Independent Brake (The Dominion Falls Series) (19 page)

While that was interesting enough, Kat had also caught a glimpse of Graham Cooke with a Chinese woman. She’d been so amused by the idea of the large buffoon coupling with the miniscule Linh Moon, she’d made the mistake of joking about it to Hammy. Of course, from there word had spread like wildfire and left the mess in front of her.

Shouted words came from inside the saloon, and the crowd outside leaned in to hear Graham shout at the blond woman that had followed none other than Sheriff David Schaffer and a handsome deputy inside. Kat made her way through the crowd, ignoring the destroyed property outside the entrance.

Just as she reached the door to right the misconception that someone else had said something about Graham’s affair, the blond woman toppled over a turned table, and the sheriff and deputy attacked the beast of a man that was Graham.

David called out, “Jane, are you all right?”

The woman on the floor blinked. Her movements were slow, but she lifted a hand in a small wave. “I’m fine. I just need a minute. Keep doing what you need to.”

“Good,” David grunted. “Bastard is fighting us half asleep. Daisy! We need something to calm him down.”

Daisy, or as Kat had once known her, Dr. Caroline Pearson, brushed past her with hardly a word. Since Cole’s prediction had once again proven right, and Caroline had become Daisy the whore, she hardly spoke to Kat when she returned. Maybe because she was embarrassed, Kat couldn’t be sure.

Kat shrugged off the thoughts and turned her attention back to the woman on the floor. She walked up and grinned down at Jane, even though her eyes were closed. “Sure you’re fine?” Truth was, she’d feel guilty if the woman was hurt, but Kat hoped she really was all right.

Jane cracked open a bright blue eyes, then blinked them both at Kat’s ankles. With a shake of her head, Jane lifted her gaze up to Kat’s. A slow chuckle lit her features into a warm smile. “You must be Katherine.”

Kat nodded and grinned broader. “You got me. You still didn’t answer my question. Are you sure you’re fine?”

“A little sore, but I guess it’s better than being trapped under that beast.”

“Makes you wonder how Linh managed, doesn’t it?” Kat held out her hand to help Jane to her feet. “Come on.”

Jane took her hand and accepted the help to her feet. After she’d stretched out with a groan, she nodded to Kat. “I’m Jane, by the way.”

“Good to meet you. I’m sorry he blamed you. I was the one that blabbed.”

“Even if he knew that, he would have blamed me.” Jane sighed as Graham was dragged past them, unconscious. She rubbed the back of her neck as she scanned the building. “They just had to rebuild a few months ago, thanks to the renegades. Now this.”

“They’ll manage. Always do.” Kat set her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. Guilt over her part in the chaos nagged at her. “But I guess I should help clean up. It’s appropriate penance for causing it.”

“You really blabbed?”

“Yes. I found it amusing and shared it with Hammy.”

“That was your first mistake.”

Kat didn’t bother to contain her laughter. She already liked Jane, the woman had a good sense of humor and understood several of the townies already. “Oh, so true. He’s a bigger gossip than my sister.”

Jane’s cough didn’t quite cover a giggle. She sighed. “I’m sure your sister had plenty to say about me.”

“She sure did. Didn’t seem to like you much in general, but was appreciative of your attempt to help once she was in jail.”

“Feeling’s mutual. We tolerate civility.” A blush burned bright on Jane’s cheeks. “Not that she’s not a good person. She let me stay in the boarding house. She—”

“No need.” Kat held up her hand to stem the rambling. If anyone knew the sort of person Martha was, it was Kat. “She’s judgmental. A bit of a hypocrite, really. She’s my sister, I know. However, that’s how I knew I’d like you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.” After all, anyone her sister could work up the venom to dislike, had to be someone Kat would love. She brushed some dust from her bodice. “Well I’d better get to work. See if I can’t get some of those lousy drunks to help.”

“I’ll help.”

Kat stopped short in surprise. While she’d heard of Jane’s torrid affair with Cole, she also heard they’d parted ways quite certainly, to the point of ignoring each other. “Why?”

Jane didn’t meet her gaze, instead bending to right a chair. “I have a sick need to keep helping Cole.”

“Oh. We’re going to get along just fine, Jane. Just fine.”

*To Be Continued*

(In the Dominion Falls Series)

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About the Author

S
arah Cass’ world is regularly turned upside down by her three special needs kids and loving mate, so she breaks genre barriers; dabbling in horror, straight fiction and urban fantasy.  She loves historicals and romance, and characters who are real and flawed, so she writes to understand what makes her fictional people tick.  And she lives for a happy ending – eventually. And enough twists to make it look like she enjoys her title of Queen of Trauma Drama a little too much.

An ADD tendency leaves her with a variety of interests that include singing, dancing, crafting, cooking, and being a photographer. She fights through the struggles of the day, knowing the battles are her crucible; she may emerge scarred, but always stronger.  The rhythms to her activities drive her words forward, pushing her through the labyrinths of the heart and the nightmares of the mind, driving her to find resolutions to her characters’ problems.

While busy creating worlds and characters as real to her as her own family, she leads an active online life with her blog, Redefining Perfect, which gives a real and sometimes raw glimpse into her life and art.  You can most often find her popping out her 140 characters in Twitter speak, and on Facebook. 

http://authorsarahcass.com

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Other Books by Sarah Cass

The Dominion Falls Series

Changing Tracks

Derailed

Dark Territory

Runaway Train

The Lake Point Series

Santa, Maybe

Deep-Fried Sweethearts

Stalled Independence

Witch Way

Stand Alone Novels

Masked Hearts

Leap