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refusal.” The reply was made with a faint biting edge to his voice that indicated his frustration and growing sense of hopelessness. “Is she seeing someone else? Am I trespassing?”
    â€œI haven’t heard that she’s dating anyone on a regular basis. Be patient, Reece,” Linc advised. “You are only here one month out of the year. It’s natural for her to be wary. We ridgerunners are slow to believe the intentions of outsiders.”
    â€œPatient.” There was a wealth of meaning in that single word and the raised eyebrow.
    Linc had the impression that his friend’s supply of patience was dwindling. He understood, but he also understood Rachel’s mistrust. “If you were around all the time, it would be a different story.”
    â€œUnfortunately my business does not permit that,” Reece replied with obvious regret and changed the subject. “My niece is arriving tomorrow to spend a couple of weeks with me.” He paused to muse, “Joanna and I are alike in manyways. Perhaps she will find the same peace these mountains have given me.”
    â€œThere’s always the possibility she won’t like it here. She might find it too tame after L.A.,” Linc suggested.
    â€œNo.” Reece shook away that thought. “She is too much like me.”
    â€œFor your sake, I hope you’re right.” Linc gathered his feet under him to stand up. “It’s getting late and I have a full day tomorrow.”
    â€œCome over tomorrow evening for dinner,” Reece invited, rising too. “I want you to meet my niece.”
    â€œWe’ll see.” Linc didn’t commit himself. “I have to be over this way tomorrow afternoon to pick up the buckboard Jessie restored for me.”
    â€œJessie Bates?” At Linc’s nod, Reece laughed softly. “I think that man enjoys being a character out of the hills. I am never certain how much of what he says he really means and how much is an act put on for my benefit.”
    â€œThere’s no doubt he’s one of a kind,” Linc agreed. “I’ll stop by after I leave Jessie’s and let you know whether I can make it to dinner tomorrow night.”
    â€œThat will be fine,” Reece assured him.
    â€œGood night.” His hand lifted in a half-salute as he descended down the porch steps and walked around to the front of the cabin, facing the road.
    Climbing into the four-wheel-drive pickupparked there, he reversed it out of the driveway and onto the hard and rutted surface of a graveled road. It was narrow, twisting and winding, like nearly all the roads in the Ozark hills, especially the back roads. It was virtually without shoulders; a narrow drainage ditch separated it from the woods. Linc slowed once as an opossum scurried to escape the beam of his headlights. He slowed again where another road branched off from the one he traveled. It led to Jessie Bates’s place.
    Three miles further he turned into the driveway of his six hundred plus acre ranch. The yardlight was on, but no light shone from the windows of the sprawling ranch house, sitting on the crown of a bald hill overlooking the lake. Linc didn’t immediately go inside, but walked around the house to stand on the patio and take in the familiar view.
    Far below him and some distance away, he noticed the light shining dimly from the log cabin where Reece Morgan was staying. The cabin had once belonged to his family, as did most of the land around it. His father had built the cabin on speculation ten years ago, intending to develop and sell the lakefront property he owned. But it had turned out to be too far off the beaten path for summer tourists to want it as a vacation retreat.
    In the end, his father had sold it to Reece Morgan and didn’t attempt to develop the rest of the frontage. Neither had Linc since he’d takenover, although there was a market for it now.
    He made a slow turn and walked