Jimmy shook his head.

“Not them,” said Grace. “The ordinary retired people who could be lovely human beings, and they might also be scared of everything that’s happened since they moved in.”

Jimmy interjected, “They might also know things they don’t know that they know.”

Lucy giggled. “What does that mean, Jimmy? Is it a riddle?”

“Could be, Luce.” Jimmy winked at her. “You try to figure it out.”

“It sounds like fun meeting the neighbors and bringing them brownies. Are we doing that today?”

“Let’s talk about the plan for today over breakfast,” said Grace. “Jimmy and I will fill you in on what we were thinking. A few ways we can find out more about the bad neighbors from the good ones.”

“Ooh,” said Lucy. “I want to do that. Are we going to be doing detective work?”

“Yes, but for now I’d be happier if Annie didn’t know what we were doing. It would only cause her more worry if she thought we were getting ourselves into dangerous situations.”

“Flirting with danger,” said Jimmy.

“Are we getting guns?” asked Lucy.

“Definitely not,” said Grace. “We’re going to use more civilized methods of getting information.”

“Like brownies,” said Lucy.

The Blackmore Agency Austin.

Blaine spent Sunday morning listening to the recorded conversations Patti and Lily had marked for him. They had already listened to hours of useless chatter coming in from all of the planted listening devices and discarded most of it. They saved the best of the week for the boss.

The audio he was about to listen to was marked, Dave Malvern’s office in Giddings.

“Let’s hear what you have to say Dave.” Blaine turned on the recording with his pen in hand to make notes.

“Doesn’t matter how nervous you are, Phil, you can’t pack up and go back to Chicago.”

“Cardinali is dead. Tony Ragazzi had his throat cut and now Dino and his son are both gone. We are not safe in Texas. I want to relocate.”

“You can’t just up and move on your own, Phil. It’s not your call. You’ll have to wait until the new boss okays it and he’s barely had time to take over Bacardi’s responsibilities. Give it a few weeks and if things don’t settle down, I’ll pass your concerns on to Chicago.”

“I’m not waiting for you, Dave. I’ve got lots of my own friends in the Windy City. I’m going to talk to them and find out what Sal De luca’s plans are for Texas. If you think I’m standing around in my store waiting to be eliminated by the locals, you are sadly mistaken.”

“That won’t happen, Phil. They won’t do anything obvious, and you have lots of security.”

“Did that help Cardinali or Bacardi? They both had bodyguards, and they are both dead. There’s a force at work here and they want us out of Texas. I, for one, am taking the hint.”

The audio ended and Blaine nodded his head and smiled. “Phil Santorini is scared shitless.” He picked up the phone.

River Bend Ranch. Lincoln.

Savanna always made pancakes on Sunday morning for her big, adopted family. She and Travis were getting along well and now that he and Billy were working for the Agency along with Harlan and Virgil, they all seemed to have a new sense of purpose.

“Since the warehouse was seized by the feds,” said Harlan, “I’ve been wondering what my new assignment was going to be. Blacky said he’d have something for me by tomorrow morning.”

“Could be surveillance if he doesn’t want you back on the squad yet,” said Billy.

Harlan shrugged. “I don’t care what it is as long as I’m working.”

“Now that the first RICO charges have been filed,” said Travis, “I’m wondering if the rest of the mob members will take the hint and beat it out of Texas.”

“The mob ain’t that easy to scare off, Dad,” said Virgil. “They think they’re smarter and tougher than anybody else and they don’t scare easy.”

“Sometimes those are the easiest guys to take down, Virge,” said Travis. “They are so full of themselves, they don’t see it coming.”

“Don’t think Gary saw it coming,” said Harlan. “When the warehouse got seized, he seemed totally surprised when the Marshals stormed in and put cuffs on him.”

Harlan’s cell rang and he stepped out onto the porch to take the call. “Hey, boss.”

“Harlan, something has come up and I want you to put the hardware store in La Grange under surveillance starting tomorrow morning. Don’t matter if Phil Santorini sees you. I want him to know he’s being watched. I know for a fact he’s scared and wants to pull out of Texas.”

“Sure, boss. I’ll sit right outside the store where he can see me.”

