Brazen (8 page)

"Go ahead. I'll meet you there after I talk to the sheriff.
Then we can head to the Sundown saloon."

"How many saloons are there?"

"I don't know anymore. We'll find out tonight."

They parted company.

It had been a slow day at the general store. Anne's parents
had gone home early, leaving her to close up. She had
taken care of all her chores and was sitting behind the
counter reading a dime novel as she waited for closing time. The novel was the latest by one of her favorite authors, Sheridan St. John. She loved St. John's stories. They
were romantic and exciting. Nothing like her own dull,
ordinary life. She was so enraptured with the fictional
characters' adventures that she didn't hear Nick come
into the store.

"Anne?"

" Anne gasped, startled by the interruption. She
looked up to find a tall, handsome cowboy standing at
the counter. It took her a second to recognize Nick as the
gentleman she'd met the other day. "Nick, it's you-" she
began, a little flustered.

"Hello, Anne," he said, smiling at her. She was as pretty
as he remembered, and he was suddenly very glad he'd
come to town with Michael.

"You sure look different today."

"This is a change for me, that's for sure," he agreed.
"What do you think? Am I cowboy material?"

"You had me fooled for a minute."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good, of course."

He found he was pleased with her answer. "I know it's
almost closing time, but--"

"No, we're still open. What can I do for you? I just got
caught up reading this book and"

"What are you reading?" Nick was curious.

"It's called Arizona Captives, and it's wonderful..." She
stopped in mid-sentence and blushed when she realized
how excited she sounded.

"It's a dime novel?"

"Yes. They're my favorites, and I think Sheridan St. John
is the best writer ever."

"I'll have to read one one of these days."

"You've never read a dime novel?"

"No. I'Ve been too busy studying at the university to
have any time to read for pleasure, but it's probably time
for me to start again."

"You'll enjoy them. Men read them all the time. My
father likes these books a lot." Anne realized she was babbling a little, and quickly became more businesslike. "But
you didn't come in here to talk about books. What do
you need?"

"I need to get some work clothes for out at the ranch.
It looks like I'm going to be staying on for a while."

She smiled at the news as she set the book aside. The
men's clothes are over here."

Anne showed him where the men's things were displayed and left him on his own to look around.

It didn't take Nick long to select several shirts and pairs
of work pants. He also picked out a black Stetson hat to
by on.

"What do you think?" he asked, approaching the
counter wearing the Stetson.

Anne looked up from her book and nodded in approval. "I like that one on you. It looks real fine."

"Now that I have all the right clothes and this hat, I can
pass for a genuine cowboy."

"Absolutely."

Working efficiently, she totaled up his purchase, and
he handed her several bills.

"How are things going out at the Circle D?" Anne asked.
"How's your uncle?"

"Uncle Frank is about the same. Michael's going to take
over running the ranch for now."

"And what about you? 1 know you said you were stay

"Yes, I'm going to stay for a while in case Michael needs
any more help. I've already learned a lot in the short time
I've been here, but when it comes to ranch work, there's
a lot more I need to know."

"Well, just don't forget how to be a gentleman."

He chuckled. "There's no danger of that."

"Good. Have you heard anything new from the sheriff
about the shooting?"

"No. In fact, that's the real reason we came in to Hard
Luck tonight. Michael's talking to Sheriff Montgomery
right now. When he gets done there, we're going to all
the saloons and spread the word that there's a hundredand-fifty-dollar reward for information about who shot
Uncle Frank."

"I hope it helps."

"So do we."

Michael came into the store as Anne finished wrapping
Nick's purchases.

"Evening, Anne."

"Hello, Michael. Nick was just telling me about the reward you're offering. Good luck with it."

"Thanks. We could use a little luck right now."

"Sheriff Montgomery didn't know anything new?"

"Nothing. He agreed to put up some posters about our reward offer, but it looks like if we're going to solve this,
we're going to have to do it ourselves."

"Then let's get started." Nick picked up his package.
"Thanks, Anne. It was good to see you again."

The two men left the store, intent on their mission.

Anne watched them go. Her gaze lingered on Nick as
he fastened his package to the back of his saddle, then
mounted up and rode off with Michael.

Anne sighed, mentally comparing the way he'd looked
when he arrived in Hard Luck to how he looked today.
She wondered what he was really like. She wished Nick
could be like one of the romantic heroes in the novels
she enjoyed, but she told herself those men were purely
fictional. Men like Brand, the half-breed scout, and all the
other heroes Sheridan St. John wrote about didn't really
exist.

Anne checked the time and began to lock up the store.
She could hardly wait to get home so she could finish
reading her book.

When Michael and Nick entered the Sundown saloon,
Michael was glad to see the place was crowded. The more
people who heard what he had to say, the better. He
wanted the word to spread as quickly as possible.

They went to stand at the bar.

"Well, well, well," Bill Clark, the bartender, said with a
big welcoming smile. "I heard tell you were back in town,
and now I know it wasn't just talk."

"How you doing, Bill?" Michael asked, returning his
smile.

"I'm doing fine, but what about you?" he asked sympathetically.

"It's rough right now, but things will get better."

"They have to," Bill agreed.

"This is my cousin, Nick, by the way," Michael said,
introducing them.

"Nice to meet you. What can I get you boys?"

"Whiskey," they both answered.

"Coming right up."

