Read Online Bobbi Smith by Halfbreed Warrior - Free Book Online

isolated tables near the back of the saloon. He wanted to drown his sorrows in peace.
    When he could get away from the bar without drawing any attention to himself, Denny hurried to Trey’s office to tell him what he’d learned.
    “What is it?” Trey called out, responding to the knock on his closed office door.
    “It’s Denny. It’s important.”
    “Just a minute.”
    Denny could hear some shuffling going on inside the office while he waited for Trey to bid him to enter. When his boss finally told him to come in, he opened the door to find Annie, one of the saloon girls, on her way out. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and her clothing was a bit wrinkled. Denny didn’t say a word, but it wasn’t hard for him to figure out what he’d interrupted.
    “What’s so important?” Trey demanded when Annie had closed the door behind her.
    Denny quickly related what he’d learned from Fred. He wasn’t surprised when Trey cursed the ranch hand soundly.
    “How stupid is he?” Trey demanded angrily.
    “You know how stupid he is,” Denny answered.
    “You’re right,” Trey grumbled. “I do know.” Fred was a compulsive gambler. The saloon owner had extended credit to him because up until now, he had always paid his debts on time. “I think Fred and I need to have a talk.”
    “I thought you might want to see him. That’s why I came to get you.”
    Trey got up, ready to confront the ranch hand. He went out into the saloon and spotted Fred at the table. He was glad business was slow tonight. What he had to say to the fool wouldn’t be pretty.
    Fred had been sitting in silence, drinking heavily as he mulled over what to do next. He looked up when he noticed someone walking his way. He wasn’t pleased to find it was the saloon owner, but he knew there was no way to avoid him.
    “Hello, Trey.”
    “What’s this I hear about you losing your job out at the Lazy S?” Trey didn’t wait to be invited; he just sat down across the table.
    Fred quickly told him what had happened. “And that’s why the bastard fired me,” he finished.
    “You should have realized what was going to happen before you got in the damned fight!”
    “What the hell is Jack doing hiring on a half-breed?”
    “Who cares? You owe me a lot of money, and I expect you to pay me back!” Trey looked him straight in the eye. “Do I make myself clear?”
    A chill went down Fred’s spine at those words. It was true that he’d racked up a large debt gambling, but Trey had gone easy on him—until now. “Yeah, yeah.”
    Trey leaned forward, piercing him with an even colder and more deadly look. “My money means a lot to me. I’m sure you know that. I don’t abide those who don’t pay up.”
    “It’s all Stockton’s fault! I hate that bastard!” Fred’s fury erupted.
    “I don’t care whose fault it is, and I don’t care if you hate him. I only care about my money. Find a way to get what you owe me. I’ll be waiting to hear from you, and it had better be soon—real soon.”
    Fred knew what kind of man Trey was, and he knew better than to mess with him. “You’ll get your money.”
    “See to it.” Trey got up and walked away.
    Fred poured himself another stiff drink, although he doubted it would do much to improve his mood now. He had to find a way to pay Trey back—and fast.
    “Looks like you and Trey were arguing pretty good,” purred the raven-haired, red-lipped, voluptuous Sindy as she drew up a chair and sat down close beside Fred at the table. She put her hand high up on his thigh and smiled as she leaned invitingly toward him. “You look worried. You got trouble?”
    She pretended to be innocent of his dilemma, even though the barkeep had already told her what was going on.
    “Nothing that spending a few hours with you won’t help,” he said, heat pulsing through him as she leaned in even closer to give him a better view of her ample cleavage. He’d enjoyed having her in the past and saw no reason not to