Written in 20 minutes. No time for typos or rereads.

It was another two days before Jason could put together a plan that would not only see Ric Lansing arrested and convicted of theft, but that might have a chance of protecting Elizabeth and her ranch from anything the jackass might try as revenge.

He should have realized that Elizabeth would be making her own plans — that she hadn’t asked him for help, only advice. He should have remembered that it had been a long time she’d looked to him to solve her problems.

The first warning that matters might not proceed according to his carefully constructed plan came when Patrick Drake rode into town and stopped at the local hotel to check in for a few days.

He’d known Patrick and his family since childhood, but Drake hadn’t wanted to stay in Diamond Springs. He’d gone to one of the new schools that opened in San Francisco and taken up the study of medicine. Last Jason had heard he’d stayed in the city and married. He frowned when he saw the long-legged doctor hitch a horse outside of the hotel.

“Patrick Drake?”

Patrick turned at Jason’s call and grinned. “Look at you. Jason Morgan, sheriff!” He held out a hand and Jason shook it. “Never thought you’d come back to Diamond Springs. Thought you were smart like me and got out while you could.”

“My grandfather passed away,” Jason explained. “My grandmother doesn’t have anyone other than Dillon.”

Remembering Dillon as a youth, Patrick nodded. Nothing more was needed. He squinted, looking around the dusty main street. “Amazing how much worse this place is. I can’t wait to get home.”

“What brings you back?”

Patrick hesitated, tipped his hat back on his hat—not the wide-brimmed hats the other men in town wore, but a fashionable one that looked out of place. “I probably shouldn’t say, but a friend is looking to sell some horses. She raises good stock, and I have some friends in the area still looking to get into breeding.” He shrugged. “I said I’d help.”

“She,” Jason repeated, his mouth sour. “Elizabeth.”

“Uh, yeah, but if you wouldn’t mind keeping that to yourself—I’m not supposed to tell anyone. I’m pretty sure she means Lansing and his ilk, but—” He jerked an elegant shoulder. “Lizzie and I have been writing since I went away to school, and she came to the wedding. Truth be told, I’m glad she’s finally leaving this place. Robin can’t wait to help her get set up—”

Jason cleared his throat. “When is—when is she planning to go?”

“Well, that’s why I’m here. Elizabeth is planning to go to San Francisco on the first train tomorrow,” Patrick told him. He furrowed his brow. “I’d heard you married some years ago. What’s the interest in Lizzie and her ranch? You had your chance—”

“It’s complicated,” Jason said shortly. “Excuse me.”

He returned to the jail, grabbed the reins of his horse, and swung himself up on the back.

—

Elizabeth grimaced and looked apologetically at her housekeeper. “I’m so sorry, Gail. I know this is quite short notice. I just—” She folded her hands, looked around her parlor and sighed again. “Patrick Drake is staying for a few days to take care of transporting my things—”

“I just don’t understand the rush,” Gail muttered as she set a tea tray down in front of Elizabeth. “Or the selling of the horses—” She stared at Elizabeth. “If your grandmother were here, she’d have the truth of it from you—”

“She’s not here,” Elizabeth said softly. “And I must make the best choices I can from the options given to me.”

She heard the thunder of a horse as it galloped up the drive. She frowned, got to her feet as she crossed to the window and drew back a curtain. Surely Ric couldn’t have learned about her plans—

But no, it was Jason in her front yard, his brow furrowed and his jaw set. Elizabeth took a deep breath. She was sure he felt sorry—even guilty—for what was happening, but once she explained it to him, surely, he’d understand that this was the best way to prevent Ric from doing more damage.

She met him on the front porch, holding up her hand. “Please. Cameron is napping.” She lifted her chin. “How did you find out?”

“I saw Patrick in town,” Jason said. He stared at her for a long moment. “You’re leaving.”

“Yes. I—I have little choice. There’s no point in fighting him, Jason. His forgeries will stand up in a court. Cameron and I—” Her voice trembled with the memory. “He fought Ric with everything he had. By the end, he knew what had happened to his sons, and he was determined to prevent Ric from stealing little Cameron’s future as well. But he couldn’t—we lost the house in town, and everything in it.”

“I can help—”

“I’m sure you think you’ve got an idea,” Elizabeth said softly. “But you are not the first. Cameron thought he could help me. After Alexander and Peter died, he offered for me. He thought if I were married, Ric would lose interest, and I—” She looked away. “I wasn’t ready to leave yet. My grandparents loved this ranch. I wanted to save it, their dream, for myself—for my children.”

She stepped past him to look over the land. “But I couldn’t. And it’s time to stop pretending that anyone can stop Ric.”

“I can—”

Elizabeth turned back to him. “I’ve never asked you about your wife,” she realized. “She didn’t come with you,” she continued as Jason frowned. “And I just—I suppose I didn’t allow myself to think of it—” She’d put away that terrible conversation with Lila and dragged it out now only to remind herself that Jason’s concern was platonic.

That he wanted to rescue her because of his hatred of Ric Lansing.

“I’m not—I never—my grandmother lied to you,” Jason said shortly. Elizabeth’s mouth dropped slightly as he continued. “He forged her mortgage papers, too. Elizabeth—she lied to you because Ric blackmailed her. And I can stop him.”

“No one can.” Elizabeth’s hands trembled as she turned away from, starting towards the door.

“I know you don’t have a reason to trust me, but I’ll stop him—”

She turned back to him. “No! You can’t—” Elizabeth shook her head, panicked now. “No! Just—just let it go, Jason. He’s already tried to hurt you through your family—he’ll take away everything you ever loved if you don’t stop—”

“He already did.”

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