Brazen (5 page)

Michael chuckled. "That makes two of us. Right now,
everybody's wondering who the two Eastern dudes are."

"You don't recognize anybody?"

"No, not yet, but--"

"Michael? Is that you?"

Michael heard a man call out from behind them. He
stopped and turned to see the tall, dignified, gray-haired
pastor of their church, Reverend Harris, hurrying their
way.

"Hello, Reverend," he greeted him.

They shook hands. Michael quickly introduced the pastor to Nick, and they exchanged greetings.

"It's good you're home." The minister looked back at
Michael. His mood turned serious now that the pleasantries were over. "I know your mother will be relieved. She needs you here with her now than ever. I was just
out at the Circle D, looking in on your parents yesterday
afternoon."

"How is my father?"

Reverend Harris shook his head sadly. "It's painful to
see him this way. He was such a vibrant man."

"How did it happen?" Michael asked. He had assumed
his father's injuries had been sustained in an accident.

The reverend looked shocked that Michael was unaware of the shooting. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Michael knew instantly that something
was wrong, very wrong.

Reverend Harris realized there was no way to avoid
telling Michael what had happened, so he told him everything he knew.

"My father was ambushed and robbed?" Michael repeated, stunned.

"Yes."

"Who did it?"

"No one knows. Sheriff Montgomery has been investigating, but he hasn't made an arrest yet."

"Who's this Montgomery? What happened to Sheriff
Johnson?" When Michael had left Hard Luck, Sheriff Johnson had been the law in town for as long as he could
remember.

"He moved on. Sheriff Montgomery has been on the
job for about two years now."

"I think I'd better pay the sheriff a visit before I go
home."

"If you need anything, anything at all, just send word."

"I will. Thanks, Reverend."

Michael looked at Nick after the minister left them.

"The stabled down at the end of the street," he directed,
his mood even darker now. "Why don't you see about
renting a buckboard for us while I talk to the sheriff? I'll
meet you there."

"All right," Nick agreed.

Michael started to hurry off.

"Michael"

He glanced back at his cousin.

"Why would anyone shoot Uncle Frank?" Nick realized
his first impression of Hard Luck had probably been accurate. This place wasn't civilized.

"That's what I intend to find out." He looked grim and
determined as he walked away.

Nick went on to the stable. The faster they got their
trunks loaded up, the faster they could ride out to the
ranch.

Michael strode straight into the sheriffs office. He walked
in to find a dark-haired, mustachioed man sitting at the
desk, the sheriffs badge pinned to his vest.

"Sheriff Montgomery?"

The lawman glanced up questioningly at the welldressed stranger. "I'm Montgomery. What can I do for
you?"

"I'm Michael Donovan. I just got into town on the
stage."

The sheriff stood up to shake hands with him. "It's good
to meet you. Your mother told me she'd sent for you."

The power of Michael's handshake and the hard look
he saw in the young man's eyes told Sheriff Montgomery
all he needed to know. Michael might be dressed like a
gent, but he was Frank Donovan's son.

"I came as quickly as I could. What happened to my
father? What do you know about the shooting?"

"Very little," Sheriff Montgomery told him regretfully.

"You don't have any idea who did it?"

"No. I checked out Jack Turner. I know he and your
father have no love for one another, but old man Turner
has a solid alibi for the time when your father was shot."

"How did it happen?"

"He was ambushed on Circle D land, shot in the back.
He didn't see a thing. I checked the scene of the shooting,
but I couldn't find any clues. There's nothing left for me
to go on. Other than your pa's ongoing troubles with
Turner, he didn't have any enemies we know of. He
hadn't had any run-ins with anyone lately, and I haven't
had any other reports of robberies happening this way."

It infuriated Michael to think someone could come this
close to murdering his father and get away with it. "We've
got to find the man who did this."

"Yes. We do," the lawman agreed. He was frustrated by
his lack of progress in the case. "I'll let you know if I learn
anything new or hear anything around town."

"I'd appreciate it."

"And you let me know if you come up with anything
that will help me make an arrest."

"I will."

Michael turned and walked out of the office. His mood was solemn as he made his way to the stable to meet
Nick.

There was a youth harnessing a horse out in front of the
stable when Nick walked up, and he assumed the boy
worked there.

"Boy," Nick called out. "Could you tell me who I need
to speak to, to rent a buckboard?"

Nick was puzzled when the youth ignored his request.
He walked up to him to get his attention.

"Excuse me. I was told I could-" Nick stopped in midsentence as the "boy" turned to face him and he realized
his mistake. "You're a..."

"What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a girl wearing pants before?" Casey asked, grinning as she took off
her hat, freeing the tumble of dark curls she'd stuffed up
under it while she worked.

"Actually, no, I haven't," Nick answered, returning her
smile. He realized she was quite an attractive female with
her dark hair and flashing green eyes. True, her state of
dress shirt, pants and boots shocked him for
a moment, but he already was coming to appreciate the
style as he let his gaze sweep over her.

"Well, come to think of it, I've never seen a man wearing a suit quite like yours before, either, so I guess we're
even." She eyed him up and down just as openly as he'd
observed her and had to admit he was handsome in a
slick sort of way.

Nick's smile broadened at her quick wit. He liked her
immediately. If all the girls in Hard Luck were like this one, he knew he was in for some interesting times. "I like
the way you're dressed, and I'm sorry I mistook you for a
boy. I do apologize."

