The Bounty Hunter’s Redemption. Janet Dean. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Janet Dean
Издательство: HarperCollins
Серия:
Жанр произведения: Вестерны
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9781474047036
Скачать книгу
Anna wiped her damp eyes, then gave a weak smile. “I’m emotional since I lost Walt. It’s a comfort to know you understand the pain and loneliness of losing a husband.”

      Anna’s gaze landed on Carly’s dress. Her eyes widened, as if just realizing Carly wasn’t wearing black. Widow’s weeds would chafe, be a sham. Carly had lived a lie her entire marriage and wouldn’t pretend to grieve.

      She lurched to her feet. “I’ll make tea. Do you use sugar?”

      Anna shot her a quizzical look. “Yes, please. I need to stretch my legs,” she said, then rose and hobbled to the front.

      Carly couldn’t admit the loneliness and pain Anna spoke of had occurred during her marriage, not from her husband’s death. She couldn’t admit she’d married a scoundrel without faith. She couldn’t admit in the past month she’d found peace and happiness as Max’s widow.

      That is, until Nate and Anna had showed up and put the ownership of her shop in jeopardy.

      As Carly added tea leaves and poured hot water into her rose-sprigged teapot, she chastised herself for getting emotionally involved with Anna. In a matter of hours, her enemy had become a woman with whom she could empathize. That would never do. How could she fight for her son’s welfare and not bring Anna harm?

      She would focus on what mattered—getting the bridal finery made. She’d pay Anna the wage they’d agreed upon. Hopefully, after expenses, Carly would have enough profit to offer to buy Anna out.

      Carly loaded the pot and cups onto a tray, then strode into the shop. What she saw stopped her in her tracks.

      Nate Sergeant stood near his sister, filling the room with his presence. As he’d promised, he’d come to look after Anna’s interests, to make sure Carly wasn’t trying to convince Anna to give up the shop.

      Mr. Sergeant threatened Carly’s very existence. Well, the years she’d spent living under a man’s intimidation had made her strong. She would not surrender the shop without a fight.

      * * *

      Nate leaned against the shop counter, legs crossed, trying to appear at ease, as if the conversation he wished to broach was of no consequence. Otherwise Carly might raise those defenses of hers and refuse to hear him out. But inside he was coiled tighter than an overwound spring.

      Getting anywhere in Gnaw Bone required a lot of jawing. “I’m looking for someone you might know,” he said, his tone casual.

      “Strange as it may sound to a man like you, I don’t rub shoulders with criminals.”

      So much for keeping this female tinderbox calm. “That’s the last thing I’d think. I’m talking about a woman, not an outlaw.”

      Carly’s stormy-sea eyes softened from forged steel to hard-packed clay. “I’m sorry. That was rude.” She took a breath. “Why do you want to find this woman? Is she a friend of yours?”

      “No. An outlaw I’m pursuing supposedly has a lady friend in the area.”

      “In Gnaw Bone? This is a peaceful little town.”

      “Has a stranger come into the shop in the past several months?”

      “Folks pass through. I can’t know everyone.” She took a sip of tea. “What does this woman look like?”

      “I don’t know.”

      “Show Carly that wanted poster,” Anna said.

      Nate didn’t want to jeopardize his investigation, but if Stogsdill should accompany his floozy into this shop, Mrs. Richards, her son and Anna would be at risk. “Can you keep this to yourself?” he said. “If word gets out I’m looking for this rogue, his lady friend might warn him away.”

      “You’ll just have to trust me. If he’s in the area, I should know what he looks like.”

      Tamping down a sigh, Nate removed the wanted poster from the pocket of his vest, then unfolded and laid the crumpled paper on the table.

      Carly stared at the sketch of Stogsdill’s handlebar mustache, sideburns and long lashes, in sharp contrast to his lifeless, cold eyes.

      “He might look different. He could’ve shaved off the facial hair,” Nate said.

      “I’ve never seen the man.”

      Anna laid a hand on Carly’s arm. “I hope you never do. Shifty Stogsdill is a heartless killer.”

      “From reports of bank robberies he’s been involved in, I don’t believe Stogsdill is here now. But, perhaps you can help me track down his female friend,” Nate said.

      “I want this rogue caught, but I don’t see how I can help.”

      “Do you remember a customer who looks different than most?”

      “The ladies who frequent my shop are not about to be attracted to an outlaw.”

      “Perhaps she doesn’t know he’s an outlaw. Perhaps—”

      “Don’t pester Carly. If she knew anything, she’d tell you.” Anna rose, walking to where Nate leaned against the wall, her gait more unsteady than usual. “You’re obsessed with catching Stogsdill. Won’t have peace until you do. Well, I won’t have peace as long as you’re putting your life at risk.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QO6aHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcFJpZ2h0cz0iaHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3JpZ2h0cy8iIHhtbG5z OnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0iaHR0 cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1wPSJo dHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bXBSaWdodHM6TWFya2VkPSJGYWxzZSIgeG1w TU06T3JpZ2luYWxEb2N1bWVudElEPSJ1dWlkOkE2NTAwREZFMjc3REU1MTE4NUYzREQ0MjFCRDU5 MEZFIiB4bXBNTTpEb2N1bWVudElEPSJ4bXAuZGlkOjA4MjZDOEI3RkU5RDExRTVCMjIwRDhCMkJF RTE5QTA1IiB4bXBNTTpJbnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4bXAuaWlkOjA4MjZDOEI2RkU5RDExRTVCMjIwRDhC MkJFRTE5QTA1IiB4bXA6Q3JlYXRvclRvb2w9IkFkb2JlIFBob3Rvc2hvcCBDUzUuMSBNYWNpbnRv c2giPiA8eG1wTU06RGVyaXZlZEZyb20gc3RSZWY6aW5zdGFuY2VJRD0ieG1wLmlpZDpENkU0NUNC MEU0MjA2ODExQUY4Qzk1QkY0NTk1NzA3NSIgc3RSZWY6ZG9jdW1lbnRJRD0idXVpZDpBNjUwMERG RTI3N0RFNTExODVGM0RENDIxQkQ1OTBGRSIvPiA8L3JkZjpEZXNjcmlwdGlvbj4gPC9yZGY6UkRG PiA8L3g6eG1wbWV0YT4gPD94cGFja2V0IGVuZD0iciI/Pv/iDFhJQ0NfUFJPRklMRQABAQAADEhM aW5vAhAAAG1udHJSR0IgWFlaIAfOAAIACQAGADEAAGFjc3BNU0ZUAAAAAElFQyBzUkdCAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAD21gABAAAAANMtSFAgIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEWNwcnQAAAFQAAAAM2Rlc2MAAAGEAAAAbHd0cHQAAAHwAAAAFGJrcHQAAAIE AAAAFHJYWVoAAAIYAAAAFGdYWVoAAAIsAAAAFGJYWVoAAAJAAAAAFGRtbmQAAAJUAAAAcGRtZGQA AALEAAAAiHZ1ZWQAAANMAAAAhnZpZXcAAAPUAAAAJGx1bWkAAAP4AAAAFG1lYXMAAAQMAAAAJHRl Y2gAAAQwAAAADHJUUkMAAAQ8AAAIDGdUUkMAAAQ8AAAIDGJUUkMAAAQ8AAAIDHRleHQAAAAAQ29w eX