“Good copy, Harlan.”

Big smile on his face, Harlan ran back into the kitchen. “Got my assignment for tomorrow.”

“What?” Virgil poured the last of the syrup on his second stack of pancakes.

“I’m gonna sit right in front of Santorini’s hardware store and scare the bejesus out of him. Blacky says he’s nervous and he’s talking about leaving Texas. We’re gonna give him an extra push to get him going.”

Virgil gave him a thumbs up. “Go for it, bro.”

Malvern Residence. Briarwood Estates.

After the big Sunday morning breakfast, Grace, Lucy and Jimmy set off walking the dogs through the lovely, wooded park, and as they rounded a curve in the path, they saw a big gathering at Dave Malvern’s place.

“Looks like Dave and Lila are having a party,” said Jimmy. “I’ll take down all the tag numbers and get them to Mick, so we know who’s at the meeting.”

“Perfect idea,” said Grace. “Let’s introduce ourselves to the people on this side of him.”

“Go ahead and knock on the door, Gramma Grace,” said Lucy. “We’ll back you up.”

“Thank you, dear. It’s much easier doing this with the two of you alongside, but I would’ve done it alone. Made myself do it for Rafe. I intend to find out who killed him, if it takes me a week or six years.”

Lucy hugged her grandmother.

Powers Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Next door to the Malverns, a gray-haired lady opened the door and smiled at them.

“Hello,” said Grace. “I hope you don’t mind, but we’re your neighbors from one street over and we wanted to welcome you to Briarwood Estates.” Grace handed her the pan of brownies covered in clear plastic wrap and tied with a blue ribbon.

The woman’s smile widened. “How lovely. A welcoming committee. I’m Claire Powers and my husband, Justin, is out back watering our garden. Please come in.”

They stepped into the foyer and Grace introduced Jimmy and Lucy.

“I’ll stay out here with the dogs, Gramma Grace.”

“Nonsense,” said Claire. “Bring them in. They look clean and beautiful and perfectly trained.”

“This is Patsy,” said Lucy, “and Jimmy has Penny. We just got them yesterday.”

“Please sit down and I’ll get us all coffee,” said Claire. “Justin and I were talking about that very thing yesterday. About how we needed a watchdog.”

“I noticed there were a lot of cars at the house next door,” said Grace. “Do they have a lot of parties?”

“When we first moved in, we walked over to introduce ourselves,” said Claire. “Dave and Lila Malvern are both attorneys and they weren’t very friendly to us, but it doesn’t matter. There are enough trees between our properties that we don’t have to look at them.” She laughed.

Justin Powers came in later and they met him too. A nice man who sold insurance before he retired. Now he was focusing his full attention on his vegetable garden.

The Powers had a fluffy gray cat that ran away when Lucy tried to pet it.

They enjoyed coffee and a brownie with the Powers and Grace said, “I was thinking of starting a book club for the retired ladies living here. What do you think of that idea, Claire?”

“Wonderful idea, Grace. I’m a huge reader and it would be so much fun to get together and discuss what we’re currently reading. I’m all for it.”

“Let’s say Wednesday at seven at my place,” said Grace, “and if you know of any other ladies in Briarwood who would like to join us, bring them along.”

“So far I only know June Dempsey on this side of us.” She pointed the opposite way to where the Malverns were located. “I’ll ask her.”

“Fantastic,” said Grace.

Stop 77. Route 77. La Grange.

Casey and Virgil were assigned to shake things up at the truck stop when they had spare time between their regular cases.

They started with regular patrols through Darla Franconi’s big rig parking lot watching for hookers scrambling in and out of the trucks and keeping their eyes open for drug deals going down between the rows of parked trucks.

Anything taking place on Franconi’s property that broke the law, they would capitalize on and use to bring Darla into the station to question her. Blaine wanted them to spot any illegal activity at all that implicated the truck stop owner. His goal was to make her nervous and force her into making a mistake or make her run to her boss—whoever that was.

On their lunch break, Casey and Virgil haunted the truck stop restaurant and made their presence known. They watched the drivers come and go and listened to the chatter amongst the staff.

Virge and Casey were drinking coffee and waiting for their breakfast sandwiches in the restaurant when Darla made a surprise move and joined them in their booth.

