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Edwyn leaned against the wall in the back and pushed away from it. “I had an idea.”

Connor’s brow shot up. “There’s no way you could know what this meeting is about. How could you have an idea?”

Edwyn waved away the concern, quieting everyone in the room. Edwyn never challenged Connor. “You were worried about Nadine breaking into our security. What if we played to her ego and told her that what she did proved we have weaknesses? We could ask her to come work for us to fix them.”

Everyone turned to Connor to see what he wouldthink. The silence created a chord of tension in the room and Sam wished he’d let Kelly stay in his cabin.

“You think she would go for that? Isn’t that a huge risk to the people who are here? She knocked our security system out without hardly trying.”

Edwyn’s cheeks flushed slightly. “She’s brilliant, but not evil. She’d probably also love the chance to hurt me back. I wouldn’t doubt that the way I handled our relationship is the reason she does what she does.”

Connor frowned as Brendon rolled his wheelchair into the room with Dee at his side. “Sorry we’re late.”

Connor sat behind his desk and sighed. He looked over at Lacy and his attention held onto her for a while, like he needed her support. “I’ve been hit with a pretty big surprise this morning. One that might forever change Wayside.”

Sam reached over and held Kelly’s hand. He wasn’t about to keep secrets from her, but he hoped this wouldn’t be a notice that Wayside was closing. “What’s going on?”

“First, an update on Nathan. He’s still in jail, awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, entrapment, kidnapping, and murder. Viceroy and Ramona haven’t been seen since they escaped in Denver, but we’re sure they’re still out there.” He scrubbed at his face, then pressed his temples.

“I don’t know how to say this without just coming out and saying it. Dad called me today and let me know that I have a half-sister, and because of the way dad worded the agreement when he gave it to me, she owns half of Wayside Ranch.”

Kelly squealed as Sam gripped her hand. He let it go immediately, but that didn’t help his immediate feeling of dread and loss. Someone no one knew would now be ableto access the privileged information at Wayside and unless they both agreed to continue, could spell the end for the ranch.