Rosalie L'Amour, as she called herself, owned and ran
the Sundown saloon. A buxom, boisterous woman whose
bright red hair was her trademark, she went to greet the
newcomers.

"Evening, fellas," she said in her throaty voice. "How
are you tonight?"

Michael and Nick turned to her.

"Rosalie, you remember Michael, don't you? Michael
Donovan," Bill said. "And this is his cousin, Nick."

"Why, Michael been gone a long time. Welcome home."

"Thank you."

"I wish you were here under better circumstances.
How's your pa?"

He quickly told her, then added, "I wanted to spread
the word here at the Sundown that my family has decided
to offer a reward to help us catch the ones who did this."

"Good idea. Let's see if we can get everybody's attention." She turned to look out at the crowd. "Listen up!"

The piano player immediately stopped playing. Slowly the noise level dropped until Rosalie was able to make
herself heard.

"Michael Donovan's here and he's got something he
wants to tell you," she announced. "Go ahead, Michael."

He faced the crowd. "I'm sure by now you've all heard
what happened to my father. I'm here to let you know
we're offering a reward for information that helps us catch
whoever shot and robbed him."

"How much?" someone shouted out from the back of
the room.

"A hundred and fifty dollars."

A murmur of surprise at the size of the reward went
through the room.

"We're serious about this serious. If you know
anything, anything at all, get in touch with us out at the
Circle D or let Sheriff Montgomery know. Any help you
can give us, we'd appreciate."

"Can I turn in old Murphy here and get the reward?"
one drunk called out.

"It's got to be the guilty one." Rosalie laughed at the
man.

"Thanks, Rosalie," Michael said, turning back to the bar
to take a drink of whiskey.

"If I hear any talk, I'll let you know," she promised.

"You might want to watch for a gold money clip that
has the Circle D brand on it. It was taken with the money
when Pa was robbed."

"I'll keep an eye out."

John McQueen had been playing cards at a table in the back of the room. When the hand was over, he got up to
speak to Michael.

"It's been a long time," John said, shaking Michael's
hand.

"That it has." Michael introduced the rancher to Nick.

"So the sheriff hasn't found anything yet?"

"Nothing. It's frustrating for us."

"Let me know if I can help out in any way."

"Thanks. I will."

Michael and Nick finished their drinks and left the Sundown to go to another saloon in town.

John went back to his card game, satisfied with what
he'd learned.

Sid Midland was sitting across the table from him. "I
take it they're not having any luck finding out who shot
Frank Donovan."

"That's right," McQueen answered. "They're desperate."

"Pity," Sid said, trying not to smile.

Philadelphia

Karen Whittington put aside all feelings of shame as her
carriage pulled up before the Padens' town house. It had
been weeks, and she had had no word from Michael. She
was as angry as she was worried about what might have
happened to him on his trip to Texas. Desperate to know
how he was and when he was planning to return, she'd
made up her mind to go straight to Nick's father for answers.

When the carriage stopped, the driver helped her
down, and Karen hurried up the steps to knock on the
front door.

"Miss can I help you?" the maid asked,
surprised to see the beautiful young woman standing
there. She knew Michael had courted the lovely, arrogant blonde when he'd been in residence with them, but he
and Nick had been in Texas for some time now.

"I need to speak with Mr. Paden," Karen replied in her
most haughty tone.

"Come in. I'll let him know you're here," the maid said,
holding the door wide to admit her.

Karen swept inside.

The maid directed her to have a seat in the parlor, then
went to get James Paden. He appeared in the parlor doorway moments later.

"Karen, to what do I owe this honor?" James was a bit
taken aback that the young woman would come so
boldly to his home unchaperoned.

"1 need your help."

"Of course, my dear. What can I do for you?" he said,
taking a seat across from her.

"Have you heard anything from Nick or Michael? I've
been so worried about them."

James knew exactly whom she was worried about, and
it wasn't Nick. He smiled gently at her as he answered, "I
did receive a telegram from Nick when they reached Hard
Luck, letting me know they had arrived and would be
heading out to Michael's ranch."

"So they got there safely." She was relieved to know
that much, at least.

"Yes. It sounded as though things were as good as they
could be, considering the circumstances."

"Did Nick give you any idea when they'd be coming
back?"

"I'm afraid not. This is a most difficult time for Michael's family, so I'm sure they will be there for a while, helping
out in any way they can."

Karen managed a sympathetic smile, but her frustration
ran deep. It had been hard enough for her to accept that
Michael had been leaving for Europe without her, but this
sudden emergency at his family's ranch truly troubled
her. What if he never came back? She was still upset that
he had left town without even bothering to tell her goodbye in person. The short message he'd sent had been
delivered to her by one of the Padens' servants. He'd written only that his father had been injured and he was
needed at home and would be in touch with her later.

Karen had thought she meant something to Michael,
but all this time had passed and she hadn't heard a word.
Learning now that Mr. Paden knew more than she did,
she felt a bit insulted.

"Is there any way to contact Michael?"

"The ranch is the Circle D, and it's outside of Hard
Luck, Texas. You could write him a letter or send a wire
to him there."

"Well, thank you for your time." Karen kept her tone
cordial though she was seething inside.

She stood up, and James showed her out of the house.

Karen's driver was waiting, and he helped her back into
the carriage. As they drove away, Karen was already planning what she would do next. She made up her mind that
if she didn't hear personally from Michael in the next
week, she was going to take matters into her own hands.

She was going to go to Texas.