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Chapter One
“I want you to lookie here, sugar.” Markie, flamboyant and proud, waved his arm in front of the crosstie area. “I’m tickled all over my peach fuzz.” He pointed at Allister McCall. “Not there, sugar.” He stroked his chin as if to indicate a little hair on his jaw and quickly added, “Have you ever seen a cleaner barn?” He rested one hand in the curve of his waist, gave his body a shove and snapped his finger. “I think not.”
“Markie, I don’t have time for this.” Allister focused on the far end of the barn as soon as he spotted his brother. “Harley! Have you seen Bradley?”
“Not since early this morning.” Harley walked toward him. “What’s up?”
“I need to find him. Now.” Allister glanced at Markie. “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”
“I could go entertain that sweet lady friend of yours and ask her to go shopping. Would that suit ‘cha?”
Allister snarled. The last time Markie took Ellie shopping, it cost each of Ellie’s men about a thousand a piece.
“Ah for the love of cow shit on your boots, just spit it out.” Markie tousled his snow-white hair. “It’s not like I’ll rush off and find Bradley first.” He waited. “Then again, if it’s this important, maybe I will.”
“Have you seen Bradley or not?”
“He was through here about seven or eight this mornin’.” Markie grinned. “Let me guess. Bradley outsmarted the wolf and ran off with the little fox?”
“It’s about his sister.” The sooner Allister put that out there, the sooner Markie would straighten up his act.
“His sister?” Harley frowned. “What about her?”
“She’s in a heap of trouble,” Allister replied.
Harley brushed sawdust off his jeans. “Man, last I heard, that’s the only kind she liked.”
Markie clucked. “What he said.”
“What kind exactly?” Allister asked.
Harley shrugged. “Anyone that’s not tied down, she takes ‘em for a ride. I’m surprised Bradley hasn’t told yo
u about her. She’s a little con artist.”
Allister and Bradley were like brothers. They talked about pretty much everything—except Heather.
“On rare occasions he’ll bring her up, but he never says too much.” Allister paused. “No idea where I can find him?”
“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” Harley filled a grain bucket and set it on the ground. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Probably. Don’t run off. We may be loading up and heading out.” He nodded at the end of the barn. “Hang tight. Here he is.”
Dust flew everywhere as Bradley and Draegan reined in their mounts and entered the barn. They each slid away from their saddles in record time.
