The entire town of Haven was on edge the following few days.

Dennis Rodgers was brought in and questioned. Everyone wished they could be in on the questioning, but so far, the police were keeping the outcome quiet. The fact that he was released less than five hours after walking into the station told everyone that the police had no proof Dennis had killed Steven Rice or knew anything about how the man had ended up in a car leased to him.

The rumor going around was that he hadn’t known of the rental car and there was no proof he was the man who’d picked up the car in the first place. His ex-wife, Chrystal, confirmed that he had been at her place picking up their kids for a planned visit when the explosion had happened.

No one doubted her word anymore, now that she was officially free from his grasp.

Dylan was thankful when the media frenzy died down in Haven. Now that the fire was completely out, the town quickly went to work cleaning up the mess. The town came together to help those who had lost their homes. Donations were collected, temporary housing was arranged, and everything seemed to get back to normal.

It was Trey’s first full week back out in the field. He’d been stuck in the office for almost two full weeks.

No one had seen or heard from he’d stopped by the day that she’d been attacked. Still, she was never left alone at the office, and she was thankful for it. She doubted she could handle another bump to the head.

They’d had a few other McGowan family meetings, which were always planned around meals. They’d discussed what they should do next and how to keep everyone safe, and Dylan started to feel like part of the family. It felt wonderful.

Their weekends were spent working on the new house on Trey’s property. Even her brother pitched in before he left for North Dakota. He’d postponed his trip a full week after the fire. Tom’s family had lost their barn and he had helped rebuild it before they headed out to their new jobs.

It was hard seeing the garage apartment empty and not seeing his truck parked in the driveway. This was the first time she’d ever been away from him for any length of time. She knew it was a good thing for him to get out on his own, but she hadn’t thought she’d miss him this much.

She’d run into Darla several times at the store. She swore the woman showed up whenever she pulled into the parking lot. The last time, she’d planned out what she would say to her. It had gone over just as she’d imagined and, since then, Darla hadn’t bumped into her again.

Dylan smiled remembering the run-in. She’d gone to the store after work to get a few items for a dinner she was planning to make for Trey.

She’d turned the corner aisle towards the back of the store, near the milk and eggs. Darla had been standing in the middle of the aisle, her arms crossed over her ample chest, blocking the way.

“Darla.” She’d tried to pass by her, but the woman had gripped her cart, her eyes narrowed in her direction.

“Where’s your brother?” she’d hissed.

“He’s moved on. Isn’t it about time you did the same?” she said clearly.

“I’m pregnant,” Darla had blurted out. If she hadn’t heard how Darla had dealt with Addy’s family, she would have believed her. Instead, she maneuvered her cart around her. “Once you have a paternity test confirm it’s my brother’s, our lawyer will be in contact. Until then”—she narrowed her eyes—“try barking up someone else’s tree.”

“You’ll see when I have my baby, our baby,” Darla had screamed after her. Several people rolled their eyes in Dylan’s direction when they passed by. “I am pregnant!” She stomped her foot and shouted at the passersby.

Dylan had almost laughed as she walked out of the store.

A spring snowstorm hit shortly after that. Trey had helped her cover her flowers with trash bags before the storm hit so they wouldn’t be shocked and freeze. They had sprouted up even faster after the cold weather passed.

It was strange, having seventy-degree weather the day after a snowstorm that had brought in almost a foot of the white stuff.

Now everything was melting and muddy as the men worked on laying the foundation for the new house. The cement was due to arrive in a few days, and the men were hooking up the rough-in plumbing and electricity.

The log home kit had arrived, and the massive pieces were set where Trey planned on building a three-car garage. A large crane had been set up to lift the pieces into place.

It was another warm Saturday and Dylan and Addy were glued to their computer screens as they sat in the shade of a cluster of trees. Her classes had started up again, and she was worried that this time she’d bitten off more than she should have. She had thought she had plenty of time to take six classes, but she was finding it harder to set time aside now that she was helping Trey out at the property. Not that she was doing much, just giving her opinions and helping rake dirt now and then. But she found it harder to concentrate on her classes when Trey was strutting around in front of her without a shirt on, all sweaty and looking like a true mountain man.

After the haircut she’d given him to fix the parts of his hair that had been singed by the fire, his hair had grown back quickly. It was still shorter than before, but the curls were already coming back.

Trey’s skin had healed quickly with her help. He only had one little scar on his wrist, just under his owl tattoo. He mentioned often how good it felt to regain his strength.

His brothers still gave him grief about his shorter hair, but for the most part, Dylan could tell they were happy he had come out of the ordeal nearly unscathed.

They were just shutting down for the evening when a truck pulled into the driveway. A man in a suit stepped out and worry flooded Dylan instantly.

“You must be lost,” Trey called out.

“I’m looking for the McGowans?” The man walked slowly towards them.

“You found them.” Tyler tossed down the towel he’d been using to wipe his face. “I’m Tyler McGowan. Can I help you?”

