Anna took the first step and faced him.

"Come back when you can," he said with his head too low for her to see his eyes. "I'll be waiting."

"How long?" she whispered. "H-how long will you wait?"

He looked up, straight into her eyes. "Forever, Anna. I'll wait forever."

She leaned against him and kissed his lips. She was not sure what she had ever done to deserve finding him, but suddenly she knew she could not let go. When she crossed the fence she was not going back to life. Life existed here with him; the rest was the dream. Zack was her reality.

This time he was ready for her advance, he did not hesitate. His arms closed around her, pulling her to him as he returned her kiss completely. His hands moved inside her coat and beneath her blouse, hungry for the feel of her skin. His kiss was eager, awkward in haste.

Anna pulled away suddenly and tumbled over the stile almost falling. She ran several feet before she turned around knowing he would be there, watching.

"Well," she laughed. "Are you coming? You said you would come home with me if I kissed you like that again. I never thought you were a liar."

He jumped over the steps as she ran toward her house. She made it to the patio before he caught her.

For a moment he just held her, breathing against her hair. Then, he gently pushed her against the wall and pressed his body along the length of hers. "I'm not a liar," he whispered.

His kiss was wild and hungry, as if it were essential to living. She answered his need, starving for the nearness of him.

He had half her clothes off by the time they stumbled into her house. Neither of them noticed a lamp tumble as he drew her toward one of the overstuffed couches.

"Wait!" Anna pushed him away, laughing and kissing him even as she tried to untangle from his arms. "I will be right back."

He took a long breath and let her go without asking her reason.

When she returned, he had turned her stereo to a country station and unbuttoned his shirt. The lean curve of his chest and stomach drew her artist's hands as if she could memorize each line and reproduce it one day in clay.

"Are you sure?" He kept his hands at his sides as she brushed her fingers across his chest. "I could leave if you want to stop. If you're not sure. Anna, I want you so bad and that isn't going to change, but I don't want to hurry you."

She spread the blanket she had gone after across the couch. "I am sure." Her voice trembled.

She sat on the blanket not knowing how they would get back to the wildness of a few minutes before. She needed to feel alive, but knew there was far more to them than that.. She needed him.

He knelt in front of her. "I'll never hurt you, I swear."

His callused hands moved over her body, pushing the silk blouse off her shoulders. "You're so beautiful. You deserve u lot more than the likes of me."

She leaned forward and kissed him, pulling him gently hack with her to the quilt her grandmother had made. The only words that came to her mind were in her native tongue. She had to make him understand with her actions.

And she did.

December 18

Dawn

Montano Ranch


An icy sunrise sparkled against the windows, reflecting the shafts of dawn light. Zack jerked, reacting to the front door rattling a moment before Anna could pull fully awake. He moved while she was still trying to figure out where shc was. A warm blanket covered her and the warmth of Zack's nude body molded against her side still warmed her. He was not in her dreams; he definitely was in her house.

He turned his head into her wild hair. "Anna! Anna you are in my arms. I thought I might be dreaming."

The memories of the night washed over her groggy brain. They had made love like two awkward fools the first time She accidentally shoved her elbow into his eye, he pulled her hair, they bumped noses. They laughed and apologized and made up.

The second time, they got it right. And the third had been heaven. She knew it then, deep inside, all the way to her soul. They were meant for one another. They would be together until they were both too old to remember what they had done this night.

The door to the kitchen rattled, then opened.

Zack jumped off the couch, waking Anna fully in his haste. He had his pants pulled on by the time Carlo reached the great room.

"I made it back early. The horses were not…"Carlo stopped as he looked into the great room.

For a moment Anna's brother stood there as if he had turned to stone. Snow sparkled in his hair and two days of utubble covered his face.

Slowly, his entire body swelled in rage.

Zack stepped in front of Anna as she frantically searched for her blouse. "Now hold on, Carlo."

Anna watched anger building in Carlo like steam in a boiler. Zack looked worried, but not frightened.

"We can talk about this," Zack tried again.

