title: The Ark Ranch
author: Franklin, Barclay
description: Kade Blackburn, his wife, Abby, and his family (numbering four kids) move to Chino Valley after his graduation in Flagstaff. He is a reporter for the Prescott paper. When Kade sues the Prescott police chief over a beating, the chief kidnaps his family to try to get Kade to rescind the lawsuit. The chief fires at Kade on Prescott courthouse grounds when he refuses to rescind the lawsuit. Kade, wounded, breaks the neck of the chief and manages to rescue his family. The rest of the police close ranks around the chief and won’t let Kade in to interview any more prisoners who’ve been arrested.