Bounty Hunter Proposal Read Online Free Page A

paused. “Come again?”
    “Isabelle Holt. His mail-order bride. She came in from Boston to find him on his deathbed. She tried to nurse him back to health but wasn’t a week before he was pushing up daisies. Left her with two little ones.”
    Clarice arched a brow. “None of this rings a bell?”
    Matt took a swallow of his drink. “You’ve got the wrong man.”
    She shrugged a shoulder. “Kind of what I figured. You’re never going to settle down. Or if you do, it won’t be in some two-horse town like Colter Canyon. Although I’d sure like it if you stayed on. Then we could fire Sheriff Reid and have us a real lawman in charge.”
    Giving a contemptuous snort, she shot the rest of her whiskey. “The bad elements in this town are more scared of me than that little pencil neck.”
    “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
    “Last year he lost those two Williams brothers. The bank robbers. Now how do you lose a pair of bank robbers? They went on to rob three more banks before they got shot, not by the bank owner, but the bank owner’s mother. I was telling everyone who’d listen that we ought to offer that ol’ girl a job as sheriff of Colter Canyon. Anyone would be better than Reid.”
    “Yeah, I heard about that. Reid says he had some work done so the jail would be a little more secure. It better be. If I have to go after Hughes a second time I’ll shoot him myself, and maybe Sheriff Reid along with him.”
    “Now you’re talking,” Clarice said.
    Matt rubbed his forehead. “I’m tired. It’s been a long few days. All I want is a room at the hotel and a long nap.” Getting to his feet, he reached into his pocket to pay for his drinks. To his surprise Clarice waved him off.
    “On the house,” she said. “I heard you drove a blade into that bastard and cut off a finger. That deserves a drink, in my book. Hell, I’ll even spring for one of my girls to show you a little fun, if you like.”
    Matt shook his head and marveled that she knew about the severed finger. Hughes had pulled a knife on him, which was a bad idea. In seconds Matt had taken the knife away, and when Hughes lunged to get it back he lost his small finger on his left hand. The man had bawled all the way to Colter Canyon.
    “How’d you know about his finger, Clarice?”
    Clarice chuckled. “Matthias Hudson, I’ve been around a long, long time. I find about things so quick, sometimes they haven’t even happened yet.”
    Matthias chuckled. It felt good to have a drink with Clarice. The last week had been long and hard. Hughes fought one minute and caterwauled the next. Matthias had never been so damn glad to hand off a criminal.
    Clarice tilted her head towards the stairwell. Matt followed her eyes to see one of Clarice’s girls descending, a lovely brunette. She smiled at him and winked.
    Clarice lowered her voice. “Suzette would love to spend a little time with a big, handsome bounty hunter. She’s a lot of fun. Adventurous.”
    Matt nodded to the woman. She was lovely, but a girl like that wasn’t what he was looking for. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he figured he’d know when he saw it. He shook his head. “Thank you. Maybe some other time.”
    Clarice frowned. “How long are you in town?”
    “I’ll be staying a few days at the Cypress Hotel. Been looking forward to that for the last week. Once Hughes is sentenced and hanged, I’ll be on my way.”
    She pouted. “At least come by and show me how to play poker. I could use a few tips.”
    He scoffed. “Right, Clarice. You got your eye on that reward money I have coming.”
    “I’ll be waiting if you change your mind.” She winked. “About cards or company.”
    Matthias tipped his hat, and with a respectful nod, walked out of the saloon. He pushed through the saloon doors to the sidewalk and eyed the bustle of the town. It was just a little past noon. Next on his list was to pick up a few things at the Mercantile, and then he’d go to the Cypress