Carlo did not look like he planned to reason.

"I don't blame you for being upset." Zack pulled his shirt across his shoulders. "But she's a grown woman who knows her own mind. It's time you let go of some of that brotherly guard."

Anna agreed but could not get her voice past the fear blocking her breathing. She stared at Carlo.

Suddenly, Carlo came at Zack like a wild bull in full charge.

"I will kill you!" he screamed as he landed a blow against Zack's ribs before Zack could react.

Zack was better prepared for the second blow, but only defended himself and did not strike out at the man who might soon be his brother-in-law.

After a few more assaults, Zack must have known Carlo planned to make good on his promise, so he started hitting back.

Anna screamed, knowing she had to help, had to stop this before one of the two men were dead. Begging her brother to stop, she moved closer.

Zack glanced at her. He seemed to be saying, "It's all right. I can take care of myself. Don't worry, Anna. Don't be afraid."

But before he could say anything, Carlo landed another blow hard against Zack's jaw.

"Hold on!" Zack tried reason one last time. "There is no need…"

Anna stepped between Zack and her brother as Carlo raised his fist once more. She cried, pleading with Carlo in two languages for she knew he would not stop until Zack was dead. She begged for his life.

Carlo's fist flew into the side of her face, knocking her off the ground. She tumbled against the hearth like a broken doll.

"I will deal with you later!" he yelled. The toe of his boot slammed into her middle, sending her rolling again, into the brick. "I will make it so you will never leave this house again. I will see that no one ever looks at you again."

Anna watched knowing Zack was not a fighter. He told her that, except for a few times when he had been drunk, he had never hit anyone in his life.

But he fought now. He fought for his life. He fought for Anna.

He plowed blow after blow into Carlo's stout body, paying no mind that Carlo hit him back, no pain seemed to matter. They rolled across the room, toppling chairs, breaking tables and lamps. Carlo swore at him in two languages and laughed each time he drew blood.

Zack tripped over the rug and hit the floor with a thud. He tried to stand but the fight was taking its toll.

Anna watched in horror as Carlo lifted a wrought-iron floor lamp high like a weapon.

The first blow slammed into the side of Zack's head. The second into his rib cage. Each drew blood.

"No!" Anna screamed. "N-no! Put it down. You will kill him!"

Wiping the blood from his eyes, Zack tried to block the next assault, but Carlo swung the lamp once more.

Anna pulled herself up on the hearth, feeling the hits as if they were on her body and not Zack's. Blindly, she grabbed the Colt Carlo had left for her. With shaking hands she pointed it toward her brother.

Carlo laughed without fear. "Say goodbye to your lover, Anna! You will not see him again in this lifetime." He raised the lamp higher to make sure the impact would crush his bones.

Zack fought to get out of the way but he was fading in and out of consciousness.

The lamp started toward his head.

A shot rang out.

The world shifted to slow motion with the sudden explosion. Carlo looked surprised, then turned his anger toward his sister. The lamp fell from his hands tumbling against Zack's legs.

"Anna," Zack managed to whisper before he fell backward.

The wide-open Texas land had an edge to it, never quite calm. It bred risk takers like white water breeds danger. Generations descended from desperadoes, wildcatters and gamblers.


December 18

8:00 a.m.

Sherrif's Office County Courthouse


Granger wasn't sure which he hated most: ice, or people who thought they could drive on it. He'd been on the roads once before dawn and finally found a minute to check in with the office. Inez was on the morning shift, but busy on the phone. Granger figured he'd do some paperwork and let Adam handle the roads for a while. He would send Inez home to read her spy novels on her own time.

When he walked through the door, he heard Inez scream, "911 coming in!" If her voice had been a little lower, she would have made a great extra in a WWI film. The whole battlefield could have heard her yell.

Calls to the department were common, but folks never used 911 unless it was something horrible or somebody had died. Even then it was usually natural causes or an accident so the hospital handled the call, because things like murder never happened in Clifton Creek. The last emergency call that came through had been the oil rig fire several months `go.