Read Much Ado About Marshals (Hearts of Owyhee) (2011) for Free Online

hoaxes.”
    “But it couldn’t hurt.”
    “It might help.” Daisy stuffed a bottle in her apron pocket.
    “How are you planning to pay for it? Aren’t you going to tell your Dad?”
    Daisy shook her head. “He won’t mind. I’ll just record it in the account book.” Where, she didn’t know—maybe on Mrs. Courtney’s account, but she wasn’t about to let her father in on her plans to marry the marshal until she had him bagged good and proper.
     
    Cole threw off the blanket. “I don’t give a good goddamn what Doc says, I’m not staying in bed one more minute.” At least he’d been moved to the marshal’s office where he didn’t have to put up with the doctor mooning over Miss Daisy.
    Bosco grabbed Cole’s britches. “I’m gonna throw your clothes right out into the daggone street if you take ‘nother step from that there bed. You got at least nine or ten days before you’re s’posed to be standing up.”
    “Hell, Jesus only took three days to rise from the dead.” Cole motioned for Bosco to toss the pants to him. “And if you throw my clothes in the street, why, I expect I’ll have to go get them, butt naked. And don’t think I won’t—maybe in front of your Widow Courtney. The whole damned town is buzzing over her romancing you. Why, from what I hear, wedding bells are bound to ring pretty soon.”
    Grimacing, Bosco slowly handed the clothes to Cole. “Don’t go funning me about her. She ain’t so bad, and she makes one helluva raisin pie. I bet your Daisy can’t hold a candle to her cooking.”
    “My Daisy?” Cole snorted. Much as he wanted to, he knew he’d never get his hands around that sweet waist of hers, let alone steal a kiss. Even if he had the chance, he wouldn’t do it. Women like her were the most dangerous kind. The marrying kind. “You know as well as I do that I have more important things on my mind than women. Like those Rankin brothers. Have you been trailing them like I told you to?”
    “Yup.” Bosco stood tall and puffed his chest some. “They sure do like their liquor, ‘specially Porker. Gib, you can find him at the faro table just about anytime.” He put his hat on and sat astraddle a chair by Cole’s bed, and rested his arms on the back. “Yup, they spend most of their time at the Branded Horse saloon. I can find ‘em anytime you want ‘em.”
    “Have you figured out what the hell they’re doing in Oreana?”
    “Nope. They got here before we did.” He took off his hat and scratched his head. “I did see that they glommed on to a new feller in town. Big ol’ strapping feller, too—purt neart big as you. Seen him somewheres before—maybe at Big Boned Bess’s down in Winnemucca.”
    Cole slowly stood and mulled over what Bosco had told him while he dressed. His leg still hurt like hell, but he managed to get his pants up and fastened. None too soon, either, because he saw Daisy scurrying toward the marshal’s office carrying something. He hoped she’d brought him dinner. He hadn’t had breakfast, and a man needed food to regain his strength.
    “I hear tell that feller’s looking for Miss Daisy Gardner. Said she’s the one what hired him.”
    “Hired him?” The muscles in Cole’s neck tensed. The last thing he needed was someone who could identify him as an imposter.
    Bosco shrugged. “Dunno. That’s just what he said. I told him he sure wouldn’t find no respectable lady like her at the dang faro table.”
    “You talked to him?”
    “Yup, but don’t worry. They ain’t see’d me before, so I told him that I was deputy ‘till the new marshal come to town.”
    Cole nodded, wondering how things could get much worse. He drew back the curtain to see Daisy crossing the street. “Miss Daisy’s coming—I’m not about to explain myself to her, too.” He hurried back to the bed, not wanting another confrontation about the state of his health, and threw the covers over himself. “Besides, I kind of like her bringing my