Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,127

that every time Dina wears that necklace, something dangerous will get a little closer until it catches up to her.”

“Look at where we are, Abby,” Zeke said. “We run the risk of something dangerous catching up to us every single day.”

She’d tried to warn him, and he didn’t believe her. Wasn’t that perfect? When trouble came, no one could say she hadn’t tried to warn someone.

Zeke raised a hand in greeting. Abigail turned and hurried across the street, passing Kelley. “I’ll wait in the car.”

She watched Zeke and Kelley go into the house. She watched Kelley and Dina come out—and saw Zeke take the box Dina held, stopping her from walking over to help Kelley pack the boxes into the car. It was Zeke’s discomfort more than anything else that told her the sweet Abigail persona was still working with everyone but Kelley.

* * *

* * *

Parlan answered his mobile phone, pleased the erratic service hadn’t affected this little town. He hadn’t heard from anyone all day, and when the clan was scattered as it was now, communication became essential. “Hello?”

“Dalton’s likeness is on a poster in every post office and train station,” Judd McCall said in a low voice full of fury. “Wanted for questioning in the robbery of a ranch house and the assault of two people.”

Parlan stopped breathing for a moment as his own fury washed over him. “Dalton said the girl got a glimpse of him but couldn’t know who …”

“The drawing might as well be a photograph, and the poster has his name. I don’t know who did the drawing, but putting a name to the face didn’t come from the girl at the ranch.”

A face without a name meant very little. Appearances could be changed. But having a name on that poster just when he was putting together a deal to play the respectable family con put the whole clan at risk.

“Do you think one of our past business associates saw the drawing and provided the name?” Parlan asked.

“No. Even the crazy ones aren’t that crazy. And the boy knows better than to tell a whore his real name.”

“Whore,” Parlan said softly. The word reminded him of another possibility. But he didn’t need to say it. Judd would have come to the same conclusion.“Dalton will have to lay low. Lawry too for the time being. Have you heard from Cooke and Webb?”

“No, but I did hear about a way station being robbed and one of the workers being shot. So I can guess where those two were a day ago. What about you?”

“I’m staying at a hotel tonight, but I’ll be on the train again in the morning. I have a line on a business proposition. If my backers seal the deal, we’ll have a base of operation and the clan can assemble again.”

“What kind of business proposition?”

“Running a saloon that has a professional gambler in residence.”

“How much are you going to have to lose to make this happen?” Judd asked.

“Oh, I’m not going to lose. I’m going to make this happen by winning very big—and then forgiving the debts in lieu of the marks being the frontmen when it comes to dealing with government officials and the law. That will keep my name off the deed—at least initially.” Once he’d established himself as a respectable businessman, he’d ease the frontmen out of the business, one way or another.

Judd laughed. “I’ll keep heading south, picking up what I can.”

“Keep a sharp lookout.”

“Always do. Where should I look for you?”

“In Bennett,” Parlan said. “I’ve been told by my fellow passengers that there are a multitude of opportunities there for men with ambition.”

“A working town probably has working law officers,” Judd said.

“Officers who don’t see the value of cooperation can be replaced. I’ll get a feel for the town and find out whose strings can be pulled and whose strings need to be cut.”

“See you there.”

Parlan ended the call and stared out his hotel window.

Abigail had escaped his control and eluded him for more than three years. It would serve her right if betraying her brother to the authorities, whatever they might be, would be the very act that would cause her to stumble back into Judd’s waiting hands.

CHAPTER 25

Thaisday, Messis 23

Responding to the frantic knocking on the front door and Rusty’s equally frantic barking, Jana dropped her toast and rushed through the house. Anyone knocking on her door at that hour of the morning and in that way wasn’t outside to tell her something good.

She