Stone Cold Saint, Signed

Episode 3: Truth is the Ultimate Weapon

In the heart of Coyote Creek, danger lurks around every corner, and no one feels it more acutely than Coy Stone when he faces the ultimate test –– protect his family from the crosshairs of a deadly conspiracy served by an unknown enemy. Every ally could be a traitor, and every step could be their last.

With secrets emerging from every corner, trust becomes a fragile commodity in a high-stakes showdown against merciless enemies, where the lines between friend and foe blur, and the truth is more elusive than ever. Friends may be foes, and allies could be traitors. Every revelation brings them closer to the elusive truth but also the threshold of death more than others with one foot in the grave.

Amidst shocking betrayals and heart-stopping confrontations, each twist and turn heightens the stakes, drawing the family into a relentless battle where survival is uncertain and the cost of failure is unimaginable. 

Will the Stones outwit their enemies in time and survive the onslaught, or will the dark forces arrayed against them succeed in their diabolical plans?

“Epic ending!”

“Stephanie St. Klaire has done it again! She wrapped us around her fingers, made us swoon and had us on the edge of our seats once more...”

“One of the things I love about her writing is how she manages to involve all characters, no matter how big or small, in the plot. Her level of engaging both, the characters and readers, is simply brilliant.”

“This is definitely an edge of your seat read that combines suspense, love, grieve and hope perfectly.”

“More Twists & Turns but Well Worth It!”

“5++ Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!”

“STONE COLD SAINT deserves all the stars and more!”

“What a rollercoaster of twists and unexpected turns.”

“All your questions will be answered but not without some hair-raising moments that will have your heart in your throat and almost dreading reading the next page.”

“This has been an amazing and gripping tale with its fast-paced episodes full of family drama, intrigue, and suspense.”

“Stephanie St. Klaire did not disappoint in this trilogy!”

“If you like suspense with a little romance thrown in, this author is for you!”

“You will not be disappointed!”

“Epic Read, Another Hit Series.”

“I couldn’t put this series down.”

