Winter Seeks Out the Lonely — Larry D. Sweazy

The law and circumstances never leave Sonny Burton alone for long. As the Great Depression lingers on, a circus camps outside of Wellington, bringing with it suspicion and rumors of stolen cattle to feed the animals. The local Texas Ranger office is set to close, pushing Sonny's son, Jesse, out of a job. Edith Grantley travels to Wellington to see where she stands with Sonny after their brief relationship, terrorized by a crazed man as she travels. And Aldo Hernandez shows up on Sonny's doorstep asking for help. Aldo's cousin, Rafael, got into a fight and caused another man, Leo Dozier, to lose his spot in the CCC (Civilian Conversation Corps). Aldo thinks the sheriff is behind the trouble, and Sonny agrees to look into the situation—which thrusts him and Jesse into an investigation that exposes unknown corruption in his small town, and bigotry and hate that leads to a string of brutal murders.