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punched him in the center of his chest with her index finger. "You just try to stop me."

Chapter 3
    Ihave no intention of giving Joe a choice in the matter! He's not leaving me out of the search for Russ and Eddie.Andi was determined to be involved in every aspect of the hunt. She couldn't trust Joe, not when it came to her brother's life. The initial meeting at Kate and Ed White-horn's earlier today had been less than productive. She'd found Joe to be as stubborn and unbending as he'd been five years ago, when his Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    go-by-the-rules-at-any-cost atti-tude had destroyed her father.
    Remembering Russell Lapahie still evoked a mixture of emotions within Andi, but foremost a great sense of loss. The man had been a father she'd barely known, and to this day she felt cheated by his death.
    Only six months before that fateful day when Russell had taken his own life, she had been living in South Carolina, the daughter of wealthy, socially prominent parents, with her life as a socialite all mapped out for her. She'd been practically engaged to a childhood friend, Tyler Markey IV, an up--and-coming young state senator. But every-thing had changed when her parents decided to divorce, the result of her father's adulterous affair with a girl half his age. Distraught and filled with rage, Rosemary Stephens had blurted out to Andi that Randall Stephens wasn't even her real father. At that moment, Andi realized why she'd al-ways felt different, as if she didn't quite fit into her par-ents' neat little world. And it had suddenly made sense why she had never felt loved by the man she'd thought was her father.
    “It happened while I was in New Mexico with friends, shortly before I marriedyour. . .before I married Randall," Rosemary had explained. "He was a handsome young Navajo man, and we were instantly attracted to each other. The affair lasted for one glorious week. He was so smitten that he asked me to marry him. But, of course, that was out of the question. He was poor. I was rich. He was an Indian and I was—"
    "You were a bigot," Andi had all but screamed at her mother. "He was good enough to have sex with, but not good enough to marry."
    "I didn't love Russell," Rosemary had admitted. "It was hot sex and nothing more. I'm sorry, Andrea, but that's the truth."
    "Russell? His name isRussell. . .what?"
    "Lapahie.Russell Lapahie. He lived on the reservation. His dream was to be a Tribal police officer."
    "Is he still alive?" Andi had asked.
    "I have no idea." Rosemary had gasped when she re-alized her daughter's intentions. "You aren't thinking of trying to find him, are you? Darling, he has no idea you even exist."
    Two weeks after that revealing conversation with her mother, Andi had headed west. In search of a father who didn't know his brief affair with a vacationing Southern belle had resulted in a child. In search of a heritage that had been denied her, a birthright she had every intention of claiming. That had been five-and-a-half years ago.
    As Andi drove her white Ford Expedition up to the open gates at the end of the long stretch of road leading from the main highway, the Blackwood's house came into view.A sprawling , Spanish stucco built only seven years ago, the home of her dear friend Joanna seemed as wel-coming as ever. But just how welcome would she be, now that Joe was back and J.T. was joining forces with him to find their young kinsman, Joe's nephew and J.T.'s cousin?
    The moment she pulled up beside the vehicle she rec-ognized as Joe's rental car, Andi's stomach knotted pain-fully. He'd said his goodbyes to her at his sister's house and had assured her that he'd contact her when he had any news of Russ and Eddie. Despite her protests, Joe Ornelas had dismissed her and left for the Blackwood ranch shortly after lunch. If he'd thought she wouldn't follow him, then he didn't know her very well.Of course, he doesn't know you!aninner voice taunted.He