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Erin’s welfare comes first. And after what happened last night, I don’t think she’s ready to be out here with you.”
    â€œWhat’s the problem?” Will glanced toward the barn, where Erin had already disappeared. “I saw her. I talked with her. She seemed right as rain.”
    Tori’s jaw tightened. “Will, you killed a man last night. Erin saw it happen.”
    The shock hit Will like a lightning bolt. His first reaction was denial. “No. She was down on the floor of the truck. Honest to God, Tori, I made her get down so he wouldn’t see her.”
    â€œErin’s twelve years old. How could she not look? She told me what she saw.”
    â€œBut she seemed fine this morning. Was she upset?”
    â€œLast night? Very. She’s putting on an act for you today.”
    â€œLord.” Will raked a hand through his hair. “To have her see me pull that trigger, see that man die—I wouldn’t have done that to Erin for the world!”
    â€œThere’s more.” Tori was sitting straight on the edge of her chair, hands clasped on her knees. “Abner Sweeney called me after we got home last night. He wants to question her today. According to him, you swore she didn’t see anything.”
    â€œThat’s right. What did you tell him?”
    â€œNothing. I’m guessing her account will back up yours. We certainly can’t ask Erin to lie. But you sent her away last night before the sheriff got there. And you claimed she hadn’t seen the shooting. By the wrong people, that could be interpreted as obstruction of justice.”
    â€œJustice!” Will exploded out of his chair. “What justice? I killed the man in self-defense!”
    A thought line deepened between Tori’s eyebrows. “That’s one way of looking at it. But you shot a man who’d just surrendered his gun, a man who hadn’t yet attacked you with his knife. In a different light, that could be construed as manslaughter, or worse.”
    The implication made Will’s gut clench. He paced to the top of the porch steps and turned back to face his ex-wife. “Did Abner tell you the man was somebody we knew?”
    Tori shook her head as if to say, How could this mess get any worse?
    â€œIt was Stella Rawlins’s brother, Nick.”
    â€œThe bartender.” It wasn’t a question. Tori’s face had gone pale. “Will, you know what that woman’s capable of. The rumor is, she’s got mob connections. And even without them, she could hurt you. Worse, she could hurt Erin.”
    â€œOr even you—anything to make me suffer for killing her brother.” Will allowed himself a deep breath. He’d taken enough hits this morning. It was time to take charge of the situation. “For now, this is what we’re going to do. Erin will be safer here on the ranch than in town with you. We can call the teacher and arrange for her to do her schoolwork on the computer. If you’re concerned about leaving her, you can stay here, too. Beau’s old room’s available, and except when you need to be in court, you can do most of your work from the ranch office.”
    She started to protest. “Blast it, Will, you can’t just dictate—”
    He cut her off. “Why not? If you think Erin needs you, what’s wrong with your staying here? Are you afraid it might interfere with your love life?”
    Tori’s blistering glare told Will he’d overstepped. But at least the issue was in the open now. He braced himself as she rose, quivering with fury. “You don’t own me anymore, Will Tyler,” she said. “I’ve tried to keep our relationship civil because of Erin, but my so-called love life is none of your business!”
    â€œErin says he’s the high school principal.” Will had nothing to lose by pushing her a little further.
    â€œThat’s right!” she snapped.