[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
what, it seems more like it s aimed at them rather than by them.
How do you figure?
Hank peeled off his gloves and grabbed up two water bottles. He handed one to Quint and took a long
sip before he continued. All the fires were in the proximity of where they were at, but small enough to get
help there before it got outta hand. If I had to guess, I d say someone was trying to make it look like one of
the Harwoods were up to it.
Why?
To run them out of town? Scare them? Hank shrugged. Could be any reason. Folks around here
don t always take to having new people.
Or one person in particular. But Quint couldn t wrap his brain around Ruby setting the fires. Shoot,
one of them was at her motel. If it had gotten out of hand she d have lost her entire business. He rolled the
water bottle across his forehead. That fire, though it was a fast burn, probably would ve burned out before
it could reach the backside of the motel.
I need to go into town at lunch.
Why don t we break now? Then maybe you ll have your head screwed on right.
136 www.samhainpublishing.com
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy
Maybe.
Quint juggled the sack of meatloaf sandwiches and the sodas as he pushed through the door of the
Paintbrush Motel.
Hey, Quint. What are you doing here? Ruby scooted back from her computer and stood.
Quint held up the paper bag. Lunch. He didn t really have a plan how to proceed. In his gut though,
he suspected Ruby may be the key to the fires. They hadn t started until Gillian and Heidi s arrival. The
only person he could think of who was put out by the pair of Harwoods was Ruby.
Wow. I wasn t expecting to see you today. She fussed with her hair as a smile spread wide across
her face.
He cursed himself for being three kinds of ass leading her on this way. But if Gillian s comments at
the picnic were any inkling, he d been doing it unknowingly for years. I brought a couple of Clara s house
specials.
Ruby shifted some papers from her desk and motioned for Quint to sit. How have you been? It seems
like forever since I ve seen you. She took the sacks from him, opened them and set the contents onto the
desk.
It s only been two days.
Has it? she asked around a bite of sandwich. Been keeping yourself busy? It was almost
accusatory. Had he been back in his oblivious world of a few days ago, it would have passed without the
slightest register, but now, now that this strange unshakable notion that Ruby was neck deep into trouble&
Quint nodded. I ve been putting out fires. Figuratively, and unfortunately, quite literally.
He watched her as she shifted in her seat. It wasn t so much what she did that made his suspicion
grow, but what she didn t do like ask questions. Paintbrush was a small town and gossip was standard
currency. Anyone who could get a little extra knowledge was golden until the next big thing came along.
The fact that she didn t pump him for information& Damn, he d hoped he d been wrong at the turn of his
thoughts.
No one got hurt this time, but it seems something funky is going on. Sheriff Reese is going to send
out the findings to the Sheridan fire marshal and get his take on things.
Ruby blanched slightly but still didn t give anything else away. Strange.
Without coming right out and asking her if she d done it and he still had enough doubt to keep his
thoughts to himself for now he hoped the news that it was going to be reviewed would harness whatever
motives pushed her to do it and compel her to admit it or at least stop.
www.samhainpublishing.com 137
Denise Belinda McDonald
They ate in silence for a while. He d like to say it was like old times, comfortable and relaxing, but he
was so tense that the slightest movements came across as jerky and clumsy. He knocked over his soda
bottle three times and shot ketchup onto his jeans.
So, have you started thinking about the Founders Day dance next month? Ruby balled up her
napkin and tossed it into the empty sack.
Little else. He was hesitant to ask Gillian to something so far away. Afraid she would say no because
she was leaving. Afraid she d say yes and still end up leaving. The first weekend every August, the entire
population met out at the old Harper ranch twenty miles east of town. The property had fallen by the
wayside many, many years before, but folks would go to the first settlement in Paintbrush to pay homage to
the town s first family. One summer in the mid-eighties, a barn had been erected to hold a dance and later
that fall an auction for the local charities or whatever was needed. Is that next month?
Ruby nodded. I hear that Cade Holstrom may stay on until then. Something about his agent using it
as a promotional opportunity or some hokey crap like that.
Hmm. Quint shoved the last bunch of fries into his mouth. He mumbled something incoherent and
liked to have choked in the process.
Ruby jumped up and pounded his on the back. Can t take you anywhere, Walters.
When the worst of the coughs subsided he held up his hand in surrender. Stop, now.
Sorry. The woman blushed. She sat back down. If you think you might go to the dance, maybe we
could ride up there together.
Sure, we ll see.
Gillian paced the length of the living room. For more than a year, running took up her every waking
thought. Wherever she and her daughter landed, she was halfway out the door before the dust ever settled.
Ready to go when she felt threatened or scared.
Rick was not above ignoring a restraining order. And as he d already proven once that he was less
than worried what his actions brought down on him, his interest in Heidi was too worrisome to wait around
and see what he might do next. She didn t think he d hurt her daughter why would he, he had no reason
to. Heidi had never spoken a word to prosecutors and the papers were quick to point this out each and every
time the story came to light again but she d never thought he d kill her sister either.
If she knew that he was in Mobile, she could relax.
Think. Think. Think.
Gillian paced again and again. I could call Brenda and see what she may have heard. Her friend
Brenda had been a rock for her and she d definitely missed her, but she had not once wanted to risk any
information getting to Rick.
138 www.samhainpublishing.com
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy
She stopped at the phone, picked up the receiver and set it back down. She did this three times. It s
not worth the risk.
She was all torn up inside about her growing attachment to Quint worse was Heidi s growing
attachment to Ryder. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
what, it seems more like it s aimed at them rather than by them.
