her
record.
Durango
had
a
rather
rough
way
of
dealing
with
women.
He
wasn’t
used
to
the
soft
and
gentle
approach.
Yet
the
way
women
were
still
drawn
to
him
defied
logic.
“This
is
my
cousin,
Durango
Westmoreland,
Madison,”
Stone
decided
to
say
when
silence,
annoyance
and
irritation
settled
between
Durango
and
Madison.
“And
when
Durango
gives
himself
time
to
think
logically,
I’m
sure
he’ll
understand
your
concern
for
your
mother’s
well-
being.
And
although
Durango
and
I
both
know
that
our
uncle
Corey
would
never
do
anything
to
harm
your
mother,
we
can
certainly
understand
your
desire
to
see
for
yourself
that
she’s
fine.”
Stone
watched
a
slow
smile
touched
Durango’s
lips.
From
childhood
they
had
always
been
able
to
read
between
the
lines
of
each
other’s
words.
Stone
was
letting
Durango
know,
in
a
subtle
way,
that
he
wanted
him
on
his
best
behavior
and
to
clean
up
his
act.
“I
apologize
if
what
I
said
upset
you,
Madison,”
Durango
said,
offering
her
his
hand
in
a
firm
handshake.
“I
wasn’t
aware
that
you
thought
your
mother
was
in
harm’s
way.
If
that’s
the
case,
we’ll
certainly
do
whatever
needs
to
be
done
to
arrest
your
fears.
And
let
me
be
the
first
to
welcome
you
to
Montana.”
Stone
rolled
his
eyes.
No
one,
he
thought,
could
go
from
| 
