Rodeo Blues (27 page)

Enjoy a snippet…

JoBeth leaned against the wall of the jail,
stretching out her weary limbs on the cot. For the first time in
ages, she didn't fear for her life. Jace Kelly may be a sheriff,
but he proved a man of honor. She couldn't remember the last time
anyone addressed her as a lady. She snorted with amusement.
Do I
call you Miss Maverick or is it Misses?
God, the man was too
polite for his own good. Nice on the eyes, too, with his sandy
colored strands draped over his ears from lack of a trim. Blue-gray
eyes looked at her with curiosity and not disdain. He stood perhaps
six feet or close to it with a build that told her he didn't sit
behind his desk all day. She wondered if the good sheriff had a
wife tucked away at home. Seemed like all the polite men did. They
were snatched off the market the moment they were available.

"Papa, Papa." A little cherub, in the lovely
form of a child came traipsing through the door. Her blonde
braided-ponytails bobbed behind her like a flag. She flew into
Sheriff Jace Kelly's outstretched arms.

"Hello darlin'." His large arms encircled the
little girl with affection. "Where's Mrs. Gunthry?"

"Oh, you know how her old bones don't move so
fast. She's right behind me, only not so close 'cause I ran." Her
lips curved into a bright toothless grin.

So the good sheriff was married after all. A
stab of disappointment wormed its way into her heart before she
managed to shut down the foolish notion of wishing the sheriff had
no wife to warm his bed. So what if he was married? Had a little
girl, too. She was cute as a button with rosy cheeks and big blue
eyes, a brighter blue than her father's. As if the little girl
sensed someone staring at her, she turned. Her gaze landed on
JoBeth with curiosity before those baby blues widened in
surprise.

She tilted her head to the side then squealed
in delight, clapping her hands together as if someone presented her
with a wondrous gift. "She's here. She's really here."

JoBeth's brows drew together. She turned to
look beside her, half expecting someone to be standing next to the
cot. Her gaze fastened onto the little girl once more with a
frown.

"Now, Emma, don't be making this out to be
something it's not," her father gently told her.

Emma's hand went to her mouth, cupping it as
if she were going to whisper, but her voice rang clear as day. "She
has dark hair and green eyes. Didn't you notice?"

JoBeth studied Jace's reaction to his
daughter's bold statement and, by damn, he turned two shades of
red.
Strange, but she couldn't help being a tad bit
intrigued.
She glanced at Emma again. Who did the child think
she was?

"That's quite enough, Emma. We'll talk about
this later."

"But she's my Christmas present." Her hands
flew to her waist and she stomped her foot with indignation.

JoBeth's brows rose on their own accord.
A
Christmas present
? Now this she had to hear. Surely the good
sheriff didn't offer up prisoners as some sort of perverse
entertainment for the child.

"I tell you, Emma Kelly..." An older woman
with gray hair and a round figure strolled into the office with a
purpose. "You're faster than anyone I know," she added. "You can't
be bothering your Papa at work." Waving her hand in front of her
face, she drew in a breath and let it out again. Poor woman
probably had her hands full if she had to contend on a daily basis
with the little cherub, while the sheriff conducted his civic
duties.

"Oh, he don't mind. Do you, Papa?" She looked
up at him with her baby blues.

Good Lord,
JoBeth thought. Even she'd
be hard press not to fall for the
sweet-as-pie
expression
the child gave her father.

"No, I don't mind, darlin'." He patted her
head. His lips curved into a smile, but his eyes said it all. He
loved his little girl.

"See." Emma faced the older woman again. "He
don't mind." Now she leaned close to Mrs. Gunthry as if to tell her
a secret, but obviously no one explained the art of whispering.
"Did you see? She's here."

"Who's here?" Mrs. Gunthry asked, glancing at
the sheriff for the explanation.

"No one," the sheriff insisted, his skin
still sporting a nice crimson color.

The child simply would not take the hint. "My
mama, she's here." Emma turned her gaze on JoBeth and pointed.

JoBeth thought the sheriff would have liked
to hide under his wood carved desk, but the man apparently didn't
hightail it at the first sign of trouble. His gaze wavered over to
her with an apologetic shrug.

JoBeth chuckled, enjoying the sheriff's
discomfort. "Please do tell, Sheriff. Why would such a sweet angel
think I'm her mother?" Her fingers feathered down her dirt-worn
threads. She hadn't heard a good story in a long time and this one
ought to be good.

Mrs. Gunthry appeared uncomfortable with the
conversation or, at the very least, her apprehension stemmed from
the child believing her mother stood behind bars. Either way the
effect proved the same. Mrs. Gunthry reached for the child and drew
her close to her bosom.

JoBeth couldn't help herself. She laughed
even harder until tears stung her eyes and her side ached.
Goodness, it felt good to laugh. It had been a long time. Too long.
If she'd known being behind bars would prove such a hoot, she would
have turned herself in a long time ago. "My, my, do you think I can
slink through the bars here and steal the child away?"

Emma shrugged out of Mrs. Gunthry's arms.
"Can you truly slink through bars?" Her eyes widened with awe.
"'Cause that would be somethin' to see."

