"Mrs. Baker, where was Roger three days ago?" Carlos asked.

"I…I don’t know," she lied.

"Mrs. Baker, this is very important. It’s possible that he is setting up your son to take the rap for attempted murder...in the U.S, Mrs. Baker." Carlos stared at her. "Was he here in town?"

Cecilia hesitated. "He…I’m not sure." She shook her head. "He has been Steve’s best friend since they were kids. He wouldn’t do that to Steve."

Carlos saw the doubt in her eyes. "He wasn’t here, was he?" He saw it in her eyes. "Dammit," he said out loud, as he turned towards the door.

"What?" Walker asked.

"Sarah’s in danger because of my stupid ego," he called back as he bolted out the door towards his car, his comment to Roger, ‘You sure?’ ringing through his mind.

**

"What are you talking about?" Roger glared at her. "Steve did it."

Sarah straightened, knowing she had hit a nerve. "That’s a lie and you know it." Standing up from the couch, she turned to face him. "I know all about it, Roger. I now how you followed Trent for a few days before you followed him to the cemetery. You parked up on a ridge so you could see down to Sam’s grave, where Trent was. You had a shotgun and when you thought you had a perfect shot you took it." Sarah searched Roger’s face for signs of recognition. "Then as he lay there bleeding, you walked down, stopping only to take some roses from another grave." Seeing the fear in Roger’s eyes she continued while she still had the nerve. "Four red roses, one for every year you were married." She moved away from the couch. "How am I doing?" she asked. Before he had a chance to respond, she continued. "But that wasn’t enough was it? How many times did you kick him, Roger? Three? And then you walked away as if nothing happened, hoping he would bleed to death. Am I right?"

Roger’s normally calm exterior showed traces of his fear. "You’re bluffing," he said, without conviction.

"Am I? You even said, ‘See Sam? I told you I would get him.’"

Roger went white. "How the hell do you know that?" he demanded, taking a step towards her.

Sarah hesitated only slightly before responding. "Sam told me," she said, quietly.

Roger froze in his tracks, then laughed heartily. "I hate to tell you this, Sarah but she’s dead, remember?!"

"She might be, but she was there, Roger. She saw it all and told me everything."

Roger continued laughing and walked across the living room. "That may be, Sarah but I don’t think she will be able to testify in court." His voice took on a menacing quality. "And you aren’t going to tell anyone else anything."

"What are you going to do, shoot me like you did Trent?" she asked again.

Roger voice grew even, cold. "Not exactly. Frankly, I think a shotgun would be overkill. However," He reached around his back. Sarah gasped as she saw it. "This hand gun should work nicely."

"Don’t you think people will wonder?" Sarah’s mind raced, trying to think of anything to stall for time. ‘Oh Carlos, where are you now? Help me, Sam. Don’t let him get away with it again,’ she thought.

"No," Roger replied. "You were so despondent that your brother shot your sister’s …lover," he spat, "that you took your own life. In fact, you are going to leave a suicide note." Smiling, he walked to her computer on her desk. "Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to tell anyone your password?"

"Roger, this is insane. Why? Why now? Why Trent?" Thoughts raced around Sarah’s brain, colliding like bumper cars as she struggled to understand. "Why?" she asked again.

"It was the money, babe." Roger started to explain. "Your father set up trust accounts. I just never told you about them. I was supposed to get Sam’s share but then she remarried. Now I lose everything unless he is out of the picture. And guess what? Roger Peterson NEVER LOSES!" he yelled. "He made me lose the money and Sam."

"No, Roger, you lost Sam on your own. You lost her before she even went to Texas." Sarah said sadly. "You cheated on her."

"That’s not important. She left me. And no one leaves Roger Peterson." Raising the gun, his voice was icy. "And you won’t either."

**

Carlos heard the shot as he was getting out of the car. Almost falling, he regained his footing and ran with all the speed he could muster, yelling her name repeatedly.

"SARAH! SARAH!" He hit the door full force, nearly knocking it off its hinges. "SARAH!" he screamed again, as his mind took the fraction of a second to register the scene.

Roger was lunging for Sarah as she tried to reach something on the floor. In a heartbeat, Carlos was on him, pulling him off Sarah, throwing him across the room. It was then he realized they had both been reaching for a gun.

"YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!! LEAVE HER ALONE!" he yelled as he picked Roger off the floor. In a flurry of punches, Carlos left the man bloodied and battered before he realized Sarah was there, pulling him off.

"CARLOS! I’m okay! Stop! Stop! I’m okay." As the words finally registered, Carlos let go and gathered Sarah in his arms. "Sam saved me," she told him.

"Thank God you’re okay," he whispered, his voice breaking as a wave of relief washed over him.

**

EPILOGUE

"OWWWWWWWW! Do you enjoy torturing me?"

"Oh, be quiet ya big baby!" Jess laughed as she pushed Trent’s leg to his chest to help him stretch. "You know you need this so quit complaining."

"Yeah, but I think you enjoy it just a little too much," he said, smiling in spite of his words. A soft chime echoed through the house. "Saved by the bell!" he exclaimed.

"I’ll get it. You keep working!" Trent saluted her with a smile as she padded off towards the front door. It was Christmas and it had been about three weeks since the shooting. They were expecting a house full of Malloys and one Sandoval for dinner to celebrate Trent’s recovery.

"C’mon in," Jess said as she opened the door. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the woman on the front step. "Hi," she smiled, regaining her composure.

"Hi. You must be Jessie. I’m really sorry to bother you, being Christmas and all but is Trent here?"

"Sure, Sarah." This was the first time they had met but Jess knew her instantly. "C’mon in." Turning, she yelled down the hall, "Trent, you have visitor." Turning back, she explained, "he’s just doing his exercises. He’s going to thank you for getting him out of them."

"Yeah?" Trent called as he hobbled down the hall. His face broadened in to a smile when he saw his visitor. "Sarah! What a great surprise! I am so glad to see you!" He threw his arms around her, giving her a bear hug that she returned gingerly.

"How are you, Trent?" she asked, the concern evident in her voice.

"Getting there," he told her. He still had some pain and was walking stiffly but he was walking.

"It is great to see you, but I won’t bother you for long. Steve is with me and we were wondering..." She looked down sheepishly. "Could you just give me directions…um …directions to the … the cemetery?" she stammered.

"Sure, Sarah," Trent said, gently. "But I’ll do better than that. I’ll take you."

"No, really Trent. It’s obvious that you are getting ready for company…I don’t want to bother you…"

Before she could finish, both Trent and Jess were shaking their heads. "It’s no bother, Sarah," Jess told her. "And when you come back I’ll set two more plates for dinner."

"Really…" Sarah started again.

"We’ve got plenty of food including Mrs. Malloy’s famous apple crumble." Jess smiled. "We’d love you to stay. You decide and let me know when you come back."

**

"I’d forgotten how peaceful it is here," Sarah whispered as she walked hand in hand with her brother and Trent.

"It is beautiful, even at this time of year," Steve added.

As they approached the stone, Trent felt Sarah squeeze his hand. He turned to her and let her go. "I’ll let y’all be alone," he said, kissing her forehead before turning and heading back to his car.

Steve placed the wild flowers on the grave as his sister looked on. "It’s over now, Sam. You can rest in peace now." Sarah sighed as a single tear made its way slowly down her cheek.

**

They had slipped surreptitiously off to a quiet corner of the house as the cleanup of dinner began.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?" he whispered as he wrapped his strong muscular arms around her.

"I wasn’t sure…" she hesitated as she looked up into those dark brown eyes. She put her hands on his chest, idly playing with the buttons. "Carlos," she began, but stopped.

"What, Sarah?"

"I’ll be honest, Carlos. I’m not sure I would have seen you if you hadn’t been here today." She was avoiding his eyes, not sure what she would do if she looked at them.

"But you knew I probably would be."

"Maybe. Carlos, you and I…we…" she struggled to find the right words when she heard the voice. Don’t just give up on your true love, Sarah. She knew. She had always known. She looked up, smiling.

"What?" Carlos asked.

"It doesn’t matter," Sarah said her grin broadening. "I love you, Carlos Sandoval." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips. "I talked to Tony, my old boss, yesterday."

"What?!" Carlos struggled to follow the abrupt shift in the conversation.

"He wants me back at the sanctuary."

It took a fraction of a second to register the meaning. "You’re…you’re staying?"

"I think so."

The holler could be heard across the house as he picked her up and swung her around. "I love you, Sarah."