[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

get her through this bad time.
Cash Grier, Jacobsville s police chief, walked into the funeral home and stopped to extend his
sympathy to Grace. He noted his brother near the casket and joined him.
 I thought you didn t go to funerals, he mused.
Garon shrugged.  She was all alone. Miss Turner and I have been looking out for her.
 Uh-huh.
Garon glared at him.  I m not in the market for a frumpy girlfriend.
Cash s smile faded and he gave his brother a hard glare.  That was uncalled for. Grace doesn t have
the sort of money she d need to dress for every occasion.
Garon shifted his weight, his eyes going reluctantly to Grace s trim figure in the slightly too large
black dress she was wearing. It did nothing for her and looked as if it had come from a yard sale.
 You d think the old lady could have afforded one good dress for her, Garon muttered.
Cash frowned.  You haven t got a clue, have you? he asked.  Mrs. Collier had several prescriptions
that she was required to take. She and Grace had to choose between medicine and food, never mind
dressy clothing. I d lay odds that dress is one of the old lady s. Until tonight, I ve never even seen
Grace Carver in a dress.
 You re kidding, Garon returned.
 I m not, his brother said firmly.  Old people in this town sometimes do without groceries to pay
drug bills. Health care is expensive. People living on social security don t have a lot of options. Grace
worked two part-time jobs to help pay for the old lady s medicines. She may be poor, but she s
proud.
Garon averted his eyes.  Now that the old woman s gone, maybe she can get a good paying job, or go
back to school and finish her education.
Cash studied the other man quietly.  Not all women have a yen to start international corporations, he
pointed out.
Garon had to admit that Cash was right. He couldn t see Grace in a power suit throwing out orders to
a cadre of underlings.
 What s eating you? Cash persisted, because the man he was beginning to know wasn t petty or
critical.
Garon s mouth pulled down.  We re investigating a homicide. A ten-year-old girl.
 Ah. That one. Cash shifted his weight.  We ve heard about the case, even down here. Brutal.
 Very. And it looks as if it might be not be the only one, he added with a quick glance.  That s
between you and me.
 Of course. Any leads?
Garon shook his head.  It s early days.
 Some cases are harder than others to work, his brother agreed.
Garon was watching as Grace spoke to citizens who came by to offer their condolences. She was
friendly, warm, welcoming, grateful. She was completely natural. He knew she must be cut up inside,
but she wasn t letting it show.
 Do you know what happened to her mother? Garon asked Cash.
He shook his head.  Only that she died some years ago, when Grace was still a child. The old lady had
a vinegary personality, but she was respected around town. Her late husband had been a deputy sheriff.
So was Grace s father, for a short time.
 That s what I heard.
 I suppose you know that being seen with Grace is going to start rumors flying, Cash pointed out.
 She said that, he replied.  The rumors will wind down when this is all over.
 You don t date at all, do you? Cash asked.
 I ve been asked to a cocktail party next Friday at the Tabors s, by the niece. Grace said she brought
food to the house this afternoon for the funeral.
Cash whistled through his pursed lips.
 What? Garon asked.
Cash gave him a speaking glance.  Mrs. Tabor s niece is raising eyebrows locally, and she isn t well
liked.
 Most of the founding families have been invited to the party, from what I ve been told, Garon said
defensively.
 Most of them have also sent their regrets, Cash interjected,  most prominently the Ballengers, the
Harts and the Tremaynes. Without them, nobody else is going to show up, either.
 What have they got against the niece? he wanted to know.
 Have you met her? Cash murmured dryly.
 Sure. She came to the ranch and invited me to the party.
 Anything about her strike you as unusual?
Garon thought for a minute.  She s rather forward, and she dresses in a seductive fashion.
 Exactly. And how well do you think that behavior is going to go over in a small conservative town?
 She s out of place here, Garon said.  But so am I. I hate small town politics.
Cash smiled.  I love it, warts and all. It s the first place I ve ever belonged.
 Your wife seems to like it here, too.
He nodded.  The baby has opened even more doors for us, locally, he said, smiling dreamily.  I
never thought I d end up a family man. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]