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Godric leaned over. “You have them in the palm of your hand, love.”
“Yes, she does,” Big Jim added.
“With pipes like hers, who wouldn’t?” Hank was grinning ear to ear.
Mitchell hit the snare, starting the next song in the set. This one, she sang backup, coming in only during the chorus, while Mitchell sang lead.
As Mitchell began the first verse of the song, she glanced over at Chance and Jaris, who were only a step away from her, one on each side. Jaris had made it clear he was more than willing to share her with Chance. God, I love him.
I also love Chance. She knew she was walking a fine line with him. Yes, Chance had agreed to give the relationship she dreamed of a try, but he had also made it painfully clear he was still unsure he could make it work for him in the long run.
She came in on the chorus, singing harmony to Mitchell’s lead. “Can’t you see I’m the one for you? You hold my heart in your hands.”
Will Chance come around? She couldn’t bear losing him again.
“Our love is strong. Our love is true. How do I make you understand how much I need you?”
As Mitchell launched into the second verse, she saw a commotion in the back of the audience. Several of Jason’s newly deputized temporary officers were talking to Nicole, who was using her two-way radio.
She looked over at Chance and Jaris and saw they had their radios out, too.
What’s happening?
When the song ended, she stepped up to them. “Guys? Is everything okay?”
“No,” Chance stated flatly. “Jaris is on the radio with the sheriff now. Listen.” He held up his radio so she
could hear.
Sheriff Wolfe’s voice came through loud and clear. “Their horses came back fifteen minutes ago.”
“Whose horses?” she asked Chance.
“Jacob Phong’s and his cousin Josh’s.”
Her gut coiled into a knot. They’d been looking for her four missing dogs.
Jaris spoke into his radio. “Did you find anything out of the ordinary on the horses or their condition, Sheriff?”
“We found blood on one of the saddles. I need all deputies to come to the front of the stage. Patrick, are you on?”
Oh God. No. If anything happened to Jacob or Josh she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.
“Yes, Jason.” Mr. O’Learys voice came through. “I’m here.”
“We need to cut tonight’s activities short.”
“I agree. I’ll make the announcement now.” Without hesitation, Patrick picked up a mike and began addressing the audience. “That’s the end of our day, ladies and gentlemen…”
As the dragon expert gave the rest of the announcements about upcoming activities, and the sheriff continued giving instructions to the security detail over the radio, she started trembling.
Chance placed his arm around her shoulder. “Sweetheart, Jaris and I are here. Everything is going to be okay. Don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry, Chance? Jacob and Josh were looking for our four dogs. I can’t bear it if something happened to them during their search.”
Mitchell and the other band members came up, asking about what was going on.
Chance filled them in as the crowd began to disperse and Jason’s deputies began gathering at the front of the stage.
