Jessica Nelson

Family on the Range


Скачать книгу

shifted in his seat but did not turn to look at her.

      “Are you in pain?” she asked gently. “I picked up a few things in town.”

      “No,” he said, voice tight. “I want to know more about this man following you. Do you think he knows what you told the sheriff? If this man thinks you’re a threat—”

      “I’m safe at my new house.” At least she hoped that to be true. Lately, Lou seemed anxious, and she did not know if his rattled emotions came from being confined to bed or if there was another reason, something secret.... She swallowed at the thought. “The man... I’ve met him before. He knows where we are and can come at any time to your ranch, but he does not know of my new home.”

      “What do you mean you know him?” Lou swiveled and pinned her with a piercing blue glare.

      “Remember the stranger who visited last week? He is one and the same.”

      “What’s his name?”

      “He never said, but he has violet eyes, like Josie.”

      “He might be her guardian.” A thicket of hair fell over Lou’s brow as James bounced across the uneven terrain.

      “He didn’t ask for a little girl,” Mary retorted. She did not care for the accusing look on Lou’s face, as though she had done something wrong or immoral. “This man is dangerous, and I don’t believe he has any right to Josie.”

      Lou sighed and ran his palms down his face. “James, you heading to Horn’s to pick up Josie?”

      “Fixin’ to veer off now.”

      “Good. If we haven’t heard from the authorities about Josie’s family in a week’s time, we’ll take her to Portland ourselves. I have unfinished business there. The ranch isn’t safe for Josie. That man was there once and now he’s been sighted in Burns—”

      “It’s too soon.” The protest rolled off her tongue before she could stop it. “You’ll reopen your wound.”

      Lou grunted. “I’ll be fine. Someone must be looking for her. James wired the bureau for me days ago, and they think they’ve found Josie’s mom. If not, we’ll track down another relative.”

      They knew? Even the police hadn’t been in touch with her. She slumped down. It was for the best. It had to be.

      Movement on the floor startled a gasp out of her.

      The blankets reshuffled and out of their haphazard mound popped a blond head. Josie scowled up at Lou. “I’m not going back and you can’t make me.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4RuTRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgACAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAbgEbAAUAAAABAAAAdgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAcAAAAfgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAmgE7 AAIAAAAQAAAArodpAAQAAAABAAAAwAAAAOwALcbAAAAnEAAtxsAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9w IENTMiBXaW5kb3dzADIwMTQ6MDQ6MDggMTU6MTk6MzAATmVsc29uLCBKZXNzaWNhAAAAAAOgAQAD AAAAAQABAACgAgAEAAAAAQAABlSgAwAEAAAAAQAACgAAAAAAAAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUA AAABAAABOgEbAAUAAAABAAABQgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQAAAABAAABSgICAAQAAAABAAAaQQAA AAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgAASABIAAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5B ZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwPFRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQODg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwM DAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEIAKAAZQMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAf/ xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEFAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYH CAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMicYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFD ByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2 hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcGBTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGR FKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kSTVKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSk hbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM8zJ1KUHxKi 3KxSdp9QE/yBH/nwKYvxhS+57nVsY5rAXtA3PfO2tvv2t9jX2WPs/R1q17+IfpfhJb93zfu/jH/v lAHxUoKt5WGzHe5thfWWMDnVlosedtTLbrG+g5zPSdk2sw8b3/p77P0f6Kq61VA55Y9zMe57q2Cx 9Ya31A1zvTZNO/f+kd/Ns/0ddl380mjmcJFif4FHsZf3fxj/ABVBS2lCfm01ueHMtIrBcXtZLYad r37pH6Nj/wBG6z/SIrrxXY+p1NxtrLQ+tjA8gu27WO2P9r91jKv+O/Q/zqd7+L978JK9jL+7/wA6 P/fMtpThqAeoVDbFN7tzixsM5ePpVt93842foJ6+oVPY57KbnBn0yGSG9/e4O9qPvY/3vwkr2Mv7 v/Oj/wB8n2qyem57cX7Y7HsbjDX1S0hsH8797Z/LRen9X6FXjspzOlZOVbe6a7T7d0/Qqp2ua7/0 otj/AMcTFYxzbOl5Lg1oNm7boww1rng/4N25qjlzEQfSL+i8ctk6j8YvNbUoReodZ6VlZHr42Fl4 hvI21bGuY4n86loc1/6SW/o61SPVMb0/VFdprJ2h+0bd0btu7ft3bfftTxnxkb19JLDy+Ufo3/hR /wC+bEaJKoOr4u0n07NCNIbOs/yv5KSXu47369j2V7OX93/nR/75/9BUfVvNyWi5llQaRu+keNf5 Ltu1X6ug9QxqGNqbTc4Hc19oLJe4hl7mR6lldLsdlNPv9H2Mu/06jiZb8RwbQ8ubzucNNfL81atP U/UE2ObuHIAJnR1nDd35jHv/ALCWXl/E8LLHmZS0oX2pxW/U7rAY5tLMKneythNT9s+n7t+1rdu+ yz9LY93qWb/5uz2IOf8AVrruLgkZNzDU54seWWEzsDv51rGs9V29+79Iu4ww4gGOePJX7aKLKwLW bgC0DSTMjZx/L2pojG9R1Sc0q2i+XDF6vRI9Z7S4+q7cxxJMtd6jnPa5ztr2M/4tH6fjdXuyicXI rZlv2vc9wABNb68lu7e1/v8AtFNNz/8AS7P0i9Hpcy8EsG5uoFkDa8cOdWZ9zNy5qjpebidSdmOx i4b7IYD7vcSNzW/ne36CfGGM3pwyrTWOv/NWnLkBGkT30/8AQnnbPq31/FsopBG9tj8nHNQmLH7G 22ttY1mxzfSq/P8A0f8Ag1YZ9VvrFlWZP6fGfZlbftW5wBfscy5mja9rNttVbv0X013djyykNeA1 ojR8DVx21tO7957tiqUZD/tDnmsxu2PIAgOb9Ksfnbmfn+1NK73Jb1H7Hmf+av1k9Wt7sjHFlNlV 7Ic3W2hn2fGtf+i9/oUN9Ov1EOz6ofWXIN7rLaLXZLBTkEOa3cxprLQ7bX7f6PR72f6NdTkZVdbz vsAJJjxMAn6LRu+ix/8AmK505xcdzfewiQQdCDq1zf3kKT70hrwx+x4DK+r31hp6i177G3dR2B7X UAWWtFYrorus2s9ljGV11stVO/pfVGVvx79tbLLnXvrdUGRc722PZ7G+n7PZ6dWyteptxKcd5sx6 2se/6bg3V39Yqr1DBx82rbksNkGQQdrgQPzHp44L1BWHLPoI/Y+YDotwaW72aw7g9t3/AJJJdQei 2DKbXts9MtLw/aIgFrf5z6G33fzqSl9vH3P4LPfydo/Z/a//0eof0BjcUOspbBaHOcw6gkd/zk9H ScgWB1Vb2Nqa+N8t3WODKmP0/na66fU+l/pPTW1W5rqmNfr7ACD3EfnKTj72NY7QHUHjj5JcZO5S