Read Dorothy Garlock for Free Online Page A

ours unless you make it our business.”
    The boy’s face froze. “How ya be knowin’ that? Tessie tell ya?”
    “Yo’re about the dumbest shit-head I’ve come across in a long time. That woman didn’t utter a word, but you’ll believe what you want to. I’ll tell you this—you tend to yore business, we’ll tend to ours.” Boone could see that he had taken some of the wind out of the boy’s sails.
    “Bud and Marvin ain’t goin’ to take it kindly that ya was spyin’ on us and chasin’ Tessie. I saw her runnin’ from ya.”
    “She was runnin’ ’cause I scared her. I don’t give a horse turd what you think.” Boone rode around the boy, wondering if he would put a bullet in his back. He turned in the saddle to look back at him and saw him going on down the path, then turning up toward the hills. “Stupid son-of-a-bitch,” he muttered. “How did a woman like that get tangled up with a shit-for-brains ignoramus like him?”
    Annabel was out of the house and into the yard the minute Boone rode in leading the cow. She was delighted with the animal and petted and cooed to her. She pulled fresh green grass and fed her.
    “You are beautiful, just beautiful.” Annabel patted the sides of the cow’s face. “Look at her eyes, Boone. She knows she’s found a good home.”
    “Confound it! She ort to. I paid out seven good dollars for her. She’s lucky she ain’t hangin’ head down in the butcher shop.”
    Annabel wrinkled her nose at him, then spoke to the cow.
    “And you’re worth every penny, aren’t you, Mildred?”
    “Mildred? How’d you come up with that?” Boone rocked back on his heels and tried not to grin.
    “She reminds me of a girl in school named Mildred. She had big brown eyes and big—” She glanced down at the cow’s full udder. “Well, never mind. Are you going to milk Mildred?”
    “Hell, no. Spinner will do it. Where’s he at?”
    “In the house with Jack.”
    “How is he?”
    “Asleep. When he wakes up, I’ll give him a dish of oatmeal with brown sugar on it and good fresh milk. Spinner doesn’t think much of oatmeal. He said Jack needs meat to build his strength. It was good of you to get the cow, but I wish I’d remembered to tell you to go to the butcher shop while you were in town.”
    “I ain’t goin’ back to town no matter how much ya butter me up.”
    “I’m not buttering you up, for heaven’s sake!”
    “Yeah, ya are, and ya know it. It’s my turn to go up to the … to go someplace. Ya can try and sweet-talk Spinner, but he can’t leave here unless he takes ya with him.”
    “I know that. I can’t go and leave Jack. So, how are we going to get fresh meat?”
    “I’ll kill a chicken.”
    “Boone! You wouldn’t! You’re teasing, aren’t you?”
    “Ya goin’ to let them hens die of old age?”
    “They’re so sweet and trusting. I couldn’t possibly cook one, much less eat it. Couldn’t you take the truck and go to town before you go to spend the night guarding Papa’s stash of illegal booze?”
    Boone frowned. “Don’t be sayin’ anythin’ like that in front of the kid.”
    “I won’t. I know better than that. I’ve learned something during the years you and Papa have been … outlaws.” Her grin told him that she was teasing.
    “How long have you known about it?”
    “Almost from the first. Mama didn’t know.”
    “I’m glad a that.”
    “Well? Will you go to the butcher shop?”
    “Now, lass—”
    “It won’t take long in the truck. Please, Boone. I could go with you. Spinner can stay with Jack.”
    “Oh, all right, but ya ain’t goin’. I ain’t waitin’ around while ya go get yoreself all duded up to go to town, then waitin’ while ya go lollygaggin’ in and out of the stores. Whata ya want from the butcher?”
    Annabel stretched up and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re sweet and … almost as pretty as Mildred.”
    “Yo’re a headstrong, schemin’ little twit,” he grumbled and, trying hard to keep