For a moment, JoBeth lost her haughty
disposition, wondering if she'd ever been so innocent. Then she
hardened her heart against such compassion. It was better this
child knew now there were monsters in the world. She threw her legs
over the edge of the cot and stood. Her steps took her to the bars
where she outstretched her hand through one of the slots. "Come
here, child, and let's give it a try, shall we?" Her lips curved
into a smile.

Emma only took a step before her father's
hand flew out and snagged the child by the cuff of her jacket,
bringing her back to safety. "You go home with Mrs. Gunthry, Emma.
I'll be along later."

"Oh, Papa..." she whined.

Mrs. Gunthry took hold of the little girl's
hand and ushered her out of the office, ignoring Emma's
complaints.

"But I don't want to go home," Emma said. "I
want to chat with…"

Emma's voice trailed off until she could only
make out a murmuring sound of conversation as Mrs. Gunthry hurried
the child away from the big bad outlaw.
Good riddance,
JoBeth thought. She didn't need a starry-eyed child playing havoc
with her emotions.

Jace turned to JoBeth then, his gaze latching
onto hers with what looked like pity. This threw her off. She
expected a tongue lashing at the very least for her behavior.

"I'm sorry Emma put you on the spot," he told
her.

He was sorry?

"She... well, Emma never knew her mother, "
he went on to explain as if she needed to hear an explanation why
his daughter was a wee bit touched in the head. "It was a difficult
birth and… Emma's mother didn't survive."

His sad smile pulled at her heartstrings, and
she squirmed, feeling uncomfortable with the sensation. Her hands
squeezed the bars, willing herself not to give a lick about Sheriff
Jace Kelly and his woes. She didn't want to hear anymore, but the
man obviously had mistaken her for a preacher and continued to bare
his soul.

"Emma had a dream last night about me finding
a wife, and well..." His voice trailed off and his big shoulders
lifted in a shrug.

Dang it, anyway. Why did he have to look
so sweet?
"If'n you had a wife, she'd have a mother," she
added, understanding perfectly and wishing she didn't.

He nodded. "Yep, she'd have a mother."

She pushed away from the bars and backed away
until her legs felt the edge of the cot. "Guess you should explain
to your daughter that some women aren't cut out to be mothers." She
plopped down on the cot and scooted back until she could lean her
head against the brick wall. She closed her eyes, believing the
conversation was over, but Jace Kelly proved to be a talker.

"Are you one of those women who aren't cut
out to be a mother, JoBeth?" he asked.

Her gaze riveted to his to see if he mocked
her, but, by golly, the man stood there waiting for her to answer
him. "Were you not there when the deputies brought me in? I rob
stagecoaches for a living, Sheriff. Does it sound like I'm mother
material to you?"

He gave her a long, even look before he
answered. "I believe there's more to you than meets the eye. No one
is one way or the other. We're like onions with layers needing to
be peeled back so we can discover the real person."

She snorted in disbelief. "No wonder your
little girl has her head in the clouds." She leaned against the
wall again. "You're all a little touched in the head here." Her
forefinger tapped her temple for emphasis.

He chuckled, not in the least bit offended.
"I think if you get to know us, you'll find we're a pretty likable
bunch." His sure steps took him to his desk. Taking a seat, he
reached for his paperwork.

She had a hunch there were wanted posters on
his desk, and there was probably one for her and Maverick.
Reward. Dead or Alive
... Their posters never contained
photographs. She and Maverick never sat for a photo, but there were
sketches. Not precisely a correct rendition of their likeness, but
in the past that proved a benefit in their favor. Now, the
authorities knew what she looked like. She'd have to change her
appearance once she escaped.

Sheriff Jace Kelly and his family might be
likable, but she wouldn't be here long enough to find out.
Good riddance too.
She didn't need their
fairytale existence clouding her judgment. She knew what awaited
her outside of these bars, and it had nothing to do with living
happily-ever-after.

Other Novels by Karen Michelle Nutt

The Gryphon and His Thief

Some Treasures are Priceless…

A long time ago, a Gryphon shifter's duty was
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failed to keep his human wife safe from harm. Cursed for the crime,
he must guard everything in the
Museum of Cursed Antiquities
forever, never to truly live and never to die. Centuries have
passed, but when he encounters a thief, who uncannily resembles his
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Calli Angelis is hired to steal Hecate's
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rightful owner. She never really trusted the person who hired her
and now Darrien makes her doubt her motives, too. He also has her
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As the two work together to unravel the
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Lost in the Mist of Time

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Dougray must return to Dunhaven and to his century, but Aislinn
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Conspiracies, feuds and unexpected violence
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woman his wife has become. If he didn't know better, he'd swear
he's married to another woman and he's fallen in love with her.

Creighton Manor

Zachary Creighton, a gambler with one goal:
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since he is found with Gillian in his room, reputations are at
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the future. The gamble is trust, but will the stakes prove too high
for Zachery to risk it all and win Gillian's heart?

Soul Taker

A vampire, a werewolf, and a Necromancer are
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dubbed
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Twilight's Eternal Embrace

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Magic of the Loch

Michaela and Alan vow to take what time has to offer, but
another threat loomed. A sinister shape shifter with a vendetta
against Alan is making Loch Ness his personal hunting ground. Now
he's threatening Michaela. Alan must discover who the shifter is
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