When Passion Calls

brother! It could be! Hadn't he been behaving out of character only moments ago? He hadn't risen with the dawn in months to work on the farm. He hadn't been as cheerful in months!

She rushed to the door, and Shane looked at her, puzzled. "Where are you going?" he asked, slipping into his cotton shirt.

"I have someone to see," Melanie said from across her shoulder. "I have questions to ask!"

Shane watched her leave, full of wonder.

Melanie jumped from her buggy and ran into the stable. Terrance was just putting his pitchfork away. He turned with a start when Melanie cleared her throat behind him.

"What have you been up to?" Melanie asked, placing her hands on her hips. "I hope it's not what I'm thinking. If so, I can honestly say that I don't know you at all."

Terrance toyed nervously with the end of his mustache, eyeing Melanie closely. "If you're accusing me of something, you may as well just come out and say it," he grumbled. "What's got you in this mood, anyhow? You were on your way to see Shane. Why'd you come back home?"

"Are you saying that you don't know what I found when I arrived there?" Melanie said, lifting her chin angrily.

"Why the hell should I?" Terrance asked, waving a hand wildly in the air. "Am I supposed to be a mind reader, or what? You know I don't own a crystal ball, Melanie, and my game is poker, not looking into the future!"

"You're not at all amusing, Terrance."

Terrance grabbed her shoulders and glared down at her. "Are you going to tell me what's got you all riled up or do I have to go to Shane's and question him about it?" he asked, his teeth clenched.

"If you have to ask, then perhaps I was wrong," Melanie said, reaching to remove his hands from her shoulders.

She stared at Terrance, searching his face and his eyes to see if he was lying. She wanted to believe that he wasn't guilty of such a vile act, yet she could not help but suspect him.

But she would not come right out and ask him. If he was responsible, he would not tell her the truth, anyhow. If he was responsible, at this moment he was proving that he knew the art of lying well!

"Melanie, are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Terrance asked, frowning down at her. "Why didn't you stay at Shane's?"

In Melanie's mind's eye she was seeing the spilled blood; she was envisioning the torment that Shane must be going through at this very moment. He needed her and she wasn't there! She must go to him!

She whirled around and began running from the stable. "If you want to know, come with me!" she said, then stopped and turned to face Terrance.

"Perhaps you can offer some advice to Shane as to what to do about the evil person who is destroying his cattle," she said, studying Terrance's expression again, trying to see his reaction to what

she was saying. "Who knows? They might slaughter some of our cattle next."

Terrance seemed not at all moved by the declaration. Instead he put an arm around Melanie's waist and led her to the buggy. "Let's just see what happened at Shane's that's so terrible," he said.

Chapter Twenty

Shane stood watching his men pitch hay on the ground, soaking up the blood with it. His mind was tormented. Who was responsible for this latest macabre act?

He turned and stared at his house. Not a word had been heard from Josh. Could his absence point to him as the culprit? Would he be staying away purposely to draw guilt away from himself?

Then Shane's attention was diverted by the sight of Melanie and Terrance approaching in the buggy. His eyes narrowed, kno

wing that Terrance could be responsible. Terrance made no bones about not being pleased over Shane's arrival in his sister's life.

But could he be this determined to get rid of Shane? Was he this low? This vile?

Melanie reined the horse in beside the fence. She left the buggy and went to Shane, Terrance at her side. "Terrance has come to help in whatever way that he can," she said. "My brother is as appalled by this as we are, Shane."

She looked at Terrance again, her jaw firm. "Isn't that so, Terrance?" she asked.

Terrance shifted his feet and toyed with his mustache. "Yes, quite," he said, his voice drawn.

Shane studied Terrance, wondering. Yet he had already decided that Josh was the one he was going to narrow in on with questions this morning. As far as Shane was concerned, Josh had a lot to answer for.