She slid in next to Virgil and spoke directly to Casey on the other side of the table. “What are you guys trying to do to my business?”

“We’re just drinking coffee, ma’am,” said Virgil.

“As if. I want you out of my restaurant and off my property unless you have a legitimate reason for being here.”

“Eating lunch ain’t legit?” asked Virgie.

Casey came back at Darla. “We do have a reason for being here, ma’am. We’re entitled to have coffee on our morning break, and we get an hour for lunch. That’s what we’re doing here.”

“Every restaurant has the right to refuse service,” said Darla.

“You’re saying you won’t serve any cops who come into your restaurant?” asked Casey.

“That’s right.”

“When you have an emergency and need a cop, I guess you won’t be expecting us to come and help you,” said Casey.

“That’s right. I don’t need any help from the cops…period, and especially not you two clowns.”

Casey tossed down a five for the coffee and he and Virgil walked out of the restaurant. They sat in the truck while Casey called Blaine and explained that Darla had kicked them out.

“That’s fine, Case. She can’t stop you from patrolling her parking lot. I’ll talk to Kamps and see what we can arrange for Miss Darla.”

“Copy that.”

The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

Kamps answered on the first ring and Blacky told him what he wanted done.

“I’ll get the word out there as soon as I can,” said Kamps. He chuckled. “This should be good.”

Blaine laughed too. “Can’t wait for the shit to hit the fan, Kamps.”

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

In the afternoon, Grace made plans for the first book club meeting coming up on Wednesday evening. “We need a name for the club, Lucy. What should we call it?”

“Name it after yourself, Gramma. You thought of it, and you should get the credit. How about Grace’s Good Reads?”

Jimmy nodded, but he looked like he was thinking hard on something.

“What about you, Jimmy?” asked Grace.

“Briarwood Better Books. The triple ‘B’ club.” He laughed.

“That’s good, Jimmy,” said Lucy. “I like it better than mine.”

“I like both of them,” said Grace. “Once we break the ice at our first meeting and get all of the women in Briarwood talking about what’s going on around us, there will be no end to the information we get.”

“But will it be the kind of information we need to get rid of the mob?” asked Jimmy.

“We have to make sure it is,” said Grace. “I won’t give up until I find out who knocked on that front door and shot Rafe.”

“If we’re starting on Wednesday evening, we need a book picked out by then, Gramma,” said Lucy.

“Picking the book didn’t even cross my mind, dear. I’m glad I have you two deep thinkers here to help me. Let’s pick a new one that Reese hasn’t had a chance to recommend.”

“Should I look online?” asked Jimmy.

“You could do that,” said Grace, “or we could ask someone who reads a lot of books.”

“I’ll ask Mommy,” said Lucy. “She reads a new book every week and sometimes she talks about the book and the author.”

“Yes, she does,” said Grace. “If you ask her to pick the book, it wouldn’t be fair not to invite her to join the club. We can’t ask for a favor and then shut her out.”

“I’ll invite her and get the recommend,” said Lucy. “I have store hours tomorrow and I’ll sort it all out.”

“Wonderful.”

Penny and Patsy ran to the door barking, and they were correct—there were strangers outside. A truck pulled into the driveway and parked. Mick and Davey had arrived to see the new dogs.

Jimmy let them into the foyer and Penny and Patsy ran towards them wagging their tails. About the only time Mick smiled was when he played with dogs—any dogs. Meeting the two new bloodhounds was no different. He loved them both at first sight.

He knelt down and stroked their long ears and gave them the biscuits he brought for them.

“Come in and sit down, boys,” said Grace. “I’ll get us all some iced tea.”

While Mick was there, Jimmy showed him the list of tags he’d written down from all the vehicles who were at Malvern’s house for the meeting earlier in the day.

“We need to run these people, Mick. Get the names and addresses and pass the information on to Blacky.”

“Sure. I can do it right now.” Mick pulled out his phone and ran the tags one by one through the DMV.

“I’m anxious to know who was at Dave’s place myself,” said Grace. “If the big shots in Chicago sent more heavy hitters our way, I want to know about it.”

Mick smiled and when the first tag came up, he read it to Jimmy, who wrote it down.

