Read Online By Starlight by Dorothy Garlock - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dorothy Garlock
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suddenly flashing in her eyes, and she glanced away.
Jeffers chose that moment to step out of the shadows and approach the bar. The sheriff nodded when he saw him.
“I should’ve known you’d be involved in this.”
Jim Utley was no stranger to Jeffers’s family; the sheriff had a long history dealing with the Grimm men. He’d put Jeffers’s father in jail more times than he’d likely remember and had been around so long that he’d even had a few run-ins with Jeffers’s grandfather. Every time he had something going, it seemed the sheriff lurked close by, waiting for him to slip up.
But this time was different. Jeffers wasn’t getting caught; no matter what it took, even if he had to gut the son of a bitch right here in front of the whole speakeasy, he wasn’t going to lose what he’d gained. He and Sumner could load the truck as best they could, call Jimmy and tell him what happened and he’d leave this godforsaken town forever. But he wouldn’t go to jail.
I’ll kill this bastard first…
“Maddy and I are runnin’ this together,” Jeffers explained.
For the first time, the sheriff looked taken aback. “Is that true?” he asked Maddy.
She nodded.
“What do you suppose Silas would say ’bout this?”
“I don’t believe he’d think too highly of it,” she answered truthfully, “so that should tell you I didn’t come to this decision easily. But times being what they are, I think we all need a little something to brighten our day, whether it’s a few extra coins in our pocket or a drink once the sun goes down.”
“Only problem is that sellin’ liquor’s now illegal.”
“Then I reckon you need to do your job.”
Jeffers stiffened. This was the moment everything hinged on. Though he desperately wanted to bed Maddy Aldridge, he didn’t give a damn if she ended up in jail as long as he went free. Slowly, he began to unsheathe his knife.
“My job is more than just enforcin’ the law,” Sheriff Utley explained. “It’s also makin’ sure that the folks in this town are taken care of. Now, just ’cause some politician in Washington thinks it’s a good idea to make sellin’ liquor illegal, I don’t know if what’s happenin’ here is the same thing they had in mind. Wettin’ your whistle in the company of friends doesn’t strike me as much of a crime.”
“You…you mean this…is acceptable…?” Seth asked.
“Long as no one gets drunk,” the sheriff said, looking straight at the former lawyer, “and it don’t go any further than this, no makin’ it or distributin’ it, then I’ll allow it to go on. We got a deal?”
“Yes,” Maddy happily agreed as Jeffers nodded.
“Now don’t go thinkin’ I won’t be watchin’,” Sheriff Utley added, “or that I won’t throw you all in jail if you break our agreement.”
“We won’t,” Maddy promised.
Fishing a shiny coin out of his pocket, the sheriff slapped it down on the bar. “Then how ’bout we seal it with a drink, huh?”
As Maddy went about pouring a whiskey, Jeffers stared silently. When the sheriff had given his warning, he’d looked in Jeffers’s direction. Does he know about what’s hidden in the storeroom? He’d seemed surprised that Maddy was involved, but was it genuine? Does he know about my deal with Capone? The only other person who knew the truth was Sumner; he’d already let the sheriff into the speakeasy…was he the one who told Utley about the place?
Jeffers suddenly had a lot of questions. Maybe he was going to have to use that knife after all.
Chapter Six
HOW IN THE HELL is a fella supposed to get any sleep bouncin’ around in this goddamn seat? It’s torture! They better have a decent hotel in that town of yours or I swear—”
Jack struggled to control his temper as he steered the black Plymouth through the forested hills of Montana. The sun had just begun to peek above the eastern horizon, painting the clouds that hung in the morning sky in brilliant brushstrokes of
Jeffers chose that moment to step out of the shadows and approach the bar. The sheriff nodded when he saw him.
“I should’ve known you’d be involved in this.”
Jim Utley was no stranger to Jeffers’s family; the sheriff had a long history dealing with the Grimm men. He’d put Jeffers’s father in jail more times than he’d likely remember and had been around so long that he’d even had a few run-ins with Jeffers’s grandfather. Every time he had something going, it seemed the sheriff lurked close by, waiting for him to slip up.
But this time was different. Jeffers wasn’t getting caught; no matter what it took, even if he had to gut the son of a bitch right here in front of the whole speakeasy, he wasn’t going to lose what he’d gained. He and Sumner could load the truck as best they could, call Jimmy and tell him what happened and he’d leave this godforsaken town forever. But he wouldn’t go to jail.
I’ll kill this bastard first…
“Maddy and I are runnin’ this together,” Jeffers explained.
For the first time, the sheriff looked taken aback. “Is that true?” he asked Maddy.
She nodded.
“What do you suppose Silas would say ’bout this?”
“I don’t believe he’d think too highly of it,” she answered truthfully, “so that should tell you I didn’t come to this decision easily. But times being what they are, I think we all need a little something to brighten our day, whether it’s a few extra coins in our pocket or a drink once the sun goes down.”
“Only problem is that sellin’ liquor’s now illegal.”
“Then I reckon you need to do your job.”
Jeffers stiffened. This was the moment everything hinged on. Though he desperately wanted to bed Maddy Aldridge, he didn’t give a damn if she ended up in jail as long as he went free. Slowly, he began to unsheathe his knife.
“My job is more than just enforcin’ the law,” Sheriff Utley explained. “It’s also makin’ sure that the folks in this town are taken care of. Now, just ’cause some politician in Washington thinks it’s a good idea to make sellin’ liquor illegal, I don’t know if what’s happenin’ here is the same thing they had in mind. Wettin’ your whistle in the company of friends doesn’t strike me as much of a crime.”
“You…you mean this…is acceptable…?” Seth asked.
“Long as no one gets drunk,” the sheriff said, looking straight at the former lawyer, “and it don’t go any further than this, no makin’ it or distributin’ it, then I’ll allow it to go on. We got a deal?”
“Yes,” Maddy happily agreed as Jeffers nodded.
“Now don’t go thinkin’ I won’t be watchin’,” Sheriff Utley added, “or that I won’t throw you all in jail if you break our agreement.”
“We won’t,” Maddy promised.
Fishing a shiny coin out of his pocket, the sheriff slapped it down on the bar. “Then how ’bout we seal it with a drink, huh?”
As Maddy went about pouring a whiskey, Jeffers stared silently. When the sheriff had given his warning, he’d looked in Jeffers’s direction. Does he know about what’s hidden in the storeroom? He’d seemed surprised that Maddy was involved, but was it genuine? Does he know about my deal with Capone? The only other person who knew the truth was Sumner; he’d already let the sheriff into the speakeasy…was he the one who told Utley about the place?
Jeffers suddenly had a lot of questions. Maybe he was going to have to use that knife after all.
Chapter Six
HOW IN THE HELL is a fella supposed to get any sleep bouncin’ around in this goddamn seat? It’s torture! They better have a decent hotel in that town of yours or I swear—”
Jack struggled to control his temper as he steered the black Plymouth through the forested hills of Montana. The sun had just begun to peek above the eastern horizon, painting the clouds that hung in the morning sky in brilliant brushstrokes of
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