How do you figure?
Hank peeled off his gloves and grabbed up two water bottles. He handed one to Quint and took a long
sip before he continued. All the fires were in the proximity of where they were at, but small enough to get
help there before it got outta hand. If I had to guess, I d say someone was trying to make it look like one of
the Harwoods were up to it.
Why?
To run them out of town? Scare them? Hank shrugged. Could be any reason. Folks around here
don t always take to having new people.
Or one person in particular. But Quint couldn t wrap his brain around Ruby setting the fires. Shoot,
one of them was at her motel. If it had gotten out of hand she d have lost her entire business. He rolled the
water bottle across his forehead. That fire, though it was a fast burn, probably would ve burned out before
it could reach the backside of the motel.
I need to go into town at lunch.
Why don t we break now? Then maybe you ll have your head screwed on right.
136 www.samhainpublishing.com
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy
Maybe.
Quint juggled the sack of meatloaf sandwiches and the sodas as he pushed through the door of the
Paintbrush Motel.
Hey, Quint. What are you doing here? Ruby scooted back from her computer and stood.
Quint held up the paper bag. Lunch. He didn t really have a plan how to proceed. In his gut though,
he suspected Ruby may be the key to the fires. They hadn t started until Gillian and Heidi s arrival. The
only person he could think of who was put out by the pair of Harwoods was Ruby.
Wow. I wasn t expecting to see you today. She fussed with her hair as a smile spread wide across
her face.
He cursed himself for being three kinds of ass leading her on this way. But if Gillian s comments at
the picnic were any inkling, he d been doing it unknowingly for years. I brought a couple of Clara s house
specials.
Ruby shifted some papers from her desk and motioned for Quint to sit. How have you been? It seems
like forever since I ve seen you. She took the sacks from him, opened them and set the contents onto the
desk.
It s only been two days.
Has it? she asked around a bite of sandwich. Been keeping yourself busy? It was almost
accusatory. Had he been back in his oblivious world of a few days ago, it would have passed without the
slightest register, but now, now that this strange unshakable notion that Ruby was neck deep into trouble&
Quint nodded. I ve been putting out fires. Figuratively, and unfortunately, quite literally.
He watched her as she shifted in her seat. It wasn t so much what she did that made his suspicion
grow, but what she didn t do like ask questions. Paintbrush was a small town and gossip was standard
currency. Anyone who could get a little extra knowledge was golden until the next big thing came along.
The fact that she didn t pump him for information& Damn, he d hoped he d been wrong at the turn of his
thoughts.
No one got hurt this time, but it seems something funky is going on. Sheriff Reese is going to send
out the findings to the Sheridan fire marshal and get his take on things.
Ruby blanched slightly but still didn t give anything else away. Strange.
Without coming right out and asking her if she d done it and he still had enough doubt to keep his
thoughts to himself for now he hoped the news that it was going to be reviewed would harness whatever
motives pushed her to do it and compel her to admit it or at least stop.
www.samhainpublishing.com 137
Denise Belinda McDonald
They ate in silence for a while. He d like to say it was like old times, comfortable and relaxing, but he
was so tense that the slightest movements came across as jerky and clumsy. He knocked over his soda
bottle three times and shot ketchup onto his jeans.
So, have you started thinking about the Founders Day dance next month? Ruby balled up her
napkin and tossed it into the empty sack.
Little else. He was hesitant to ask Gillian to something so far away. Afraid she would say no because
she was leaving. Afraid she d say yes and still end up leaving. The first weekend every August, the entire
population met out at the old Harper ranch twenty miles east of town. The property had fallen by the
wayside many, many years before, but folks would go to the first settlement in Paintbrush to pay homage to
the town s first family. One summer in the mid-eighties, a barn had been erected to hold a dance and later
that fall an auction for the local charities or whatever was needed. Is that next month?
Ruby nodded. I hear that Cade Holstrom may stay on until then. Something about his agent using it
as a promotional opportunity or some hokey crap like that.
Hmm. Quint shoved the last bunch of fries into his mouth. He mumbled something incoherent and
liked to have choked in the process.
Ruby jumped up and pounded his on the back. Can t take you anywhere, Walters.
When the worst of the coughs subsided he held up his hand in surrender. Stop, now.
Sorry. The woman blushed. She sat back down. If you think you might go to the dance, maybe we
could ride up there together.
Sure, we ll see.
Gillian paced the length of the living room. For more than a year, running took up her every waking
thought. Wherever she and her daughter landed, she was halfway out the door before the dust ever settled.
Ready to go when she felt threatened or scared.
Rick was not above ignoring a restraining order. And as he d already proven once that he was less
than worried what his actions brought down on him, his interest in Heidi was too worrisome to wait around
and see what he might do next. She didn t think he d hurt her daughter why would he, he had no reason
to. Heidi had never spoken a word to prosecutors and the papers were quick to point this out each and every
time the story came to light again but she d never thought he d kill her sister either.
If she knew that he was in Mobile, she could relax.
Think. Think. Think.
Gillian paced again and again. I could call Brenda and see what she may have heard. Her friend
Brenda had been a rock for her and she d definitely missed her, but she had not once wanted to risk any
information getting to Rick.
138 www.samhainpublishing.com
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy
She stopped at the phone, picked up the receiver and set it back down. She did this three times. It s
not worth the risk.
She was all torn up inside about her growing attachment to Quint worse was Heidi s growing
attachment to Ryder. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]