“Tim McGarigle from the Irish Pub.”

Mick entered the second one.

“Phil Santorini from the hardware store.”

“Luis Himanez from the fitness center.”

“Peter Coni with a Houston address.

“Never heard of him,” said Grace.

“Salvatore Gallo from Dallas. That’s it,” said Mick. “You got the list down, Jimmy?”

“I do.”

“Text it to Blacky. He’ll want to see the names of those new players from Houston and Dallas. He can find out more about them from the federal Texas boys working organized crime.”

“Houston and Dallas,” said Grace. “They seem to be multiplying as fast as rats in a sewer.”

Lucy made a face.

Davey and Mick had to go home to feed their own dogs by ten after six and they couldn’t stay for dinner.

Grace made spaghetti, garlic bread and a big salad and after they tidied up the kitchen it was time for another one of their long walks to meet more of the neighbors.

Diamond Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Carol and Bill Diamond lived in the house on the other side of the Malverns. A heavily treed property with newly dug flower beds. Grace got her courage up and knocked on their door.

Turned out they were a friendly couple and open to meeting their neighbors.

“When we first moved in, we went over to meet the Malverns next door,” said Bill, “and they were downright rude to us.”

“Yes, they were,” said Carol. “Since then, we haven’t bothered with them at all. We have lots of other friends from where we used to live, out in Bryan.”

“I’m starting a book club for the ladies of Briarwood,” said Grace. “The first meeting will be Wednesday at seven at my place, and I’d be delighted if you would come, Carol.”

“That’s interesting. I was saying earlier today that I should read more now that I have time for it. I’d love to come.”

“If you know anyone else in Briarwood who’d be interested, I’d love to have them too,” said Grace.

“On one of our walks,” said Bill, “we met two or three women around the corner. They seemed nice and they may want to join.”

“Wonderful,” said Grace.

Carol nodded. “I’ll go ‘round tomorrow and invite them, if you’d like.”

“Yes, please,” said Grace. “I’m hoping for a small enthusiastic group open to lively discussions and stimulating conversations. Mostly getting to know our neighbors. We are isolated out here.”

“Sounds so civilized.” Carol laughed. “It would be comforting to find more of that out here in the deep, dark woods.”

Her husband rolled his eyes.

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

On the walk home, Grace commented on how friendly the Diamonds were.

“They were nice,” said Lucy, “and the number for the book club is growing.”

“Have you been keeping track, dear?” asked Grace.

“Yes. So far, counting you and me and Mommy, there will be eight or nine ladies coming. That will be a solid start for the club. Do we have to serve drinks and refreshments?”

“Oh, my, yes. Drinks and snacks, and then a light lunch at the end of the evening. I’ll have to work on that.”

Grace and Lucy were in the kitchen deciding what to serve the book club ladies when the dogs barked and ran to the door.

Jimmy peeked through the curtains and saw a black SUV turn around at the end of the driveway.

“Who is it, dear?”

“Nobody, Gramma Grace. Just somebody driving by.” Jimmy turned on the flat screen to watch Neil’s ballgame while the girls were busy.

Wish I could’ve seen that tag.

Chapter Eight

Monday, April 28th.

River Bend Ranch. Lincoln.

“This is gonna be a great week, Virge,” said Harlan. “Blacky is putting on more pressure and turning the screws on the mob and a load of shit is about to go down. I can feel it.”

“Same. Casey and I pissed Darla Franconi off so bad yesterday at her truck stop, she booted us out of her greasy restaurant and told us we couldn’t eat there no more.”

Harlan chuckled. “You’re not allowed to eat at the truck stop?”

“Nope. No cops can eat in her restaurant no more, but Blaine said she can’t stop us from cruising through the parking lot and checking the big rigs for drugs and for hookers.”

“I’m supposed to park right in front of the hardware store, and it don’t matter if Santorini sees me or not,” said Harlan. “I’m there to piss him off and force him to make a move the other mob guys ain’t gonna like.”

They both laughed.

“You think they’ll send another big shot from Chicago to straighten out this mess?” asked Harlan.

“The last three they sent are all dead. They must be getting some kind of message from Texas.”