"It's not the first time it's happened to me, and I appreciate your apology. My name's Casey Turner, by the way."

"And I'm Nick Paden."

"You're obviously real new in town."

"Yes, I just arrived on the stage. That's why I came here
to the stable. I need to rent a buckboard."

"I can't help you with that. You need to talk to Fitz."
Casey directed. "He's the owner. You'll find him inside."

"Thanks." He started on.

"Any time. And Paden---"

Nick turned and met her gaze.

"Welcome to Hard Luck," Casey said as she put her hat
back on and climbed up into the buckboard. She took
up the reins and drove off, giving him a nod and a smile
as she went.

Nick watched Casey go, impressed by the expert way
she handled the team of horses. He smiled to himself. He
had known coming to Texas would be an adventure, and
it had started already.

Nick made up his mind to ask Michael how many females in Hard Luck wore pants. This custom was certainly
a far cry from what he was used to at home, and he
thought he might just come to like it.

He went to seek out Fitz in the stable.

Casey drove to Lawson's General Store and tied up out
front. She went inside to pick up the supplies she needed and was delighted to find her best friend, Anne, working
behind the counter.

"I was hoping I'd get to see you today," Casey told her.

Anne's father, Gus Lawson, owned the store, and she
often helped out there, as did her mother.

"I'm glad to see you, too," Anne said, coming out from
behind the counter to give her a hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too."

"What have you been doing?"

"Working. There isn't much time for anything else these
days."

"Is it true the talk we heard of the sheriff questioning
your pa about the Donovan shooting?"

"Yes," Casey answered, her eyes flashing with anger at
the memory of the lawman's unfounded accusation. "He
came right out and asked Pa where he'd been at the time
of the shooting. It's a good thing Pa was working with the
hands that day or there's no telling what might have happened."

"Yes, it is," Anne agreed. "Did he come to town with
you?"

"No, I came in by myself to pick up supplies. I had to
stop at the stable, though, and while I was there, I met a
very interesting gentleman."

"A gentleman? In Hard Luck?" Anne was surprised and
curious. "Who was he?"

"His name was Nick Paden, and he was fresh off the
stage from back East. You should have seen him. He was
all dressed up and real handsome, too an Eastern
dandy."

"I wonder who he came to see."

"He didn't say. He was more interested in the fact that
I was wearing pants."

Anne smiled wryly at her. "He may be a gentleman on
the outside, but he doesn't sound much different from
any of the other men around here. I see how they all
watch you whenever you're in town, and I've heard their
talk."

"Well, I'm glad I give them something to talk about,"
Casey said jokingly as she took out her list.

"You're impossible," her friend teased.

"Pa tells me that all the time."

They laughed easily together and started to pick out
the supplies she needed.

"Michael! You're back!" Fitz came out of the stable to
greet him.

"Hello, Fitz." Michael shook hands with the heavyset
stable owner.

"I'm sorry about your pa," Fitz sympathized. "Tell him
I'm thinking of him."

"I will."

"You back home to stay?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"Well, it's good to see you. You need anything else, just
let me know."

"I will. We'll get the buckboard back to
probably tomorrow," Michael told him as they climbed up to the
driver's bench. He took up the reins.

"That'll be fine. I know I can trust you."

They left the stable, stopping only at the telegraph office to wire Nick's father that they had arrived safely and
then at the stage depot to load their trunks. That done,
Michael was more than ready to head home.

so it was you," John McQueen said as he came
inside Lawson's store. "I thought I saw you."

"Why, John Casey responded as she looked
up from where she was standing talking with Anne to see
the handsome rancher walking their way.

John greeted Anne. He found the blond, shapely Anne
attractive, but Casey was the one he was really interested
in. "This is a pleasant surprise, Casey. Whatever brought
you in to Hard Luck today was good luck for me."

Casey laughed at him. "You are such a charmer, John
McQueen."

"I try," he returned.

Anne couldn't believe Casey's luck. John was the most
eligible bachelor in these parts and quite good-looking.
He never flirted with her that way. She moved off to wait
on another customer, giving them some time alone.

John was glad for the moment of privacy with Casey.
He gave her his undivided attention and smiled down at
her with his most ingratiating smile. "1 wanted to tell you
what a nice time I had with you at the box dinner."

"I had a good time, too, John. It isn't often I get to
socialize that way."

"I'd like to see more of you," John told her. He kept his
tone cordial, but his thoughts were on how much of her
he really wanted to see. He loved that she wore those
pants, but imagining her without them excited him even
more.

"That would be nice."

"I'll try to come by the Bar T for a visit."

"I'm sure Pa would be glad to see you."

"What about you?"

"It's always good to see you, John," she assured him,
completely unaware of the direction of his thoughts. She
considered him only a neighbor.

When Anne returned to join them, John made his excuses and left.

Anne was smiling in delight over what had transpired.
"My, my, my! Is John McQueen really courting you? How
often have you been seeing him?"

"Anne-" Casey was embarrassed. "John's not courting
me."

"You want to bet?"

"We just happened to eat together at the social at
church, and he was telling me he had a nice time. That's
all."

"He came in here just to talk with you, Casey Turner," Anne pointed out. "There are a lot of girls in Hard Luck
who would give anything to have John seek them out that
way."

"Then those other girls must live very pitiful, boring
lives," Casey said, dismissing her friend's insinuation.

"Don't you like John?"

"John's nice enough."

"Only `nice enough'?" her friend challenged. "In case
you hadn't noticed, John McQueen is handsome."