Brazen Read Online Free

if that's what you're asking,
Jack," he replied.
    "We didn't have to cover for him," Pete said in his
boss's defense. "We told you the truth. There's no reason
to lie. Jack was with us all day yesterday."
    Sheriff Montgomery mounted up and nodded to them.
"I'll be seeing you."
    Jack felt bile rise in his throat as he watched the lawman ride away. "Bastard."
    "What did you say, Pa?"
    "Nothing."
    "Are you all right?" Casey asked, seeing that he had
grown pale.
    "I'm as fine as I can be, considering the sheriff just accused me of shooting Frank Donovan down in cold blood
and robbing him."
    "He knows you didn't do it now," Pete reassured him.
"We told him."
    "That's right, Pa. Everything's all right."
    Jack moved slowly toward the stable. "Then let's get
back to work."
    John McQueen was furious as he stormed into the bunkhouse at his ranch, the Royal.
    The men lounging there looked up, startled.

    "Boss?"
    "Get out," he ordered, his gaze focusing on the one
man who lay asleep on his cot, an empty whiskey bottle
on the floor beside him.
    The men quickly disappeared outside, leaving him
alone with Sid. They didn't know what Sid had done, but
it had to be bad to get the boss this riled.
    John stared down at the man who was passed out in a
drunken stupor.
    "Celebrating, were you?" he snarled as he picked up
the small bucket of water sitting near the washstand and
dumped the contents in the unconscious man's face.
    Sid Midland sat up with a start, choking on the water
and cussing wildly, only to find himself staring down the
barrel of his boss's gun. Sid's bloodshot eyes widened in
shock, for he knew how deadly and dangerous his boss
could be.
    "What the-"
    "I don't pay you to miss, Sid!" he said in a low, threatening voice. He had hired the fellow because of his reputation as a gunman.
    "Miss? What are you talking about?"
    "Donovan is still alive!"

    "Oh, yes." He stepped back and slowly holstered his
weapon. "You told me he was dead. You told me-"
    Sid interrupted him to protest, "I went down and
robbed him just like you said. He wasn't moving!"
    "He wasn't moving because he's paralyzed, but he isn't dead. When I send you out to do a job for me, I expect
you to do it right."

    "You want me to go finish it?"
    "No," John answered harshly. "You just lay low and
keep your mouth shut. I'll handle it from here."
    John stalked from the bunkhouse in complete disgust.
He'd had a plan ready to set in motion. With Frank Donovan out of the way, it would have been simple for him
to take over the Circle D.The newly widowed Elizabeth
Donovan, alone and without any man to guide her, would
have been eager to sell out. He would have been just as
eager to offer his sympathy as he bought the ranch, which
Frank had refused to sell to him when he'd made an offer
several months before. Now, word had come from town
that Frank was still alive, and everything had changed.
    Silently John cursed Sid again as he began to rethink
his plan for gaining control of the neighboring ranches.
His goal was to be the biggest, most successful rancher
in this part of Texas, and nothing was going to stop him.
    As he considered his situation, John realized it was time
to concentrate on the Bar T instead of the Circle D.He
had had his eye on Casey Turner. She was different from
any other female he'd ever met. Just the sight of her wearing those pants of hers left him hot with wanting. He had
been taking his time with her, wooing her slowly, but now
that his plan for the Circle D had been ruined, he would
concentrate on Casey and her ranch.
    The Turners' finances were so shaky, Casey might just
marry him for his money. One way or the other, the Bar
T-and Casey be his.

    Michael stared out the window of the train car, wondering
if it were possible for time to pass any more slowly. He
and Nick had been traveling for three days now, and it
had seemed an eternity to him.
    "We'll get there," said Nick, who was sitting beside him.
    "I