Read Online Hearts of Iron by Laura Day - Free Book Online Page A

were out for a meal, or singles were out to play, replacing the hustle-bustle of a busy work day.
     
    “So, you drink beer, Doc?” asked the sheriff as they approached his office.
     
    “I’m a little tired…” Katie yawned.
     
    Pete shot her a look. “Hey, it’s our first night here in Miller.”
     
    “Yeah. Join us for our first beer in our new hometown,” added Martin.
     
    The sheriff made a big sweeping gesture and rested his sweaty hand on her shoulder. “Think the boys want you to join us.”
     
    Katie hadn’t much taken to the sheriff, and his deputies were his windup toys, but she had played holy-hell to get them there, she had to offer them a welcome. “Just one. I start work early tomorrow.”
     
    One of the deputies, introduced as Stew but referred to as Junior, said, “Saw a mean looking burger joint up the street. You can hear the music from here.”
     
    “Err, no! They don’t sell beer, I mean.” Katie’s stomach churned, but she offered a sad face.
     
    “I need a beer, boy,” sniped the sheriff. “Get in line.”
     
    Katie silently thanked god for quick thinking and thought it a little odd the way Sheriff Clancy spoke down to his deputies. Like a bad father to unruly children.
     
    And just like that child, Junior got in line. “Yes sir, Sheriff.” Strange, because Junior was twice the height of the sheriff and Junior’s feet were bigger than the sheriff’s head.
     
    They crossed the street to the only bar in Miller. A big, sprawling hall, on one side it had a large, fully stocked walnut wood carved bar with twenty bar stools, mirrored backsplash with gold swirls, and optics lining the wall. On the other side of the hall were several tables and chairs, a few large leather sofas, a small dance floor, and a juke box. Toward the back were two pool tables and three intimate booths.
     
    Katie had had some great times in that bar, but when outsiders passed through Miller, that was where trouble usually started. Especially when people heard there was no law in Miller to prevent it. Although, just thinking about it, Katie couldn’t recall the last time she’d heard of anything more than a beer-fuelled domestic in there for over a year.
     
    Katie said “hi” to Dan, the barman, as she escorted the law into the bar.
     
    “Hi, Doc! Go take a seat. I’ll bring them over while it’s quiet.”
     
    “Thanks Dan.”
     
    Only two bartenders (none in the day, because the bar’s closed until six) were ready to serve the entire town at any given time at night. It ensured people got served eventually, but if the place was busy, no one got served quick enough to get too drunk. If there was trouble, Dan told the committee he had a list of volunteers who could be relied upon to get there quick and help out.
     
    The former owner, Jack Harvey, died some time back and left the place to Miller because he had no kids. The community committee, led by Katie since her father died, now looks out for it. But Dan and his trusted staff deal with the hands-on running of the business.
     
    Sheriff Clancy wasn’t pleased to hear this. Katie couldn’t see what business it was of his either way.
     
    She led them to a booth and Dan soon came over to take their order. “Fiver beers, please, Dan,” said Katie. “Oh guys, meet Dan, who I told you about. Dan, meet Sheriff Clancy and his deputies. They got here today to look out for Miller.”
     
    Dan frowned, keeping his attentions on wiping the table.
     
    “Dan?” Kati hoped for a better reaction than that. “Everything okay?”
     
    Dan looked up at Katie, clearly uncomfortable. “Everything’s great, Doc. Err… let me just get those beers before the rush starts.” Dan left, looking shifty and pressing buttons on his phone.
     
    “Seems to me like he has a problem with the law,” sniggered the sheriff.
     
    “I assure you, Sheriff, that Dan is a good man.” She remembered Lance and wondered if Dan was worried about the trouble that might