“I’m here about Carl McGowan.” The man extended his hand.

“You are?” Tyler asked.

“I’m Don Hathaway, Carl McGowan’s new lawyer. He’s hired me to oversee his affairs.”

“What affairs?” Tyler asked.

“Well, that’s what I’d like to meet with you all about, if possible.” The man glanced between the three brothers. “Do you have someplace we can talk?”

“Back up at the main house.” Tyler pointed to his mother’s place. “I’m sure our mother would want to hear what you have to say.”

“I’ll follow you up there.” The man walked back to his car.

“Just what we need, another lawyer,” Trey said under his breath.

“Let’s see what the man has to say. I’m curious what our dear uncle thinks he needs a lawyer for,” Tyler added as they all piled into their trucks.

When they arrived up at Gail’s place, she was waiting for them. Tyler had called her and let her know they was coming.

They all gathered around the living area and, after introductions were made, Don Hathaway pulled out a piece of paper.

“As I mentioned, I was hired to represent Carl McGowan in a suit to contest his brother’s will.”

It wasn’t a big surprise to the family. Dylan noticed several of them sigh with frustration.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Hathaway, but this will be the second time Carl has tried such actions,” Gail said.

“I’m aware of that. I’m also aware that your late husband, Thurston, has been deceased almost two years now. The statute of limitations in the state of Montana only allows up to two years, which is why Carl is contesting his brother’s will now.”

“Son of a…” Tyler ran his hands through his hair.

“My husband’s last will was sound. It’s already been proven…” Gail started.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t made myself clear. We are not contesting the will that was read shortly after your late husband’s death.”

“Then what are you contesting?” Gail asked.

“The new will that has been filed in the last few months. The one that Carl McGowan found at the hunting lease that post-dates the first will read.”

“What?” several people said at once.

“The will was filed by a…” He shuffled through his paperwork.

“Steven Rice?” Tyler asked before the new lawyer could find the name.

“Yes, how did…” The man shook his head. “Anyway, the new will was presented and verified on the twenty-second of last month.”

“The day before the explosion,” Trey added softly. “The day before Steven Rice was found shot to death.”

To his credit, Don Hathaway looked shocked. He set down the stack of papers he held. “I’m sorry, did you just say—”

“Steven Rice, the lawyer who filed my father’s supposedly new will, was found murdered a day after he filed it. We have reason to believe that Carl had something to do with his murder.”

Dylan hadn’t heard that bit of news, but figured Tyler knew more than she did and kept her mouth shut.

“I see.” The man sighed. “In light of these new circumstances, I’ll postpone my own filing until I can do a little digging myself.” He moved to get up.

“Mr. Hathaway, is there any chance you have a copy of the new will my husband supposedly made?” Gail asked.

“Yes.” The man dug through his case. “In the will, Thurston McGowan the second left everything to his youngest son, Thurston Noah McGowan the third.”

The room was silent as every eye turned to Trey. Everyone remained silent as Gail showed the lawyer out.

“What the hell?” Tyler turned back to the room. “There is no way in hell Dad would leave everything to only one of us.”

“Of course not,” Gail said as she walked back in. “This is just another way for Carl to get at us,” she said, looking down at the paperwork. “The signature looks real.” She held it up for the three boys to see.

“I’ve seen Dad’s chicken scratches enough to know that it’s real, but the question is, did he know what he was signing or is it from something else?” Tyler sighed. “I’ll take this home and read through it.”

“Why would Carl be contesting this will? Does he really think he could win this fight when he didn’t win the fight against a will that left everything to all of us?”

“You don’t think…” Trey started but then stopped.

“What?” Dylan encouraged him.

“You don’t think that Carl blew the pipe with me standing next to it so he could contest the new will that, upon my death, left everything dad left us, including McGowan Enterprises uncontested?”

* * *

The fact that his uncle had probably tried to murder him to get his hands on his family’s business and money weighed heavily on Trey, and he found it impossible to sleep that night.

There had been lots to discuss after the lawyer had left and everyone agreed that, no matter the signature, the document was an obvious fake. It went against everything his father had set in motion with his mother. His parents’ relationship had been solid. So solid that they had talked about every aspect of their lives, including their deaths.

After trying to sleep for about an hour, he pushed Dopey off his feet and slowly got out of the bed, making sure not to wake Dylan.

Taking her laptop, he crept downstairs and sat at the table to do his own research. The first thing he looked up was the new lawyer. Don Hathaway had an office in Butte, which lead him to question what Carl had been doing in Butte. Could he be hiding there still?

A few hours later, he gently woke Dylan up as the sun started to rise.

“What’s up?” she asked, scooting up and blinking.

“God, you look amazing in the morning.” He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. It was true. He’d spent a few moments just watching her sleep before waking her.

She laughed. “Are you drunk already this morning?” She blinked a few times and stretched her arms over her head.

“No.” He rubbed his hand over her shoulder. “Instead of working on the house today, do you want to take a drive with me?”

