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.It’s all a big mess.”Chandra put her hand on Anna’s arm.“It’s true that Mike and I were never close, mostly because Chad hated him.” Chandra gave a wry smile.“Mike was always the star and Chad was jealous.Mike excelled at everything he did, and Chad hated him for it.” She sighed.“I never dreamed Chad would carry that with him like he has.”“Is that the bad blood between them?” Anna asked before she thought better of it.“Wait, that isn’t my business.”Chandra clenched her hands on the tabletop.“One night, when they were in high school, Chad drove a girl named Beth home after a football game.Beth was a good friend to both of them.” Chandra stared at her hands.“The next day Beth claimed that Chad had attempted to force himself on her, but she’d managed to get away.”Anna’s eyes widened, but said nothing as Chandra continued.“I’ve never seen Mike so angry.” Chandra shook her head.“He went up to Chad at school, grabbed him by the collar, and hit him.By the time they finished, Chad’s nose was broken and he had two black eyes.Mike came away with a bruise on his face, but Chad got the worst of it.”Anna pictured Mike championing the girl.It was something he would do.Chad’s nose wasn’t crooked, but his family had enough money that likely he had the best surgeon or perhaps he’d had plastic surgery.Chandra continued, “They were both suspended from school for a couple of weeks for fighting.Beth wouldn’t talk about any of it anymore.” Chandra let out her breath.“Rumors went around that Beth was paid off by Grandfather or they had hushed her in some other way.I didn’t believe it then…but now I don’t know.”Despite the fact that she hadn’t known Chad when he was younger, Anna wouldn’t have been surprised if he and his family had shushed the whole thing.She’d heard stories of some of the Johnsons, that they were cutthroat when they wanted something.As far as Chad was concerned, he’d proven that by blackmailing her.“Even though there was that bad blood between the two,” Chandra went on, “I couldn’t help but know Mike was, and always has been, a good guy.”Anna gave a slow nod.“I could tell that from the moment I heard him speak.When we went out for a drink, I had no doubt.”“I wish I could say the same for Chad.” Chandra looked pained.“I love my brother, but he can be ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants.I just never could have believed he’d stoop to this level.” She met Anna’s gaze.“I don’t know what to do about it.I feel like I need to make this right.”“You shouldn’t do anything.” Anna squeezed her friend’s hand.“I believe in karma.What Chad does and has done will come back to him in some way.”“You’re probably right.” Chandra let out a sigh.“My own brother.I don’t know if I can look him in the face again.What do I do?”“I won’t come between you two,” Anna said.“You need to make your own decisions when it comes to Chad.Does the good between you two outweigh the bad things he’s done?”“I don’t know.Maybe this means that I can’t trust a man who would do something so horrible like this to anyone.” Chandra shook her head, her blonde ponytail bobbing side to side.“He’s not the man I knew.Or loved.” She clenched her fists on her lap.“I’m so—so angry with him.”“Give yourself some time to think this through.” Anna took Chandra’s hands in hers.“Don’t make any decisions while you’re angry and upset.”Chandra nodded.“You’re right.But I am going to confront him.I just don’t know how or when.”Anna squeezed Chandra’s hands in hers.Chandra let out her breath.“Now, about you and Mike.”Anna went still.“What about him?”“Have you talked with him since everything went to hell?” Chandra asked.With a shake of her head, Anna said, “No.”Chandra tilted her head to the side.“Has he tried calling you?”“Yes.” Anna swallowed.“But I ignored his calls and I turned my phone off.”“You need to talk to him and let him know how you feel.” Chandra looked earnestly into Anna’s eyes.“I’ll bet he feels the same way.”Heat flushed Anna’s cheeks.“After everything that happened, I doubt it.”“We’ll figure this out.” Chandra gave a decisive nod.“In the meantime, tell me how you and the kids are doing.”“How about some fudge ripple?” Anna released Chandra’s hands and stood.“Brand new carton.”“You bet.” Chandra stood, too.She linked her arm through Anna’s, just like the days before everything went to hell, and they headed into the kitchen.Chapter 24Monday morning Mike frowned as he sat in his desk in his office and read through the news on his iPad—the Prescott Valley Tribune and the Arizona Republic.Both had articles on him and the weekend’s activities.He was being regaled as a hero because he’d saved his sister-in-law’s life at the Halloween party and because the YCSO, along with the DEA, had brought down three meth houses in addition to the one that had gone up in flames.Suspected—and notorious to Prescott residents—drug smuggler and human trafficker, Jesus Perez, was dead and it had been reported that Mike had been the one to shoot him.“Hero.Shit.” Mike rubbed his temples.He didn’t like one damned bit that the news had recorded him performing the Heimlich maneuver on Ricki.It was no one’s business, certainly not all of Yavapai County.And the whole damned sheriff’s department and DEA had worked together to find Perez’s meth houses.He’d made a public statement acknowledging those facts.Mike set the tablet down and pushed his fingers through his hair.He’d had his reservations about bringing the press to the family Halloween party and regretted it now.He hoped that Ricki wasn’t too embarrassed.Garrett had been nothing but grateful and told Mike he owed him big time.Mike said nothing was owed to him and that everyone in the family would have done it in a heartbeat, which was the truth.This morning, before her bakery opened, Ricki had brought over a box of Mike’s favorite, freshly made, pastries.She’d hugged him and thanked him with tears sparkling in her eyes and he’d hugged her back before she’d turned and left his office [ Pobierz 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