LITMIR.BIZ

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wouldn’t be fair for you to work for free.”

      “If I’m going to be there anyway, I may as well make myself useful.” Connor pulled his keys from his pocket and as they neared the car, he unlocked the doors. “Besides, you are paying me. Room and board.”

      “What do you know about working a horse farm?” she asked.

      “Not much.” He opened her door for her, and though she hesitated and looked at him a little funny, she got in. He walked around and climbed behind the wheel, wincing as his backside hit the leather seat. Hell on earth, that smarted. How could a couple hours on a horse do so much damage?

      “Do you know anything about horse training or breeding?” she asked.

      He started the engine. “Nope, but I’m a fast learner.”

      “I don’t know,” she said, looking wary. “It just doesn’t seem right.”

      “Nita, I’m not hurting for money, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m set for life. Working for you isn’t going to break me.”

      He could see her hackles rising. “So, what? Are you saying I’m a charity case?”

      He shook his head. She did have pride by the bucketload. “How about this? I’ll help you out at the farm and you can teach me everything you know about raising horses.”

      “Like a trade?”

      “Yeah, like a trade. Then it all comes out even.”

      She eyed him suspiciously. “You would want to learn?”

      “Sure, why not? I like to learn new things.”

      “And while we’re at it, I’ll teach you to ride. Since you’re looking a little—” she gave his backside a meaningful look “—uncomfortable.”

      “It’s that obvious, huh?”

      “I’m just very observant,” she said, and he could swear there was a suggestive lilt in her tone, in the way she let her eyes wander over him. She was the last woman in the world he would have expected to be a flirt, but here she was doing just that. And doing it well.

      “So we’ve got a deal?” he asked.

      She considered it a minute, then nodded. “Yeah, we’ve got a deal. Now, how about some lunch at the Royal Diner. With Jane gone there’s no one to do the cooking and I’m starved. If I botch another meal the way I did breakfast, the men are gonna string me up by my toes. They said my cooking is about as appetizing as horse feed.”

      Connor let a grin slip through. He was feeling a bit hungry himself. “The Royal Diner it is.”

      Though some people preferred the fine French cuisine of Claire’s, the Royal Diner would always be Nita’s favorite. She loved the red vinyl booths and stools, the long counter where you could always find a friendly companion to share lunch with. She breathed in the scent of frying burgers and the mouthwatering tang of Manny’s famous chili. But most of all, Nita liked it because her sister told her their momma liked to take them there. They would have burgers and milkshakes and their momma always gave them a penny for the gumball machine. Even though Nita didn’t remember it, it was one more small connection, one link to the mother she wished she could remember.

      “Can I take your order, folks?”

      Nita looked up from her menu, expecting Sheila, the regular waitress. Instead she found Valerie Raines, the new, younger addition to the restaurant staff. She was a speck of a thing, skinny and petite, with eyes that made Nita think of shuttered windows. She was friendly enough, but always seemed a bit on the wary side, always on her guard.

      “Hi, Valerie, I’ll have a cheeseburger, fries and a soda.”

      “Sounds good,” Connor said. “I’ll have the same.”

      “And I’ll take one of your sweet smiles,” someone said, and all three of them turned to see Gavin O’Neal approaching the booth from the back of the diner. He flashed Valerie a charming grin. The Cattlemen Club men sure were a good-looking bunch, although Valerie looked less than impressed.

      “Sheriff,” she said, her eyes going from wary to icecold, before she turned on her heel and walked away.

      “Whoa, talk about the cold shoulder,” Connor said.

      “What did you do?” Nita teased. “Leave her a lousy tip?”

      Gavin shook his head. “I don’t get it. I leave her a good tip and I’m sweet as candy to her but she seems inclined to dislike me. Must be the badge.”

      “Care to join us?” Connor asked.

      “No, thanks. I was on my way out. I just wanted to stop and see how your father is doing.”

      “Better,” Nita said. “He should be home in the next day or two.”

      “Glad to hear it. Give him my best,” he said, and turned to Connor. “Your brother mentioned that you have experience reading maps. Is that true?”

      “Some, sure.”

      “I’d like you to take a look at a copy of the map from the museum. I feel like we’re missing something. Something obvious.”

      “I could come into the club sometime this week.”

      “I don’t want to drag you away from your—” he glanced at Nita “—business. Why don’t I bring it by Nita’s place later this week, after Nita’s father is feeling up to the company?”

      “Nita?” Connor asked.

      “Fine by me,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind getting a peek at that map to see what all the fuss is about.”

      “Settled then,” Gavin said, dropping his hat on his head. “I’ll see you two later this week. Enjoy your lunch.”

      When he was gone, Nita said, “Well now, aren’t you Cattleman’s Club men covert.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “He doesn’t want to drag you away from your business? Why doesn’t he just say ‘assignment’? That’s what it is, right?”

      “You asked for help, and I’m helping. That’s all there is to it.”

      “Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”

      “Two cheeseburgers and fries and two sodas,” Valerie said, unloading her tray onto the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

      Nita shook her head. “Nothing for me.”

      “I’m good, too,” Connor said.

      Valerie reached in her uniform pocket for their bill, but as she pulled it out, it slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor. “Oops.”

      As she bent over to get it, a gold, heart-shaped pendant suspended from a delicate chain slipped from inside her uniform. Etched on its face were two intricately intertwined roses.

      “Oh, my sister would love that,” Nita said.

      Valerie set the bill on the table and looked at Nita questioningly.

      She pointed to the pendant. “Your necklace. Her name is Rose. She likes anything with roses on it.”

      “Oh!” Valerie pressed a hand over it and slipped it back beneath her collar.

      “Did you get it here in Royal?” Nita was always on the lookout for a birthday or Christmas gift.

      “Family heirloom.” She flashed them a forced smile. “You two enjoy your lunch.”

      “She’s an odd one,” Nita said after Valerie was gone. “I’ll bet she’s hiding something. Some juicy secret.”

      “What makes you say that?”

      “Everyone has

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