The Brannts were called away to a sick relative, so the visit was off. Josie was watching the little purebred bulls that had been trucked up to the main stable for safekeeping while the family prepared to go to New York. John was watching the lot of bulls as well, his pale gray eyes narrow and discerning. Beside him, Josie was curious.
“Is something wrong with them?” she asked suddenly.
He looked down at her and frowned. “Why would you think that?”
She shifted, propped on the high wooden fence with both booted feet, staring out into the pasture. “I don’t know. It just... feels odd.”
He was rolling his eyes. “Want me to hum theTwilight Zonetheme?” he drawled sarcastically, but he felt uncomfortable when she looked at him with wounded eyes.
“It’s something I was born with,” she said quietly. “One of Mama’s ancestors was a medicine man. They said he could findwater in drought, talk off warts, predict the weather—even hurt people if he wanted to, without going near them.”
He was interested. He propped one big-booted foot on the lowest rung of the fence. “What tribe?”
She smiled. “Cheyenne.”
He studied her. “And you’re redheaded with light green eyes,” he pointed out. “And a pale complexion.”
She shrugged. “Recessive genes. One of Dad’s forebears was Swedish, and another was Dutch.”
He shook his head.
“Were there Native people in your ancestry?” she asked.
“Comanche, they say. In Dad’s background. I’m not sure about Mom’s.”
“Your mother has light coloring like mine.”
He nodded, studying her. “There are similarities. Of course, she never walked around with a loaded pistol,” he added with quiet venom.
She avoided his eyes. “I told you. I have enemies.”
“So how did you get that pistol past Marlowe?”
Her heart jumped. “He doesn’t know I have it.” She turned and took a deep breath to steady herself.Best defense was always a good offense. “Going to turn me in?” she added with a belligerent look.
“No, I’m not going to turn you in,” he replied. But he was watching her closely. After a minute his eyes went back to the bulls. “They look healthy to me,” he said.
“Never mind me,” she told him. “I come out with weird things all the time.”
She turned toward him. “But speaking of Marlowe, I really do need to go and check in with him. Could one of the cowboys drive me to town?”
He shrugged. “Fine. Danny Hill can’t work for a while.Sprained his back trying to wrestle down a bull that we were vaccinating. He can drive you. When do you want to go?”
“How about now?” she asked.
“No problem.” He pulled out his cell phone.
She hadn’t called first to make sure that Marlowe was in his office, so she was lucky because he was there when she walked in the door of the detention center.
“Well, you look busy,” she commented dryly.
He was sitting, leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his hat pulled over his eyes. He lifted a corner of the hat as she walked in.
“I had a late night,” he said. He sat up and tilted his hat back on his head. “What can I do for you?”
“I need you to keep something for me, if you don’t mind,” she told him. She reached down into her boot and pulled out her badge and ID. She handed it to him.
“It’s very uncomfortable having to wear it around in my boot, since I don’t dare leave it in my motel room in case they toss it while I’m gone.”
