Refuge

Jessie hopes for a quiet country life when she marries photographer Jonathon Lindstrom and they settle into the Double-J ranch in Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Enfolded in her husband's love and in the beauty of the valley, Jessie never imagines evil will find her. But then a man from the past arrives to threaten her and her child. In time the ranch family grows to include Cal, a hired handyman with a doubtful past, Danielle, the woman who falls in love with him, and Will, a troubled Native American boy. Also welcomed into the group is a new colt, a delightful creature that captures every heart. His care and training are taken over by Will, who rides him to unbelievable heights. What's missing is Jessie's unseen companion, a vague but persistent presence in her life. By chance she is discovered to be Jessie's twin sister Melissa, stolen at birth by a childless woman. For now the family at the Double-J is complete, but the customary flow of arrivals and departures continues. This a refreshing story, one that acknowledges evil, but resolutely searches for goodness. And finds it.