Chapter 3

The afternoon of the Ball was hot, the Texas sky a vast, unforgiving blue.

Brittany, her posse, and a couple of eager young ranch hands they' d charmed into joining them, piled into a luxury SUV.

Champagne had been flowing freely since noon.

"Let's go see this old bat," Brittany announced, her voice a little too bright.

They drove out to the guesthouse, dust kicking up behind them.

Sarah was tending her small rose garden, her cane resting against the porch rail.

She looked up as the SUV roared to a halt.

Brittany stepped out, all flashing jewelry and expensive perfume.

She surveyed Sarah, taking in the simple dress, the faded gardening gloves.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Brittany drawled.

Her friends snickered behind her.

"You must be the one causing trouble," Brittany said, her tone accusatory.

Sarah straightened slowly. "I believe there's been a misunderstanding."

Her voice was calm, steady.

"I am Sarah Winchester."

Brittany laughed, a sharp, unpleasant sound.

"Sarah Winchester? David's mother? Oh, that's rich!"

She gestured around at the modest guesthouse. "Living out here like a charity case? Wearing... that?"

Her posse echoed her laughter.

"You expect me to believe David Winchester' s mother looks like you and lives in a shack?"

Lupe, Sarah' s head housekeeper and loyal friend for decades, heard the commotion from inside.

She rushed out, her face tight with concern.

"Miss Brittany, what is the meaning of this? This is Mrs. Winchester' s private residence!"

Brittany barely glanced at her. "Stay out of this, servant."

Lupe stepped forward, placing herself between Sarah and Brittany.

"You will not disrespect Mrs. Winchester."

One of the ranch hands, eager to impress Brittany, moved fast.

He shoved Lupe hard.

Lupe, caught off guard, stumbled back, her head hitting the stone porch pillar with a sickening crack.

She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Sarah cried out, "Lupe!"

She tried to move towards her friend, but her bad leg buckled.