Read Online Longarm 397 : Longarm and the Doomed Beauty (9781101545973) by Tabor Evans - Free Book Online Page B

business.
    To his surprise, rather than jerk away from him, screaming, she suddenly turned to face him, throwing her arms around his thick neck and burying her face in his chest. Her firm breasts pushed against his belly, stirring the strong-willed old snake lurking in his trousers.
    â€œPlease don’t let them have me, sir,” she pleaded, shoulders quivering. “I’m all alone up here—just a poor girl from Pinecone working in Mr. Cable’s fine bank to help support my family, and I thought I was doing right by testifying against those privy rats. They killed Mr. Lewis, after all!”
    â€œMr. Lewis?”
    â€œThe vice president and chief loan officer,” she said. “Shot him right before my eyes. Even sprayed my blouse with blood !” She sobbed hysterically, finally catching her breath a little. “And now . . . and now they want to do the same to me, but even worse !” A few more sobs as she soaked the front of Longarm’s shirt and vest with salty tears. “And no one . . . no one can save me !”
    â€œAh, now, that ain’t true, neither, miss,” Longarm said, gently rocking the girl and patting her fragile back. “That’s what they sent me here to do—to see that you make it back down the mountains to your home in Pinecone—and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”
    He glanced over at Deputy Panabaker staring at him, the kid’s brows furled jealously.
    â€œDeputy, go pick me an’ Miss Pritchard out two of the finest horses in town. Speedsters with bottom and hearts like Baldwin locomotives.”
    The young deputy’s expression turned incredulous. “Ain’t you gonna wait on the train?”
    â€œThey clear the tracks yet?”
    â€œShould be clear by tomorrow. We just got word this mornin’.”
    Longarm shook his head. “Me and Miss Pritchard are lighting out this afternoon. We’re gonna find a back way to Pinecone, and hightail it. If that gang is only five miles away—I don’t care how much fun they’re having, they’ll be ridin’ in to find out what happened to those three in the street real soon. Besides, as slow as the trains are in this neck of the mountains, they’d run us down before their horses broke out in sweats.”
    Miss Pritchard lifted her head from Longarm’s chest. “What are you proposing?”
    â€œWe’re gonna make a run for it.”
    â€œMe?” She pulled her body away from his and crossed her arms on her breasts as though to cover them. “How do I know I can trust you?”
    â€œI don’t reckon it much matters. My assignment is to see you safely home, and that’s what I intend to do. What’re you just standin’ there for, Leroy? Fetch those hosses—best ones in town. I don’t care who owns’em—this is federal business and Uncle Sam will pay for ’em. And we’re gonna need a bag of grub—whatever you can find. Coffee and jerky oughta do it.”
    The boy stood in front of the door, looking indignant.
    Longarm said, “Oh, and fetch me a few boxes of .44 shells, too, will you?” He scowled. “Leroy—have you gone deaf on me, son?”
    The scowl lines deepened in the kid’s face. “I . . . well . . . I ain’t your errand boy, Marshal Long. Me—well, hell, I’m a deputy town marshal! And now I reckon, since Marshal Scobie done rode over the Divide, I’m head lawman of the entire town of Snow Mound.” He puffed up his chest a little and thrust out his chin. “Yes, sir! I ain’t your errand boy.”
    Longarm stood, trying to keep from blowing his stack. “I do apologize, ki . . . I mean, Marshal Panabaker. Seein’ as how we’re short on time and we want to get the young lady to safety as soon as possible, do you think you could maybe help me out? I don’t know the layout of the town, you see, and . .