CHAPTER 1:
“I’m glad you finally figured it out,” Rip said, boxing up items Devyn had set aside for him.
“Figured out what?” Devyn asked as they sat in her mother’s small farmhouse that Devyn hadn’t stepped foot in in months.
Delilah’s cottage, nestled among her treasured flower gardens near the main farmhouse, was a cozy retreat crafted to look like a smaller version of the main home the family shared. It was built as her private sanctuary when she passed on the main house to Cut, allowing him to raise his family there. This smaller abode offered her a tranquil space to enjoy nature and cherish solitude amidst the bustling family and ranch life.
“How you fit in. How you can help around here and show you’re not the little girl your brothers and sister think you are.”
“Ah. That.” Devyn smiled. “Thanks to you.”
“How do you figure?” he asked.
“The other night. The fire pit. You challenged me to be who I want them to see me instead of retreat back within myself and just become the weakest link they think I am. This is it…” she held out her hands, filed with papers, “None of them have the patience or attention to detail to dig through our mothers things and look for the smallest of clues. The lawyer, me, totally does.”
“I’m glad you figured it out.” He said, looking around the space. “You think there’s answers here?”
“No telling. But I’m putting in the time because I have it and at the very least getting reacquainted with my mother, through her things in this space because… it seems I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did.” Devyn’s expression softened, and shoulders slacked as if the weight of this newly realized truth was weighing on her.
“Just like they see you how they remember you –– young, fragile, incapable –– you see her the way you remember. It’s a good idea.”
“I thought so, too. And maybe I’ll be the one that finds that tiny clue that breaks this case wide open.”
“That’s really important to you, isn’t it?”
“What’s important to me?”
“How your siblings view you.”
“Of course it is. When I was little, I just wanted to be included. Now…”
“You just want to be included.” He deadpanned.
“Not entirely. I just want to be seen as an equal now. We aren’t little kids anymore. It isn’t cute to be the baby. I want to be seen just as… their sister.”
“You don’t think they already see you as an equal? Sounds to me like you’re the one they all put on a pedestal. Want to finish school. Do something bigger and better with her life.”
“I don’t think that means I’m their equal. That’s still just raising their little sister. Almost like they’re living vicariously through me, setting me up to succeed in a different arena than they all play in.” her tone changed to one of snark, “Like if I make it, they all make it.”
“You don’t agree with them? You don’t want that to?”
“Quite frankly, I think it’s a load of bullshit, but that’s just me.” She said, pulling another box of documents from a storage closet.
Rip grabbed the box and moved it to a table for her to go through, “You don’t want to be a lawyer?”
“Of course I do, but not because I think it’s better, more successful, or superior in any way. They act like what they do is a bunch of rough-neck blue-collar crap. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with blue collar… or rough necks. What they do is… It’s…”
“It’s what?”
“I don’t know. It’s dangerous, invigorating, insane, and heroic. I mean, you understand. You do what Coy and Dillon do. Not many people get to do something so… honorable and fulfilling. They treat it like something I wouldn’t want to do. Like it’s not good enough. Same with Cut and Nash. They run one of the largest ranches in the State of Texas quite successfully and neither have a fancy degree on the wall nor served in combat zones in random corners of the world. They’re all self-made super humans… then, there’s me. Baby Dev, who isn’t capable of those things, so thank God she’s smart.”
“Or maybe they just don’t want you to have to the things they’ve had to. They want a different path for you. They made those sacrifices so you could…”
“Take an easier path?” she interrupted.
“No, take a different path. If you think law school and becoming a bulldog lawyer is the easy path, then you don’t get it at all. Their sacrifice isn’t out of sympathy –– it’s out of love. It’s a gift that they can give you that they couldn’t give themselves.”
“Nash could have left… He could have gone to school, too.”
“I don’t know Nash as well as you, obviously, but I don’t really see him as the law school type.” Rip teased.
“He’s not.” She laughed. “But he could have done anything, and he didn’t.”
“Maybe this is his dream. You always wanted to be a lawyer. Maybe he always wanted to run the ranch –– preserve something for the family. I could be wrong, but…”
“No. You’re exactly right. Now that I think about it, he’s the… sentimental one. The loyalist of all of us. I guess it makes sense. I’d just never thought of it that way before.” She sat and dropped the files in her hands to her lap, “How is it you look like… that, but you say… the things you say?”
Rip looked down at himself, held out his hands, turned them, and inspected both sides, “Look like what?”
Devyn waved a hand up and down in front of him, “That. Rough, edgy, maybe a little scary when exiting the woods out of nowhere, but… so wise and thoughtful.”
“I don’t know about wise or thoughtful.”
“But you are. You’ve been here a couple of weeks and already have us all figured out. You get my family better than I do.”
“That’s just the job. In my line of work, you learn to read people, even when you don’t want to. It becomes second nature.”
“It’s impressive.” She shared. “And you are thoughtful, or you wouldn’t care about my tantrums or making me see who I really am around here. You... care.”
Something changed in Rip’s expression. His warm and soft expression grew cold and hard, “I don’t.”
“Don’t?”
“Care. I don’t care, Devyn. Just doing my job.” He went back to going through boxes.
She seemed to have struck a nerve. Something she’d said upset him, or worse, frightened him. Maybe he was just realizing how close he was getting to the family and to her, and it bothered him, but why? Was she really just a job, someone he was paid to protect? Devyn couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that lingered in the air after the passionate exchanges they’d shared.
