Read Online The Kissing Stars by Geralyn Dawson - Free Book Online
Authors: Geralyn Dawson
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blame her, Tess,” Colonel Wilhoit said, stepping forward and squaring his shoulders. “It’s my fault. I’m afraid I didn’t secure the door good enough last time I went in the shed.”
“Oh, enough about Rosie,” Jack Baker exclaimed, tugging his wife’s hands away from his eyes. “The telescope isn’t the worst of it. Tess, your beau rode in a few minutes ago. Captain Robards brought word of trouble. It’s serious, Tess.”
Her stomach sinking, Tess ignored her husband’s curious look. “How serious?”
Colonel Wilhoit harrumphed. “There’s been another incidence of vandalism out at the railroad spur construction sight. A fire destroyed a tool shed. The Ranger says somebody claimed they saw an Aurora Springs wagon at the scene of the crime.”
Tess hung her head and sighed. “Oh, Twink. What did you do this time?”
“That’s just it,” the gray-haired woman said, her voice hazy with bewilderment. “It’s not me. I didn’t do anything. I’m innocent.”
“Innocent? You?” Tess repeated.
“Yes.” Twinkle nodded briskly, then added, “The problem is…Oh, Tess, I hate to tell you this…Captain Robards wants to talk to Doc. He said the railroad wants Doc arrested.”
“Doc!” Tess froze, her heart twisting. “They want to arrest Doc?”
“Captain Robards says an eyewitness claims he set the fire.”
Oh, no . Tess’s breath left her body in a rush. “And Will? What about Will?”
Twinkle shook her head. “I don’t know. Robards didn’t say a word about Will. Surely he would have mentioned if the Rangers were looking for Will, too. If Doc did this mischief on his way to the Big Bend, he kept the boy hidden.”
“That’s right, Tess,” Colonel Wilhoit said. “I don’t believe young Will is in trouble.”
For a long moment, nobody spoke and the only sound to be heard was the tick tick tick of the mantle dock. Tess’s mind was a whirl. Doc would never destroy the railroad’s property, never. No matter how appealing the idea. Nor would he put Will into harm’s way. Would he?
While she thought through the problem, Gabe glanced from Tess, to the Aurorians, then back to Tess again. “So,” he said, pointing a thumb toward the crowd. “Which one is Doc?”
A groan slipped from Tess’s lips. For one short second she debated dumping the entire problem in her husband’s lap. But Gabriel “Whip” Montana’s reputation held her back. This man might go after Doc and do him in.
And if Doc has led Will into trouble, I’ll want to kill the man myself.
CHAPTER 4
TESS ORDERED EVERYONE BUT Twinkle out of the house, her excuse the need to put herself to rights. Her distracted air told Gabe she really wanted time to think. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head, but she kept her lips sealed tight as a jar of pickled beets. Her reticence didn’t sit well with Gabe. Once upon a time, she would have shared her thoughts with him. Now, she hustled him out the door with nary a nod, leaving him to the not-so-tender mercies of the inhabitants of Aurora Springs.
They surrounded him like a pack of dogs. He was the bone.
“So you’re Cameron?”
“‘Bout time you showed up.”
“Nervy of you to jump right back into her bed.”
Gabe ignored them as he shrugged into the shirt he’d grabbed on his way outside. The early morning air carried a crisp hint of autumn, and sunshine felt good on his face as he lifted it toward the sky. Even better was the unmistakable aroma of coffee that floated past him on the breeze. Gabe turned his head toward the scent and caught the swish of a sorrel’s tail from the corner of his eyes. His?
He took a step toward the bam and peered through the open doorway. Yep, both of them. “I see y’all found my horses. Do I need to get them fed and watered?”
The young husband said, “I took care of it.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. Are you Doc?”
“I’m Jack Baker and I want you to tell us why you were ‘taking care’ of
“Oh, enough about Rosie,” Jack Baker exclaimed, tugging his wife’s hands away from his eyes. “The telescope isn’t the worst of it. Tess, your beau rode in a few minutes ago. Captain Robards brought word of trouble. It’s serious, Tess.”
Her stomach sinking, Tess ignored her husband’s curious look. “How serious?”
Colonel Wilhoit harrumphed. “There’s been another incidence of vandalism out at the railroad spur construction sight. A fire destroyed a tool shed. The Ranger says somebody claimed they saw an Aurora Springs wagon at the scene of the crime.”
Tess hung her head and sighed. “Oh, Twink. What did you do this time?”
“That’s just it,” the gray-haired woman said, her voice hazy with bewilderment. “It’s not me. I didn’t do anything. I’m innocent.”
“Innocent? You?” Tess repeated.
“Yes.” Twinkle nodded briskly, then added, “The problem is…Oh, Tess, I hate to tell you this…Captain Robards wants to talk to Doc. He said the railroad wants Doc arrested.”
“Doc!” Tess froze, her heart twisting. “They want to arrest Doc?”
“Captain Robards says an eyewitness claims he set the fire.”
Oh, no . Tess’s breath left her body in a rush. “And Will? What about Will?”
Twinkle shook her head. “I don’t know. Robards didn’t say a word about Will. Surely he would have mentioned if the Rangers were looking for Will, too. If Doc did this mischief on his way to the Big Bend, he kept the boy hidden.”
“That’s right, Tess,” Colonel Wilhoit said. “I don’t believe young Will is in trouble.”
For a long moment, nobody spoke and the only sound to be heard was the tick tick tick of the mantle dock. Tess’s mind was a whirl. Doc would never destroy the railroad’s property, never. No matter how appealing the idea. Nor would he put Will into harm’s way. Would he?
While she thought through the problem, Gabe glanced from Tess, to the Aurorians, then back to Tess again. “So,” he said, pointing a thumb toward the crowd. “Which one is Doc?”
A groan slipped from Tess’s lips. For one short second she debated dumping the entire problem in her husband’s lap. But Gabriel “Whip” Montana’s reputation held her back. This man might go after Doc and do him in.
And if Doc has led Will into trouble, I’ll want to kill the man myself.
CHAPTER 4
TESS ORDERED EVERYONE BUT Twinkle out of the house, her excuse the need to put herself to rights. Her distracted air told Gabe she really wanted time to think. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head, but she kept her lips sealed tight as a jar of pickled beets. Her reticence didn’t sit well with Gabe. Once upon a time, she would have shared her thoughts with him. Now, she hustled him out the door with nary a nod, leaving him to the not-so-tender mercies of the inhabitants of Aurora Springs.
They surrounded him like a pack of dogs. He was the bone.
“So you’re Cameron?”
“‘Bout time you showed up.”
“Nervy of you to jump right back into her bed.”
Gabe ignored them as he shrugged into the shirt he’d grabbed on his way outside. The early morning air carried a crisp hint of autumn, and sunshine felt good on his face as he lifted it toward the sky. Even better was the unmistakable aroma of coffee that floated past him on the breeze. Gabe turned his head toward the scent and caught the swish of a sorrel’s tail from the corner of his eyes. His?
He took a step toward the bam and peered through the open doorway. Yep, both of them. “I see y’all found my horses. Do I need to get them fed and watered?”
The young husband said, “I took care of it.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. Are you Doc?”
“I’m Jack Baker and I want you to tell us why you were ‘taking care’ of
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