Read A Promise of Roses for Free Online Page A

frown on that sort of behavior."
    "I agree. Union Pacific has been frowning on your behavior for some time now."
    "Why is that?"
    "Because you're robbing them blind."
    "Stop saying that!” Megan jumped to her feet. She crossed her arms in front of her, tapping a foot in agitation. “I don't know why you persist with this nonsense, but it's making me very uncomfortable."
    "It should. When I get you back to Leavenworth, you'll be arrested. Your friends, too, as soon as they can be rounded up."
    "What friends?"
    "Evan, Frank, Dougie , and Tom."
    "They're your friends, not mine."
    "Drop the act, Megan. The railroad knows all about the information you've been feeding the gang. You tell them when and where, then they show up and take the strongbox. Pretty slick plan, but they figured it out."
    "I'm telling you, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. I admit I have a grudge against the railroad, but I'm not stealing the payrolls. That would be downright stupid of me. Union Pacific has already made it public that I can't protect their cargo; the number of passengers I transport has dwindled to half of what it used to be. Robbing my own stages is not exactly a brilliant plan to keep myself from going under."
    Lucas levered himself up from the ground and stood face-to-face with Megan. “But then, why bother running a legitimate business when you've got thousands of dollars of railroad payroll hidden away? Minus the cut for your accomplices, of course."
    "Hector and Zeke are hardly accomplices."
    "I'm talking about Evan and the boys,” Lucas said through clenched teeth. Damn, but she made his head spin. She was a good little actress. If he didn't know better, he'd almost believe she had no clue of what was going on.
    "I don't know Evan and the boys. I never set eyes on them until they dragged me to that shack in the woods. Need I remind you, Mr. McCain, that you were with them, not I?"
    "I was under orders by Union Pacific."
    "You were under a mask,” she snapped.
    "I'm working for the railroad. Brandt Donovan had a pretty good idea who was robbing the stages. He was also fairly certain you were involved."
    "Brandt Donovan? That first-class joker? He couldn't find his ass in an empty room!"
    "Watch it, Megan. That's my friend you're talking about."
    She threw up her hands. “Why does that not surprise me? You couldn't find your ass if it perked up and started singing ‘ dixie .’”
    "Brandt wrote and told me there was a good chance you were involved in the robberies. After all, you're the only one who knows when the payrolls are shipped, right?"
    "Yes."
    "Then you're the perfect candidate to be leader of the bandits."
    "Leader? I told you, I've never seen those men before in my life. Did it look like I was in charge? Because if so, I'm afraid I missed it—hanging from Frank's arm and all."
    "That was an act. They decide to take you hostage, you put up a fight, and the guy riding shotgun and all the passengers get to tell how the outlaws dragged you away kicking and screaming. It was a good plan, but I don't buy it."
    "Do you actually believe that? I've never heard anything so ridiculous. If anyone should go to jail, it's you. You were riding with them when they robbed the stage. You have the payroll with you right now. If that's not guilt, I don't know what is."
    "Shut up,” he grated.
    "I can't believe you actually intend to take me to jail for being kidnapped. Not only by that gang of thieves, but also by you. I've been abducted twice in the same day, and you have the gall to accuse me of being a criminal."
    "Sit down and shut up."
    Grudgingly, she clamped her mouth closed and dropped to a sitting position in the dirt.
    He lifted the rabbit from the fire and pulled a long knife from inside his boot. He cut off a sizable piece and handed it to her, oblivious to singeing his fingertips. “Eat."
    Megan took the meat and immediately dropped it on the ground. “It's hot,” she said in an accusing tone.
    "Of course