JACKIE MERRITT

      is still writing, just not with the speed and constancy of years past. She and hubby are living in southern Nevada again, falling back on old habits of loving the long, warm or slightly cool winters and trying almost desperately to head north for the months of July and August, when the fiery sun bakes people and cacti alike.

      “What’s Happening in Royal?”

      NEWS FLASH, June—As usual, Royal’s Texas Cattleman’s Club ball was a smashing success! Could there have been any doubt? Glamorous women, sexy gents, fabulous food…and all for a wonderful cause. This year’s charity is Royal’s very own New Hope battered women’s shelter. New Hope’s representative, Andrea O’Rourke, was on hand at the ball to receive the hefty donation, along with the exclusive attentions of millionaire Keith Owens….

      Ms. O’Rourke has refused to discuss her relationship to the debonair tycoon, but sources tell us that Andrea and Keith were a hot item back in their high school days…. Is there still something simmering between them? If so, the ladies of Royal are going to have to look elsewhere for an eligible man. This elusive executive may be going down for the count.

      Do the members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club know who murdered Eric Chambers? Rumor has it that the culprit may be a club member…. Is there a traitor among them? If so, the murderer had better watch out, because justice is closing in….

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Prologue

      Keith Owens was well aware of Jason Windover’s air of contentment as he and his friends prepared cups of coffee for themselves at a serving cart, then sat in comfortable chairs around a table in one of the Cattleman’s Club’s private meeting rooms. Jason good-naturedly laughed off the teasing remarks about his and Merry’s honeymoon, from which they’d returned only the day before, because it was all in fun and he’d expected some tongue-in-cheek banter from his buddies. But he wasn’t above giving back at least part of what he was getting, and Keith, being the only bachelor remaining in the group, just naturally seemed to be his best target.

      “Just you wait, old pal,” Jason drawled. “Some sweet-lookin’ little gal is out there this very minute, just biding her time for the right moment to rope and hog-tie Royal’s most elusive executive.”

      “Elusive executive?” Keith repeated with a laugh, and looked around the table for confirmation or denial from Sebastian Wescott, William Bradford, Robert Cole and, of course, Jason, all of whom wore big smiles. “Is that what I am?”

      “Sounds like an apt description to me,” Sebastian said. “Good work, Jason.”

      “Thanks,” Jason said with a cocky grin at Keith.

      “All right, I get it,” Keith said. “I’m the last bachelor among you jokers, and you’re not going to let me forget it. Well, put this in your pipes and smoke it, old friends. I happen to enjoy bachelorhood.”

      “So did we when we were young and foolish,” Rob said with an overly dramatic sigh.

      Everyone laughed, because they’d all been bachelors only five months ago and they’d been neither young nor foolish. Only one thing had happened to change their status from single to married—falling in love, which was a mighty powerful force, as they had discovered. And not a man around that table—other than Keith—believed that Royal’s “elusive executive” would remain a bachelor for long. After all, hadn’t he already tossed his hat in the ring by naming New Hope Charity for battered women as the beneficiary of the Cattleman’s Club’s annual charity benefit? That decision would bring Andrea O’Rourke, Keith’s old college flame, back into his life, since she was the volunteer at New Hope who dealt firsthand with public donations. It seemed to the men around the table that if Keith hadn’t wanted contact with Andrea, then he would have named an entirely different charity to receive this year’s check.

      No one said so, though, as some subjects weren’t up for open and verbal conjecture. They could tease Jason, because he’d just come back from his honeymoon, but they couldn’t make light of Keith’s sudden interest in renewing ties with Andrea.

      “Much as I’m enjoying this,” Keith interjected, “I think it’s time we got down to the reason we called this meeting. Dorian.” The other four friends sobered at once. They all shared the strong suspicion that Dorian Brady had murdered Eric Chambers, an accountant at Wescott Oil. But so far, they had no proof of his involvement.

      Keith continued. “We’ve been doing our best to keep an eye on Dorian during your absence, Jason, and none of us have spotted anything suspicious. In fact, it appears that, if anything, Dorian has been deliberately maintaining a low profile.”

      “That’s suspicious in itself,” Jason said.