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Ford saw Autumn then. She was walking toward them. With her was Sheriff Dans.
“Autumn’s back, and with your uncle,” Piper said.
All eyes turned their way.
Ford lowered his beer and got off the seat as she drew closer. Her face was chalk white and tense.
“What’s wrong?” Sawyer Duke asked, rising.
“Nothing,” his uncle said. But clearly it was something because he looked like Autumn, in shock, which told Ford what he needed to know. She’d found her father.
“Don’t bullshit us,” Daniel Duke said.
Ford reached Autumn as the four Dukes reached their uncle.
“What’s going on, Uncle Asher?” Sawyer asked.
“Autumn, are you all right?” Ford moved to her side.
“I-I need to go to Ritchie.”
“He’s fine. Talk to me.”
Her eyes went from him to the Dukes and then finally to her father.
“Damn it, talk to me.”
“You may want to adjust your tone there, Ford.”
Ford and Autumn both looked at Sheriff Dans. His eyes were narrowed and on the hand he’d wrapped around her arm. He’d never hurt her, and his grip wasn’t strong, but the man didn’t like it, which reinforced what Ford already knew.
“So you got your answer?” he said to Autumn.
“I don’t want to discuss this with you here. In fact, until I get my head around it, I don’t want to talk about it all.” She shook free, then stepped around him before he could grab her, and ran to her son.
“You need to start talking to us, Uncle Asher. Has she done something to you?” Sawyer pointed to Autumn.
“Don’t use that tone when you speak about her,” Ford said.
Sawyer leaned toward him, and Ford was ready. He met him halfway.
“Enough,” Sheriff Dans said. “Leave it, Sawyer.”
“Leave what exactly?”
“Are you aware of what she was talking to me about?” The sheriff looked at Ford instead of answering his nephew.
“I am.”
“Are you and Autumn close?”
Ford nodded because even though he’d made of mess of everything, they were close, and he was pretty sure he wanted them to get closer.
“Tell us what is happening, Uncle Asher,” Daniel Duke said.
The sheriff looked over Ford’s shoulder to where his daughter had gone. His eyes were sad.
“Let’s go home. I want to talk with Robyn and tell you all together.”
