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money.”
    Goaded by the lackluster vote of confidence in the stoic expressions on their faces, he raked his fingers through his hair, trying to see their side of things. They’d all four been betrayed by Max. Even so, there’d been a hope that existed among Joseph, Aaron, Zach and Ben that Max would come to his senses someday. That he’d return home to the family.
    The idea that Max lay cold in some unmarked grave made Ben’s chest tighten with ready sorrow. How had he failed so miserably? It should’ve been different. Heshould’ve been able to turn Max around and get him to see reason.
    When he thought of his brother’s widow lying in the other room, her weakened body racked with fever and sickness, his heart wobbled off-beat. There had to be more to her than met the eye. And he wanted to be the one to uncover it.
    â€œI think if you had the opportunity to talk to Callie, you’d see why I couldn’t just turn her out in the storm.”
    â€œMaybe,” Aaron conceded. “But why you feel like you have to go and give her a job, room and board, when it’s pretty obvious she’s trying to pull a fast one, is beyond me.”
    â€œKeep your voice down.” Ben sliced another reproving look to Aaron and moved to stand next to him. “She won’t take a handout. She insists on paying me back for her care, and I’m inclined to believe that she means it. You both know that I could use help around here. One good look at this place proves that.”
    â€œI don’t know…it all looks fine to me.” Joseph quipped good-naturedly, stepping toward them. He turned his head as though taking in the full measure of the place.
    â€œThis from a blind man.” Aaron rolled his eyes, clapping Joseph’s arm. “Inspect things with those sensitive fingertips of yours, and I think you will change your tune.”
    Ben chuckled softly. “I’m not arguing. We all know that I didn’t inherit the ‘neat and tidy’ ways in the family like you, Joseph.”
    â€œAt least you’re right on that account.” Aaron quirked an eyebrow.
    â€œListen, I know how much guilt you carry over Maxleaving the way he did.” Joseph sighed, setting his focus dead center on Ben. “We all feel responsible in one way or the other, but we tried to get him to come back. Even doled out more money for him when it was obvious he’d been a fool and spent all of his inheritance.”
    Aaron slid his hands into his pockets. “Pulling this little lady into things when we don’t know her from a stranger could be barkin’ up the wrong tree.”
    Ben glanced over to the front window where the town slowly dug out from the foot and a half of snow that had fallen last night. In spite of the impeding snow that made movement outside difficult, at best, his brothers had been on his doorstep at ten o’clock this morning, checking to make sure he’d returned safely from his calls last night. The youngest, Zach, likely would’ve been here, too, but he was probably buried knee-deep in chores on the cattle ranch where he worked as foreman.
    Ben valued the close relationship he had with his brothers. They looked out for each other, picked up slack when one was down. And they all felt a profound hole where Max had been.
    His jaw ticked with edginess. “Max aside, Callie is obviously in need of a little help, and I’m going to do what I can for her.”
    He remembered, with a sense of shame, the panic in her eyes last night when he had as much as accused her of stealing the locket. “You’re right, though. She could easily be some fast-talking thief who knows an easy target when she sees one. And if that’s the case, I’ll do my best not to get taken, but until I find out more, she’s staying right here.”

Chapter Four
    â€œT hat is the longest uninterrupted stretch of sleep I’ve ever seen,” came