Home To Copper Mountain. Rebecca Winters

      Clint and his son had been gone longer than Audra would have expected, but she wanted to tell her cousin Pam not to worry. They were grown men who’d been taking care of themselves for years. Clint was probably giving it one last try to steer his son away from a profession that could wipe him out in seconds.

      Too bad Tom, the angry mastermind of the three, had stormed off after dinner with his family, not waiting to find out what possessions their uncle was going to give him.

      Uncle David might be one who was slow to make up his mind about something, but once he did, he moved like wildfire racing across a Texas prairie.

      “To begin with, each of you will receive your own Jarrett-family memorabilia in the way of books, pictures and mementos. I’ve got them sorted in boxes with your names on them. They’re in the study.

      “Two of the five bedrooms upstairs contain furniture from the turn of the century. I’m giving those things, the baby grand piano in the living room and the dining-room table and chairs, which had been made expressly for the dining room, to Pam, to help get her bed-and-breakfast started.

      “You boys can take everything from your old bedrooms, including the beds, tables, lamps and one piece of period furniture from the living room.

      “I’m giving Tom the grandfather clock, Greg the rosewood writing desk and Jim the teacart, all of which were precious items your great-great-grandfather had shipped over from England.

      “After the tornado changed our lives, I had the front parlor on the main floor converted into my bedroom. It has a couch and chairs. I plan to take everything from that room to furnish my new condo.

      “As I said earlier, Audra can live with me as long as she wants. I’m giving her the old upright piano in the parlor and my wife’s quilts. They include some she made and some her grandmother gave her. Audra has always admired them.

      “When I die, my attorney will arrange for the condo to be sold and the proceeds divided among the four of you.”

      Audra loved him for giving her that security. She’d leave the piano with Pam until she had a place of her own one day. As for the quilts, she couldn’t be more thrilled. They were exquisite. Priceless. She would have them mounted in special glass frames so Pam could display them throughout the ranch house.

      Her uncle didn’t know it yet, but she planned to live in Austin with him on a permanent basis. Pam had been waiting on him all these years. Now it was Audra’s turn. She didn’t want him to be alone.

      Greg darted their uncle an angry glance. “You haven’t said anything about the barn.”

      “It goes with the main house. If you boys want a barn, you can erect one behind the bungalow and keep horses there. Until that time you can board your horses at the Circle T. I’ve already spoken to Mervin, so he knows you’re coming.

      “You might want to think about dividing the property four ways and using it for collateral to build your own ranch houses and barns.

      “While you’ve got your families here to help, you’re welcome to start clearing things out tonight. Don’t forget your saddles and camping gear in the barn. When Clint and Rick get back, I’m sure they’ll be glad to lend you a hand with the heavy furniture.”

      Greg’s gaze swerved to Jim’s. “No thanks. We’ll do it ourselves.”

      “My trailer’s available when you want to load the horses.”

      “I’ll stay in the bungalow until my cast comes off,” Audra interjected. “Then I’ll move to Austin with Uncle David. In the meantime, why don’t you three get together and decide how you want to divide up your vacation times out there.

      “My manager at the radio station will let me broadcast from the bungalow, so I’ll be happy with whatever time period during the year you allot to me.”

      “We have to talk to Tom.” Greg’s voice was wooden.

      “Of course. Just let me know.”

      Her uncle had done everything possible to be fair to the family he’d inherited, and this was how they repaid him. Audra reached for her crutches and got up from the chair, anxious to give him a hug and tell him how grateful she was.

      While a subdued Diane and Sherry went over to examine the writing desk and teacart, Pam’s cell phone went off. The next thing Audra heard caused her to come to a standstill in the center of the room.

      “He sounds bad, Clint. I’ll phone the hospital right now and send for a helicopter to meet you here.”

      Audra’s heart gave a thud. “What’s wrong with Rick?”

      Pam had already started to call 9-1-1. “Marshmallow tangled with a water moccasin in the creek. She lost her footing and fell on top of him. My mare’s all right, but Rick’s in pain from his arm to his jaw.”

      A snicker from one of the boys coincided with Audra’s quiet gasp. Her wrist went to her mouth in reaction to the news, causing a crutch to fall on the floor.

      Sherry noticed and picked it up for her. Audra thanked her before crying out, “He wasn’t bitten, was he, Pam? The venom’s lethal.”

      If Rick died, her worst nightmare for her cousin would come true.

      In the background she heard Jim whisper something to Greg about how stupid Clint was to be out there after dark.

      “Silence!” their uncle demanded as Pam spoke to the police dispatcher. Once she’d explained the nature of the emergency, Audra heard her give precise instructions for the location of the ranch.

      When their uncle rose to his feet, the boys left the room with their wives. He waited with Audra until Pam ended the call. She lifted her head.

      “The helicopter will be here as soon as it can. To ease your minds, Prince killed the snake before it could bite either of them, but Rick’s in so much pain he can hardly stay on the horse.”

      “I had the same kind of accident years ago,” their uncle said. “Sounds like a broken collarbone.” Audra shuddered at the thought of it. “From which direction are they coming?”

      “The bluebonnets.”

      “Let’s go, Pam. We’ll get in my truck and drive out to pick up Rick. Audra? You remain here and wait for the helicopter. Turn on the outside lights.” They both hurried into the hall.

      “I’ll do it right now,” Audra called after them. She found the boys in the foyer, huddled together. If she heard the slightest sound come out of their mouths, she was ready to knock them to kingdom come with her crutches.

      Maybe they saw the murderous glint in her eye because for once they didn’t bait her.

      She moved to the front door as fast as her crutches would take her. There was a light switch to the side of it. She turned on the floods so the ranch house would stand out in the darkness.

      When she moved to the roofed porch, the sound of the truck’s engine had already grown faint.

      She leaned against the post with her crutches and looked in the direction of Austin. Cirrus clouds obscured most of the sky. With barely a breeze to dishevel her curls, there was nothing threatening about the elements to prevent the helicopter from getting here without a problem.

      Though Clint wouldn’t have wished this painful accident on his son, Audra suspected there was a secret part of him that was glad Rick wouldn’t be able to get behind the wheel of a race car for a while. So was Audra…

      While she stood there, the sounds of the boys’ demands over their children’s protests jerked her from her contemplation. She turned her head in time to see Diane and both sets of kids march out the front door carrying various items from the upstairs bedrooms to their vehicles.

      Sherry followed with framed pictures in hand. She stopped in front of Audra. “Did you know your uncle was going to do all this today?”

      “I