Her eyebrows jumped slightly. “A drive?”

“I was thinking of hitting this little café I know for some of the best chocolate-chip pancakes ever. Then we could swing up to the national park, take a hike with Dopey, and maybe find someplace quiet to eat dinner on the way back.”

“You had me at chocolate chip pancakes.” She chuckled.

They showered and dressed. He enjoyed seeing her in the tight worn jeans and the new hiking boots he’d bought her. She pulled on a flannel jacket, and they strapped Dopey into his car harness, tossing his water bowl on the floor.

“I still can’t believe they sell these things for dogs.” Dylan chuckled as the dog happily laid down with the safety harness.

He drove to the little café in Dillon, a small cozy town much like Haven. It was a good hour away but totally worth the long drive.

They sat out on the front patio, Dopey lying by his feet, and ate the sugary pancakes as they watched the sleepy town come to life.

“I can’t believe I’ve lived in Montana this long and still haven’t explored much of it,” Dylan said between bites.

“I’ve lived here all my life and still haven’t been to a few places myself,” he said.

“Like?”

“Well, I haven’t been to Great Falls or Flathead National Forest.” He thought for a moment. “I might have been there once when I was a kid, a fishing trip, but I’m not positive.” He shrugged.

“Where are we going today?”

“I thought we’d hike at Table Mountain.” He waited and decided it was time to spill the beans. “The real reason I wanted a drive was that I found out that the lawyer, Don Hathaway, has an office in Butte.”

She set her fork down and tilted her head. “Are you thinking of stopping in on him?”

“Not really, but I was thinking of asking around to see if anyone in town has seen or dealt with Carl.”

“Trey,” she said softly, “you could have trusted me with this. You didn’t have to persuade me with chocolate.”

“But it helped.” He smiled and reached for her hand.

“Trey, what do you hope to gain from this? I’m sure the police have already thought of looking for him here, especially after your mother called and talked to Mike last night.”

“Yeah.” he sighed. “I just needed to try.”

She was silent for a while, her eyes searching his. “We’ll go to Butte first, then go on our walk.”

“Thanks.” He took her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of it.

They left the sleepy town and headed for Butte. The town wasn’t a hopping metropolis, but compared to Haven, it was city life.

They started by stopping at the police station and showing them a picture of Carl. The local office was already looking out for Carl and had no news as to his whereabouts but told them they were free to ask around town.

They walked Dopey through the main streets and asked anyone they ran into. Everyone seemed nice enough, but no one had seen him.

They passed by the lawyer’s office, but it was closed for the day.

“What about here.” Dylan motioned towards the grocery store. “If he’s been in town, he would have needed something from the store.”

“Good idea.” He took her hand and crossed the street. “You stay here with Dopey.” He nodded to the sign that said no pets allowed. “I’ll go in and check.”

He walked into the small store and made his way towards the checkout clerk.

He was waiting in line when he glanced out the window and saw Dylan talking to a young mother who was coming into the store. She showed the woman the picture of Carl on her phone and her eyes grew big as she nodded her head.

Trey stepped out of the line and made his way outside.

“Well?” he asked. The woman had already left to go inside.

“She says she saw him at the gas station just this morning.” She motioned to the end of the street. “She remembers him because he fell against his car and she helped him up. She said he looks weak, like he’s sick.”

Trey’s stomach rolled. “Maybe there was something to him being sick after all.” He took her hand and they started walking towards the gas station.

They were halfway there when a horn blasted. Glancing around, he sighed. “I should have counted on this.”

His brothers pulled up in the parking lot and got out. “Like minds…” Tyler said, giving Dopey a scratch on the top of his head.

“We have a lead.” Trey filled them in on what the woman had told Dylan.

“I’ll head in and ask around,” Tyler suggested.

The rest of them chatted as they waited outside.

When Tyler came back out, he had a frown on his face.

“The clerk says she’s seen him a few times. The address on his checks is Beef Trail Road. She’s given me instructions.” He held up a piece of paper. “How do we deal with this?”

“We need to call the police,” Dylan jumped in. “They need to handle him.” When the rest of them were silent, she glared at him. “It’s the smartest move. The safest,” she added.

He sighed loudly. “She’s right.” He knew the three of them wanted to confront the old man, but if something happened… His eyes met Dylan’s. He knew he couldn’t live with the knowledge that someone he loved had gotten hurt because of his pride. “She’s right,” he said again, this time with more strength behind his words. “We’ll drive back to the local PD. They’re just down the street.” He motioned to where the police station sat.

“Why don’t you guys go ahead? Trent and I were going to grab some food.” Tyler motioned to the diner across the street.

“We’ll meet you there after we’re done,” Trey said, taking Dylan’s hand as they started walking again.

“They aren’t ditching us, are they?” She glanced back over her shoulder.

He watched his brother’s walk into the diner. “No, they aren’t that sneaky. Besides, I heard Tyler’s stomach growl.” He smiled and walked a little faster.