Deputy Lacie McCord sees a figure breaking into the sheriff's office one night and gives chase. It's Colt, limping. He was looking for information on the cold-case death of his mother. He and Lacie were friends in high school, but she went to work in Houston. Missing the small town atmosphere, she's returned... though neither of them thinks the sheriff, Lacie's stepfather, is more than averagely competent. The deputy agrees to help Colt, on the quiet. They talk to the schoolteacher who has taught generations of locals, and hunt in old police files. Someone resents their investigation and fires a rifle at Colt... was it a warning, or with deadly intent? An even deadlier trap awaits, and while Colt has family backing, an unpleasant truth comes between him and Lacie.

Nina Martinez is a firefighter in Chance County and the dry brush spells trouble. She's battling a wildfire when she sees a house in the path of the blaze, where a man is striking a woman. Then the fire is upon her, and all she can do is scramble into the emergency shelter she carries. After the firestorm passes, a doctor swoops down in a helicopter and picks up Nina, who needs oxygen. But the other woman is beyond help. Dr. Josh White visits Nina in hospital afterwards, where she thanks him for saving her, and he asks about the unfortunate victim. Nina claims she can't remember though. If she names someone a murderer she might never be safe. Nina won't talk to the police, but Josh agrees to help her get out of Texas. Someone is following however, and suddenly Josh finds that protecting Nina is the most important thing of all.

While we're given enough information to link the two stories halfway through the second, we don't know how it will work out until the very end. Linda Conrad has done a fine job of portraying her location and peopling it with vivid characters, and this adult romance will please her many fans. You don't need to have read the previous Chance County books but if you have this will round them off nicely. LAST CHANCE REUNION is a really good read, full of tension and caring, so thank you kindly, ma'am.

Book Summary

Author Note

Dear Readers,

I have really enjoyed writing the Chance, Texas series. It's been so much fun creating characters that seem like a few of the people I met while living in Texas. I *heart* Texans! My thanks to so many of you for writing to say you have loved reading these stories.

In case this will be your first Chance, Texas book, here's a little about the background of the Chance family:

The Chance family has owned the mega Bar-C ranch in Chance County Texas for nearly a hundred years. About twenty years ago the owner at that time, Jacob Chance, was arrested, tried and sentenced for his wife's murder. He died in prison, leaving six children on their own to run the Bar-C. The children were devastated and for a while they barely managed to hold things together. One son was killed in a ranching accident and the only daughter was spirited away by their mother's sister during the first year.

The four surviving brothers, Sam, Travis, Gage and Colt, stay on the ranch to finish school, each finding their own way of moving on without their parents. The oldest brother Sam heads off to the army (see TEXAS BABY SANCTUARY April 2012.) Travis learns to run the ranch with an iron will (see TEXAS MANHUNT May 2012.) Gage dedicates his life to finding their baby sister and becomes a private investigator (see A CHANCE REUNION in Christmas Confidential anthology December 2012.)

That brings us to the final book in the series: LAST CHANCE REUNION August 2013

After finishing high school, the youngest brother Colt decides he hates living on the ranch. He leaves, becoming a federal attorney, and vows to stay away from Chance, Texas and the Bar-C ranch for good. But there are still a few mysteries for Colt to solve in Chance. Eventually, he must find out who really murdered his mother and framed his father. He also wants to know why his high school sweetheart left him without a word of goodbye. And finally there is one last puzzle for the Chance family to solve. What happened to the kidnapped baby sister they'd named Cami and lost when she was only four?

LAST CHANCE REUNION is organized a little differently than the other books. I was in a hurry to let you read these last two stories of Colt and Cami so I put them both in one book. TEXAS COLD CASE is Colt's story and TEXAS LOST AND FOUND is the story of bringing Cami home.

Enjoy your reading!

Linda