Woots and laughter filled the air until Dr. Sterling shooed everyone out saying they were going to frighten the babies. Her colleagues took the piece of pottery with them, continuing to gush as it was carefully passed around.
“Cole, if that is, in fact, proof of my people’s origins, it might cause problems with building your retreat.”
“So, what are you saying? Find another place for my project—which I am willing to do. Or cover the cave back up and forget what’s there?” he asked, sitting on the edge of her desk. “That’s not happening. I spoke with Dr. Sterling about the possibility of incorporating your discovery in what I’m building. What better way to showcase our American beginnings than including a museum presenting remnants and information from the earliest people who ever lived on the land?”
“You would do that, Cole?”
“You were right, sweetheart. This is so much more important than my project.”
Tallie was out of her chair and hugging her husband with the speed of a lightning flash. “Thank you. Thank you, Cole.”
“I’ll tell you what. You finish up here and let’s get you and our two spoiled brats home. I think I know of a way you can thank me.”
“Well, what do you know? It just so happens I’m finished.” Tallie reached over and closed the lid of her laptop. “What are we waiting for?”
“Not a single thing.”
Cole grabbed the handle of the stroller and escorted Tallie to the big doors of the museum, waving goodbye to all of Tallie’s associates. Then he draped his arm around her shoulders and pushed his sons’ stroller with the other hand as they headed to the car.
Tallie thought of her grandmother, who had set this all in motion. As her ipokini had told her, all things happen for a reason. Tallie believed her. One small map had changed her path forever. Had changed her life and brought her the man of her dreams.
Life just didn’t get any better than this.
* *
Pick up these other sexy Western romances from Golden Heart® Award-winning author Lauren Canan!
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If you like sexy and steamy stories with strong heroines and irresistible heroes, you’ll love FORGED IN DESIRE by New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson—featuring Margo Connelly and Lamar “Striker” Jennings, the reformed bad boy who’ll do anything to protect her, even if it means lowering the defenses around his own heart...
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Forged in Desire
by Brenda Jackson
PROLOGUE
“FINALLY, WE GET to go home.”
Margo Connelly was certain the man’s words echoed the sentiment they all felt. The last thing she’d expected when reporting for jury duty was to be sequestered during the entire trial...especially with twelve strangers, more than a few of whom had taken the art of bitching to a whole new level.
She was convinced this had been the longest, if not the most miserable, six weeks of her life, as well as a lousy way to start off the new year. They hadn’t been allowed to have any inbound or outbound calls, read the newspapers, check any emails, watch television or listen to the radio. The only good thing was, with the vote just taken, a unanimous decision had been reached and justice would be served. The federal case against Murphy Erickson would finally be over and they would be allowed to go home.
“It’s time to let the bailiff know we’ve reached a decision,” Nancy Snyder spoke up, interrupting Margo’s thoughts. “I have a man waiting at home, who I haven’t seen in six weeks, and I can’t wait to get to him.”
Lucky you, Margo thought, leaning back in her chair. She and Scott Dylan had split over a year ago, and the parting hadn’t been pretty.
Fortunately, as a wedding-dress designer, she could work from anywhere and had decided to move back home to Charlottesville. She could be near her uncle Frazier, her father’s brother and the man who’d become her guardian when her parents had died in a house fire when she was ten. He was her only living relative and, although they often butted heads, she had missed him while living in New York.
A knock on the door got everyone’s attention. The bailiff had arrived. Hopefully, in a few hours it would all be over and the judge would release them. She couldn’t wait to get back to running her business. Six weeks had been a long time away. Lucky for her she had finished her last order in time for the bride’s Christmas wedding. But she couldn’t help wondering how many new orders she might have missed while on jury duty.
The bailiff entered and said, “The judge has called the court back in session for the reading of the verdict. We’re ready to escort you there.”
Like everyone else in the room, Margo stood. She was ready for the verdict to be read. It was only after this that she could get her life back.
“FOREMAN, HAS THE JURY reached a verdict?” the judge asked.
“Yes, we have, Your Honor.”
The courtroom was quiet as the verdict was read. “We, the jury, find Murphy Erickson guilty of murder.”
Suddenly Erickson bowled over and laughed. It made the hairs on the necks of everyone in attendance stand up. The outburst prompted the judge to hit his gavel several times. “Order in the courtroom. Counselor, quiet the defendant or he will be found in contempt of court.”
“I don’t give a damn about any contempt,” Erickson snarled loudly. “You!” he said, pointing a finger at the judge. “Along with everyone else in this courtroom, you have just signed your own death warrant. As long as I remain locked up, someone in here will die every seventy-two hours.” His gaze didn’t miss a single individual.
Pandemonium broke out. The judge pounded his gavel, trying to restore order. Police officers rushed forward to subdue Erickson and haul him away. But the sound of his threats echoed loudly in Margo’s ears.
CHAPTER ONE
LAMAR “STRIKER” JENNINGS walked into the hospital room, stopped and then frowned. “What the hell is he doing working from bed?”
“I asked myself the same thing when I got his call for us to come here,” Striker’s friend Quasar Patterson said, sitting lazily in a chair with his long legs stretched out in front of him.
“And you might as well take a seat like he told us to do,” another friend, Stonewall Courson, suggested, while pointing to an empty chair. “Evidently it will take more than a bullet to slow down Roland.”
Roland Summers, CEO of Summers Security Firm, lay in the hospital bed, staring at them. Had it been just last week that the man had been fighting for his life after foiling an attempted carjacking?
“You still look like shit, Roland. Shouldn’t you be trying to get some rest instead of calling a meeting?” Striker asked, sliding his tall frame into the chair. He didn’t like seeing Roland this way. They’d been friends a long time, and he couldn’t ever recall the man being sick. Not even with a cold. Well, at least he was alive. That damn bullet could have taken him out and Striker didn’t want to think about that.
“You guys have been keeping up with the news?” Roland asked in a strained voice, interrupting Striker’s thoughts.
“We’re aware of what’s going on, if that’s what you want to know,” Stonewall answered. “Nobody took Murphy Erickson’s threat seriously.”
Roland made an attempt to nod his head. “And now?”
“And now people are panicking. Phones at the office have been ringing off the hook. I’m sure every protective security service in town is booked solid. Everyone in the courtroom that day is either in hiding or seeking protection, and with good reason,” Quasar piped in to say. “The judge, clerk reporter and bailiff are all dead. All three were gunned down within seventy-two hours of each other.”