“I bet the next guy who comes won’t be looking forward to it,” said Harlan.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Annie woke up worried about what Grace was stirring up in Briarwood Estates and before she left the ranch to open the store, she went in the side door of the garage to talk to Mick about it.

“Grace and the kids are doing a little snooping around over there, Annie.” Mick poured himself a coffee. “I don’t like them poking the bear, but they might pick up a few things we can use. They noticed a bunch of cars at Dave Malvern’s place and Jimmy took down the tags.”

He showed Annie the list.

“Two of these people are from Houston and Dallas. Does Blaine know?”

“He does. I sent him the list last night and he’s working on it.”

“What else is Mom doing? She’s avoiding talking to me because I’m not supporting her little detective caper.”

Mick chuckled. “She’s starting a book club. Inviting the women up there over to her place.”

“Huh. She didn’t invite me, and I like to read. Maybe she’ll call me today.”

“Can’t help you there, boss. Maybe your invite is coming. Don’t call Grace because she’ll know I ratted her out. She seems to be enjoying herself and she loves having the kids in on it.”

Annie sighed. “I’m nervous for all three of them.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” said Mick.

“Wish you would.”

Mill Antiques. La Grange.

Annie drove down to La Grange and opened the store alone. She missed her mother being with her, and Lucy too most days. It wasn’t as much fun running the store by herself, and she could hardly wait until Lucy came to start her shift.

She got the float from the locked drawer in her office and carried it to the front counter. An antique glass showcase that came from a hundred-year-old general store. She loved that counter a lot.

The cash register was a relic too. One of the big gold ones that didn’t exist any longer—only in old western movies.

Annie was happily glancing around at the displays she’d worked hard on the day before when the bell jangled over the door and Darla Franconi walked in.

“Darla, what a nice surprise.”

“This isn’t a fun shopping trip, Annie. I’m here on business.”

“Okay. What has you so upset?”

“I’ve got cops all over the truck stop and the drivers are up in arms about it.”

“Why are you telling me?”

“Because you’re responsible, that’s why.”

Annie laughed. “Why would you think that?”

“Because I know more about you than you think I do. You pose as a lowly shop owner when in reality, you are the force behind The Blackmore Agency and the war on crime in Texas.”

“Lowly?” asked Annie. “That’s not very complimentary. I’m proud to be a shop owner and I love my little store. Did you know I have another in Santa Fe?”

“No, and I don’t care if you have a chain of them. What I care about is your cops annoying my customers at the truck stop.”

“Point made. I’ll fix that for you, Darla.”

“Thank you.” Darla turned and stomped out of the store.

Seeing Darla reminded her of her twin sister Carla and instantly, Annie’s damaged arm began to ache. She picked up her cell phone.

Blaine answered on the first ring. “Mom?”

“I want you to take Casey and Virge off the truck stop and put Travis and Billy in there. Darla was just here freaking out about the surveillance and we’re not letting up because it’s bothering her. I want it to bother her a lot more.”

“I agree,” said Blaine. “Let her get all worked up.”

“She’s never seen Travis or Billy,” said Annie. “Send them to watch what’s going on there. If there wasn’t something she didn’t want us to see, she wouldn’t be so freaked-out crazy.”

“Copy that. I’ll pull Casey and Virge and give them another assignment. Good call, Mom.”

Annie ended the call, and she heard Lucy come in the back door. “Hi, Mommy. I brought Patsy to meet you. She’ll be a good watchdog for the store while I’m working.”

“Lovely long ears. Is this one of Mom’s new dogs?”

“Yes. Isn’t she a beauty?”

“She’s wonderful, honey. What are you guys up to in Briarwood?”

“Oh, we’re meeting the neighbors and doing a lot of things, but the most exciting one is the book club. Gramma Grace is starting it, and the first meeting is on Wednesday night. You’re invited to join, of course, and Gramma wondered if you had a suggestion on which book the ladies should start with.”

“Hmm…that is interesting, Lucy. There is a book I’ve been meaning to read. Perhaps it would be the right one to start with. How many copies should I bring for the group?”

“Jimmy thinks we’ll have eight or nine for the first meeting, but once more ladies hear about it, they’ll want to join too.”

