Publisher's Synopsis
Killing her uncle has always haunted Ophelia Oatman. More disturbing is finding out he's still alive.
As a young frontier girl, Ophelia Oatman ran away from a polygamist settlement in Utah after her uncle sexually assaulted her and she became "damaged goods." At twenty-six, Ophelia's rotten luck has finally changed: she's inherited a small fortune as well as the parlor house in Ogden, Utah, where she once plied her trade as the harlot, Miss Peach. Despite all odds, Ophelia feels genuine love might even be possible between her and Charlie Sirringo, the detective she hired to find her brother, Ezekiel. She wants to put her sordid, violent past behind her and finally live in peace. For the first time, she's optimistic about the future.
But how can she let go of the past after she finds out that her Uncle Luther-the man who raped and ruined her-is still alive? Can she stop Charlie and Ezekiel from seeking revenge? Can she stop herself? Should she?
Ophelia must not only overcome vendettas, betrayal, deception, and treacherous family secrets, but also her own pride and her attachment to the precious ruby necklace given to her by her dying mother that her Uncle Luther still believes is his property...
