Page 11 of Hard Bounty

She deflated a bit. “My brother is a Lighthorseman, thank you very much.”

“Good Lord! Two siblings and one works for the law and the other turns into an owlhoot who breaks it. Family reunions must be fun at your house,” he replied with a snort.

Again, his words and the opinion behind them hurt her, but she tried hard not to let it show. “Oh, Christmas is a real blast.”

He looked puzzled and she laughed.

“What’s the matter, Deputy? You don’t think us savages celebrate Christmas?” she poked.

He rolled his eyes again, shook his head in exasperation, and said, “No. I didn’t think criminals like yourself did. But I guess I learn something new every day.” He looked at the ground. “Come on. We’re on foot. We best get to walking.”

“We’re going to walk all the way back to Arkansas?”

“Nope,” he said, pointing to what he was looking at on the ground. “We’re going to follow these tracks and walk to wherever the thieves are who took my horses. Then I’m going to get our mounts back. You argue with me, or try to run, and I’ll find the closest stump to sit on, drag you over my knee, and spank you. Remember that.”

As he started walking away, he muttered, “I ought to do it right now just for your sassy tongue.”

She smiled and walked after him. Good, she thought. I’m really under his skin now.

I’ll be free in no time at all.

Chapter Seven

John was in a bad mood.

No cowboy liked being on foot. True, he wore a star now, and hadn’t worked cattle in over two years, but once a cowboy, always a cowboy. And the thought of not being atop his mount just stuck in his craw.

He really wasn’t shocked the horses had been stolen. Down there in the Territory, there were plenty of bad men—and even women—who would take a horse just as quick as they could. It was most likely a crime of opportunity, with someone just happening by on the trail, stumbling upon the unattended animals.

But someone could have been watching in the trees, too, just waiting.

That turnout probably saw lots of folks stop for a rest. It would be the perfect place for some no-account criminal to lie in wait and then make off with a horse that wasn’t his.

Or in this case, two horses.

What really got to John, though, was that Mary had lied to him.

Should he be surprised? he wondered as he trudged along, his boots thumping against the hard ground.

She’d been a fugitive from justice, after all. Was it any big shock that she would lie and run away?

He needed to not take it personally, he reflected. Taking it personally meant he was getting too close. And there was no reason to get close to Mary Rose Dunn. She was just someone he was taking in. A criminal who needed to face justice in court. Nothing more.

He didn’t need to get caught up in her beauty. Or the notion that some loving guidance and a firm hand could reform her. That wasn’t his role. It was best he just forget all about stuff like that.

“How much farther?” she asked.

“How should I know?” he said. “They’re making a lot better time than we are, I’ll tell you that much.”

“Why are you being so mean to me?” she demanded.

“I’m not. But let me remind you that we’re not exactly friends. And we’re in this situation because you lied to me and ran off, forcing me to leave the horses behind.”

“You didn’t have to chase me.”

“Ha!” he chortled. “Actually, I did have to chase you. It’s my job. Remember?”

“Well…” She didn’t say anything else beyond that, and John was thankful for the silence.

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