“Does Mom think this will be a source of information about their mob neighbors? She must have a reason for starting the club. I know her, Lucy, and she barely reads a recipe card.”

“Something like that, Mommy. Don’t be mad at her. She’s mad and sad at the same time and she’s trying her best to find out who killed Grampa.”

“I figured as much. What time on Wednesday?”

“Seven.”

“You can tell your grandmother that I’ll be there, and I’ll bring copies of the book we’ll start with.”

Lucy hugged Annie. “Thank you so much, Mommy. You can’t believe how important this is to Gramma Grace.”

“I think I do.”

Cumberland Residence. Briarwood Estates.

Penny put up a barking storm when she heard the truck back into the house next door. “Why all the ruckus from Penny?” asked Grace.

“There’s a truck backing into Glen Sleman’s house, Gramma. New people are moving in.”

“Oh, my goodness. I forgot about it being empty, but I guess he might as well rent the place while he’s in the slammer.”

Jimmy laughed. “A new neighbor will be better than Glen Sleman. He was a horrible person who said a lot of mean things about his wife.”

“A disgusting man and a wife-killer,” said Grace. “I never found him attractive in any way.”

“Candy Apple was pretty and friendly,” said Jimmy, “and I feel sorry for her being dead n’all.”

“As soon as they get moved in, we’ll take them a welcome pan of brownies,” said Grace. “I’m going to have to get busy and bake another three pans.”

“While we wait for the new people to move in, we could visit the people on the far side of the Santorini’s. You said you wanted to talk to them next. See if they noticed Phil doing anything besides smoking those smelly cigars.”

“Look on the map and see what their names are, dear. We’ll be prepared when we knock on their door.”

“I put Rafe’s map on the wall in the office,” said Jimmy. “It’s handy there and we can see the whole layout of Briarwood in one glance. All the houses we’ve taken brownies to, I marked in green.”

“Amazing, Jimmy. I plan to recruit every woman on our street before the day is over.”

Jimmy laughed at Grace and jogged down the hall to the office. He ran back to the kitchen and said, “The people next to the Santorinis are Jill and Jerry Thaxter.”

“Jill and Jerry,” repeated Grace as she picked up the pan of brownies. “Let’s meet and greet.”

Jimmy chuckled as he held Penny’s leash in his hand and kept the door open for Grace.

River Bend Ranch. Lincoln.

Travis was in the barn brushing Outlaw when he got a call from Blacky. “Hey, boss. What’s up?”

“I’m pulling Virge and Casey off the truck stop surveillance and replacing them with you and Billy. The owner, Darla Franconi, went to Annie’s store this morning and told her to get her cops out of her truck stop. Darla has never seen you or Billy, so I’d like y’all to go hang out and see what you see.”

“Copy that. We’ll get on it right away.”

“Thanks, Travis. I’ve got so much ground to cover I appreciate you and Billy helping me out.”

“We’re happy to do it. Fun to be working again—for both of us. Turns out we ain’t that good at being retired.” Travis laughed.

“Don’t think I’d be much good at it myself.”

Santorini Hardware. La Grange.

Harlan was parked in front of the hardware store at a quarter to nine when Phil Santorini arrived to open the store.

He watched Phil unlock the front doors from the inside and he gave the pickup a glance, then continued on with getting the store opened up for the day.

About a half hour later, Phil stuck his head out the door again, saw that the truck was still there, and that made him put his cell to his ear and call somebody.

“Great, he’s getting antsy now.” Harlan smiled.

Harlan wanted more coffee, and he could see Sterne’s deli on the far side of the common from where he was sitting. Needed a bathroom break too. He grinned when he saw Virge pull in and park in front of him. “Just in time.”

Big grin on his face, Virge jumped into the shotgun seat and asked Harlan how it was going.

“Boring so far. Phil looked at the truck twice and he knows I’m out here. I saw him call somebody, but nothing happened yet.”

“It will. Blaine knows what he’s doing. You need more coffee?”

“Sure do, and I need a piss break too.”

Bang. Bang.

“Gunfire,” hollered Virge and he grabbed his door handle and dove out of the truck. “Guys running out of the pawn shop,” he yelled over his shoulder to Harlan.