Rip's sudden shift in demeanor hinted at a deeper turmoil brewing beneath the surface. Was their connection merely a facade, a duty he felt obligated to fulfill? Or did his guarded reaction stem from a fear of letting down the walls he had carefully constructed around his heart?
The uncertainty gnawed at her, stirring a whirlwind of doubts and insecurities. Yet, amidst the turmoil, one thing remained crystal clear - she couldn't ignore the undeniable pull she felt towards him, a force that defied logic and reason. There was more to Rip, and Devyn was determined to uncover the truth behind his enigmatic facade, even if it meant confronting the darkest corners of a past she was curious to discover.
“You might want to save this one,” Rip said. “Looks like journals.”
“Journals?” Devyn asked with surprise and rushed to his side, “You mean, like a diary?”
Rip held up several notebooks, some leatherbound, some with pretty floral patterns, and others with simple brown cardboard covers.
“How do you know they’re journals? Did you open them?”
“No, I didn’t open them. Those are the private thoughts of a woman I did not know.” He defended. “Plus, it says journals on the outside of the box as well as across the front of all of these.”
“Great detective work there, buddy.” Devyn rolled her eyes and pulled out a journal, flipping the pages. “These are all full.”
She picked up one, then another, reading the inside cover of each. “She went through these pretty quickly. They’re all dated. There must be a couple of months of life in each of them. For such a soft-spoken woman, she certainly had a lot to say in these.”
“What are you going to do with them?”
“Read them? Is that wrong?” Devyn asked with a curious look.
“I guess that depends on you. What do you think?” Rip shrugged.
“I think my private thoughts are just that, private. But are they still when you’ve… passed?” Devyn closed her eyes and fanned through the pages, smelling them as if somehow the answer to read or not to read was somewhere in that very journal.
Rip shook his head and sighed, “I think only you can answer that, Devyn. Would she want you to read them?”
“I-I don’t know.” Devyn plopped on the nearby chair. “We’ve all been saying how we may not have known our mother the way we thought we did. What if –– what if there’s answers in here that shed some light on, well, everything? What if the small clue we’re looking for to solve all that’s been happening around here is in one of these little books full of our mother’s thoughts… her secrets?”
“Where do you want them?” Rip grabbed a box and studied what remained in the closet, “I see three more boxes labeled as journals in that closet from here. Do you want them all in your room in the main house?”
“No, I think I’ll keep them here. I feel close to her out here, and it feels good to be in her space. It even still smells like her.” She inhaled a deep breath. “I’ll read them out here, so long as I’m allowed to be out here without a guard.”
“I can arrange protection out here for you –– especially considering it’s only a handful of feet off the main house.”
“You’re welcome,” Devyn said.
“For what?”
“Getting you out of the house. It’s a damn zoo in there with everyone around all the time. It’s quiet out here. Peaceful. Private.”
Rip did that thing again. His shoulders sharpened, his body stiffened, and his stare went icy cold. Something about being alone with her struck him as ominous. Despite the warmth of their embrace days before, Rip's demeanor shifted abruptly, casting a shadow over the intimacy they had shared.
Devyn felt a chill creep down her spine as she watched the transformation unfold before her eyes. It was as if a barrier had been erected between them, blocking any chance of genuine connection. Was it fear? Resentment? Or perhaps something far more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
She couldn't help but wonder what secrets Rip harbored, what demons he battled in the depths of his soul — surely they were much like what her brother and sister had learned to live with, given the work they all did. And as the silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tensions, she welcomed the storm that threatened to engulf them both. She was going to find out what it was about Rip that had him so afraid… of her.
Diesel’s rumbling growl broke the silence between them, grabbing their attention. When he quickly moved, positioning himself between Devyn and the front door, Rip also went into action, taking to Diesel’s side.
“What’s going on?” Devyn asked. “Is it… an animal or… something?”
“He knows better than to growl or alert to anything but a real threat.”
“Great. So, it isn’t one of the kids or, say, Nash and Charlotte again?”
“No,” he said in a low even tone.
Diesel ran to the door and stared at it, barking once, then twice before returning to a steady growl.
“Come on, stay behind me, you understand?” Rip warned.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Rip pulled his weapon from its harness and readied it for use, “I mean it. You stay right on my heels and do exactly what I say.”
“Oh shit. This is serious. Okay. I’m right on your heels. Do I need a gun?”
“Not a chance in hell –– not with my back to you.”
“Nice. You have jokes.” She sassed.
“Who’s joking?”
“Ah, then I’m offended and scared.”
“Good. You ready? He’s going to move fast, and so are we.”
Devyn swallowed hard and shook her head, “Ready.”
“Remember. Be smart, not reactive.”
“Got it.” She put her hand on his back and gently pushed him, letting him know she was ready. “Let’s go.”
Rip opened the door, and Diesel bolted. Rip carefully followed at a slight distance, reaching behind him a time or two to make sure Devyn was still close. As if instinct kicked in, she knew he wouldn’t lose his focus ahead and take a risk by looking back at her, so she tapped his hand each time he reached back to let him know she was indeed still there.
Diesel continued to track, taking them right past the main house where Dillon and Ransom were seated on the front porch.