Virge was running full out across the common and Harlan had to run hard to catch up to his brother.

Bang.

On the run, Virge knocked down the guy booking it to the pickup parked by the curb. “Get the driver,” he yelled to Harlan before he ran into the store.

Harlan ran to the truck with his gun pointed at the wheelman. “Get out of the truck with your hands on your head.”

“What the fuck?” The guy looked pissed off. “We heard there wouldn’t be no cops here.”

“Where’d you hear that?”

“Can’t say.”

“Guess you heard wrong, buddy.” Harlan cuffed him and attached him to the doorhandle of the truck while he ran inside to help Virgil.

Inside the pawn shop was worse than Virgil imagined. He and Harlan had heard two shots, and there were two people down inside the shop.

Wayne Lombard was slumped over the front counter bleeding from his head all over the glass, and his wife Carolann was lying on the floor in a lake of crimson.

She had been shot in the neck, and Virgil didn’t think she had much of a chance.

Harlan came in and called Blacky while Virgil tried to stop the bleeding in Mrs. Lombard’s neck. He figured it was pointless, but he had to try.

“Pawnshop got robbed, boss,” said Harlan. “Me and Virge had to leave the Santorini surveillance to deal with it.”

“That’s okay. Have you boys got it covered, or do you need me or Casey?”

“Nope. Covered, boss. Sheriff can take the wheelman to the Giddings lockup, and if the ambulance gets here in the next ten seconds, they can take Mrs. Lombard. Otherwise, all we need is Gonzales and his team. Wayne Lombard is dead, and Virge shot the robber. He’s outside on the sidewalk.”

“Copy that. I’ll send Annie over from the store.”

“Thanks, boss.”

Annie got the call from Blaine and left the store in Lucy’s hands. She ran across the grassy common and arrived at the scene just as Gonzales got there in the sheriff’s Bronco.

She wasn’t used to seeing the Bronco without seeing Rafe in it, and it brought a tear to her eye.

“Robber on the sidewalk.” Annie pointed and hollered to Gonzales, “Driver cuffed to the truck. Virge and Harlan have the scene. The owners of the pawn shop are both dead.”

“This is terrible, Annie,” said Gonzales. “We never had crime like this in our county before the mob came.”  

“We won’t give up until we get them out,” said Annie. “I promise you that.”

To be continued…

Author Notes from Carolina Mac.

A fun new Novella series – Mill Anquiqes is kind of cozy with a lot of familiar characters cropping up from previous series. Lots of suspense and surprising things happening. Some romance to make it fun. Coming at you in short episodes that I can keep up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Carolina Mac is the author of over two hundred and twenty-five books in seventeen different series. The Regulators, Quantrall PI, The Blackmore Agency, The Night Vipers, The Creed, The Agency: Young Guns, Paradise Park, Broken Spur, The Moonbeam Chronicles, Taming the Stallion and the Rebel Ranch series.

Also, seven Novella series: Heaven’s Gate, Midlife Magic, Suddenly Magic, The Sabbats, Boots & Saddles Updates, Mill Antiques and Lukas Donovan Undercover.  

She’s the co-author with her daughter JL Madore/Auburn Tempest of Misty’s Magick and Mayhem series. Translated into German. And the new Dark Irish Mafia Romance series.

She’s the co-author with her son David K. MacDowell/D.K. Mac of the True Colors political thriller series. Fourteen books in all.

Also by Carolina Mac

Regulator Biker Series (12 Book Series)

Q-File P.I. Series (15 Book Series)

The Blackmore Agency Series (30 Book Series)

Night Viper Series (15 Book Series)

The Creed (16 Book Series)

The Agency: Young Guns (15 Book Series)

Taming the Stallion (12 Book Series)

Rebel Ranch (3 Book Series)

True Colors (14 Book Series)

The Moonbeam Chronicles (26 Book Series)

Paradise Park Series (13 Book Series)

Misty’s Magick & Mayhem Series (11 Book Series)

Mystere LeJeune: The Sabbats (4 Book Series)

Heaven’s Gate Romance Novella Series (3 Book Series)

Broken Spur Series (4 Book Series)

Midlife Magic Series (6 Book Series)