“Oh shit,” Dillon said as Rip and Devyn passed. She took to her feet and, pulled her weapon from her harness, and yelled inside, “Coy!”
Devyn watched as Dillon made her way down the steps, Ransom at her side and armed. They each maintained their post at the bottom of the steps, guarding the home while they waited for Diesel and Rip to do whatever it was they were doing, but Devyn stayed with Rip. Coy exited the house along with Kenzie and read the situation just as quickly. Devyn saw him reach for his weapon with Kenzie following suit as they fell in behind Rip and Devyn, fanning out, covering Rip while he handled Diesel and followed his lead.
“I’m in your pocket, Rip.” Coy hollered, meaning he was watching everything else while Rip watched the dog and read his signals.
“Copy that,” Rip said, never taking his eyes off his dog, who was picking up pace and began to growl, then bark, indicating they were close.
“Dev.” Coy hollered ahead.
When she turned, Rip reached back and held her hand, keeping her close despite her brother calling for her attention. Coy seemed to read the situation, quickened his pace and reached out, placing a gun in Devyn’s hand, to her surprise. She looked back, and Coy gave her a quick reassuring nod, to which she nodded back. A silent conversation between the two siblings that didn’t require a single word.
He trusted her with it, knew she was capable, and wanted her to be able to protect herself. There was a level of pride that came with it because this moment was about so much more than a gun. It was about being seen as a capable and strong equal, not the baby sister she typically defaulted to.
When Nash and Charlotte stepped out on the porch with Cut, Nash quickly turned to Charlotte, “Get back inside with Nora and the kids. Stay with them, honey. You know what to do.”
“Damn straight,” Charlotte answered back and pulled her weapon, ready to protect the family that had so quickly and easily taken her in as their own. “I’ll protect them with my life.”
“Nora’s not inside,” Cut said, earning Dillon’s attention as well.
“Oh no,” Charlotte said and rushed inside to the children.
“What?”
“She’s in the garden, grabbing stuff for dinner.” He said.
Nash, weapon at the ready, shared a look with Dillon and quickly fell in behind the rest of the group.
“They’re headed right for the fucking garden,” Nash said.
“You good here?” Dillon asked Ransom, leaving him posted at the steps of the house.
“I got this, go.” He said, waving her on.
“Nora,” Cut said under his breath and ran ahead.
“Cut!” Nash hollered and gave chase. “Stop.”
Cut ignored Nash’s plea and continued on. He pushed through Coy and Dillon and right past Kenzie, who tried to grab him as he ran straight into the crosshairs of God only knew what. As he approached the garden, he could see Diesel seated calmly, no longer barking, and Rip rigid with a blank stare at something he could only imagine. Sheer terror filled Cut when he saw the pale stare of Devyn turn his direction like she’d seen a ghost.
Devyn rushed toward him, “Cut, no. Stop.”
“Nora!” Cut yelled, pulling from Devyn’s grip as he charged to where Rip stood because whatever he was looking at was clearly what they didn’t want Cut to see.
He rounded a garden shed, Coy and Nash flanking him while Devyn ran ahead of him.
“It’s okay,” Devyn said. “I’m going to take care of this.”
Cut didn’t listen, blew her off, and made his way past Rip. He saw exactly what everyone else had already figured out.
“Shit,” Devyn yelled. “Sheriff? Get over here.”
“Nora?” Cut stood with the same blank stare Rip had worn as he took in the scene, which made the rest of them look as though they’d seen a ghost, or in this case, a murder.
“Wh-what happened?” Cut stammered. “The blood… what…”
“It’s okay, brother. We’re going to figure it out.” Devyn said. “It’s fine. It’s going to be… okay.”
“Oh, Jesus.” Kenzie leaned over, resting her hands on her knees, unprepared for the scene before her.
“Get it together, Sheriff. We need you for this one.” Devyn said.
Kenzie bobbed her head, “I’m good. I got this. We can fix this.”
“Fix?” Cut stood in horror. “Nora… she’s covered in blood. She’s…”
“She’s going to be okay,” Devyn reassured. “I’m taking care of this.”
Cut looked at Devyn with confusion, as if the shock was consuming him, and reality hadn’t settled in just yet.
“I know them,” Nash said. “Those are the guys… the associates… with the plants.”
“I guess they’re no longer missing.” Coy chided.
“This is bad. This is fucking bad.” Rip said. “You want me to get a team here, Coy?”
Coy put his weapon in the back of his waistband and rested his hands on his hips, quickly distracted by the sound of sirens heading right for them just before a chain of Sheriff’s vehicles came into view.
Coy shook his head, “Too late, Rip.”
“Who the hell called them?” Kenzie asked. “Damn it! Damn it!”
“Nobody say a word. I represent all of you, got it?” Devyn asked, “Looks like I’m a defense attorney today.”
“Oh God, baby,” Cut said, walking toward Nora. “What happened?”
Rip grabbed him before he could get any closer to her. “Hang tight, man. You can’t walk any closer. Cops are here.”
“I-I don’t know. I…” Nora said, covered in blood, a knife in her hand, standing over two dead bodies. “I just… I don’t know.”
“Don’t say a thing, honey,” Devyn said, positioning herself next to Nora after handing her gun to Coy.
The cavalry of deputies were quick to park and rush to the scene, marking it off, moving everyone back, and, of course, cuffing a very shocked and pregnant Nora.
As they hauled her off and put her in the back of one of the police cruisers, Devyn was quick to follow.
“I’m going with her.” She said to their family.
“I’ll drive,” Rip confirmed. “You aren’t going alone.”
Coy and Dillon shared a look.
“I’ll go with her.” Coy chimed in.
“I got this, Stone.” Rip insisted, already at Devyn’s side.
“I’m fine, Coy. You figure this out. I’ll be in touch. Remember, nobody talks without me, stay off the landlines, and use your cell phones only. Coy and Dill, make sure no one is listening.”
Devyn was practically speaking in code, letting Coy and Dillon know they needed to call in resources to make sure they weren’t being tapped. An unidentified enemy could be listening in.