LITMIR.BIZ

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path made by wagon deliveries. His friend’s new home was about 90 percent complete and promised to be a stunning testament to Will’s success. The front facade was designed to impress. Thick white columns supported a rounded rotunda high above. Arched windows lined the bottom floor, while the second-floor windows were rectangular in shape. Behind the columns and above the front entryway was a stone balcony. Open porches flanked both ends of the central structure.

      The sounds of hammers and men calling to each other greeted him. The newlywed couple, who’d spent their first few days as husband and wife on the trail of outlaws, had decided to move in before the house was complete. Noah didn’t blame them. A hotel suite wasn’t the place to begin their new life together.

      Still, the constant activity had to be irksome at times.

      When no one answered his summons, he stalked around the perimeter to where workmen were busy attaching pale-hued brick to the rear wall. Scaffolding covered the entire structure like a wooden spine. Behind the house, the lush, tree-dotted lot backed up to the church, its spire reaching for the blue expanse above.

      Noah scanned the milling workers. They cast wary glances at him and Wolf. Ignoring them, he spotted his quarry standing apart from the activity. Slightly taller than the other men, Will tended to be the finest-dressed gentleman around, his short brown hair covered by a smart derby hat. The silver-handled cane he was rarely without had been imported from Italy and was rumored to contain either a hidden blade or gun. Will had injured his leg in the same battle Noah had suffered his accident. He’d come close to being forced to having it amputated. Ignoring the doctor’s warnings, Will had chosen to forego surgery and wait and see if the wound healed. The risk had paid off. With the cane, his limp was hardly noticeable.

      Skirting a platform of bricks, Noah picked his way through the construction site. Will was in deep conversation with Gideon Kendricks, the Union Pacific’s representative, in town to sell railroad stocks.

      Gideon noticed his advance first and lifted his hand in a wave. Like Noah, the man hadn’t changed out of his trail-dusted gear following their unsuccessful search. Will, on the other hand, had taken the time to clean up.

      “Noah.” Will’s smile was rueful, but his brown eyes lacked contrition. “I’ve been expecting you.” He nodded at Noah’s companion. “Good day, Wolf.”

      His forehead pounded. “I would’ve been here sooner, but there was a complication.”

      Will looked intrigued. “What sort of complication?”

      Noah cut his gaze toward Gideon. While he’d grown to like the newcomer, he didn’t want to air his business in front of him. “I think you’ll agree it’s a private matter.”

      Gideon smoothed a hand over his dirty-blond locks. “I’ll take my leave.”

      “Wait.” Will put a hand up. “Before you do, I believe Noah would be interested in hearing the latest news.”

      “What’s that?”

      “We’ve had word that Cowboy Creek is being considered for the county seat. A Webster County representative is coming to tour the town before deciding if we’ll be in the running.”

      Gideon let loose a low whistle. “Sure would be a boon for your town.”

      “The temporary seat is in Ellsworth,” Noah said, distracted from his purpose. “You know as well as I do they have the advantage.”

      “Their population has stalled in recent years.” Will rested his weight on the silver handle. “Now that we’re a prime destination for drovers and their longhorns, we’re poised to expand our numbers significantly. If we’re chosen, think of the tax benefits.”

      “A courthouse would be built here,” Gideon added.

      “What about crime? If the rep learns of our recent mishaps and our failure to discover the perpetrators, he’ll move on to another terminus town.”

      “You’re the new sheriff. Surely between you, Daniel and I, we can figure this out.”

      “I’ll be glad to assist, as well.” Gideon’s gray eyes were serious.

      “I never did thank you for joining the posse,” Noah told him. Gideon wasn’t a permanent resident and, as far as he knew, had no plans to become one. His loyalty was to himself and his employer, but he’d volunteered to help in their time of need.

      The gentleman lifted a shoulder. “I don’t like seeing good, honest people robbed of their money. I’m just sorry we didn’t catch up to the scoundrels.”

      A sigh gusted out of Noah. “I hate to admit it, but I’m afraid they’ll come back for more.”

      “If that’s the case, I hope to be here when they do. They won’t be so fortunate next time.” Extending his hand, Gideon said, “I’ll leave you both to your private discussion.” A smile flashed as he shook their hands.

      Noah remained silent until he was out of earshot.

      Will lifted his cane toward the trees and grassy knolls. “Let’s walk.”

      “Good idea, Captain,” Noah quipped, deliberately meaning to irk the other man. Will hated any and all references to the war, refused to discuss the battle that had left him with a permanent limp. “Wouldn’t want your employees to witness what’s coming to you.”

      He grimaced but didn’t voice his displeasure. “Simon told me about your mail-order bride and her daughters. To my credit, I didn’t know about the children. Mrs. Miller didn’t mention them in her letters. What do you think of her? Is she acceptable in the looks department? I’ve heard some ladies have the tendency to embellish facts.”

      Noah took his attention off the ground and glared at his friend. “How could you do it, Will? I told the two of you that I wasn’t interested. I came home this afternoon and almost blasted the woman with my weapon!”

      Will stopped and studied Noah with a smirk. “Not the best way to welcome a lady into your home, Noah.”

      “I want her gone.”

      The church bell chimed the six-o’clock hour. The clanging startled the meadowlarks in the slender oak nearest them. He watched them take flight.

      “We simply wanted you to have what we have. Now that Daniel and I have found love, we don’t want you to be alone.”

      “You don’t see how arrogant that is?” His hand sliced the air. “To think you could pluck a random female from a mail-order-bride catalog and I would automatically fall in love with her?”

      “Perhaps love was a poor choice of words. You could do with companionship though, Noah.” Will’s dark brown eyes were earnest. “The reason we took matters into our own hands is you’re too stubborn to admit you’re lonely. You don’t want to end up like Gus and Old Horace, do you?”

      He rolled his eyes at the mention of the town busybodies, who spent most every warm day with their bottoms glued to the mercantile’s porch chairs, scrutinizing the townsfolk’s comings and goings.

      “If I do, that’s my business. Not yours.” Absent-mindedly exploring the uneven texture of his neck with his fingertips, he scuffed the ground with his boot heel.

      Will plunged his fingers into his hair, an unusual show of impatience. “This preoccupation you have with your disfigurement is exasperating, you know that? So you’re not perfect. So what? Neither am I.” He motioned up and down his bum leg. “No one is. Sure, some women might be put off. Vain, shallow women. But there are some who wouldn’t give it a second thought.”

      A multitude of emotions boiled inside him. Will clearly wasn’t going to admit he was wrong. Spinning on his heel, Noah stalked in the direction they’d come, leaving the other man to gape after him.

      “Noah! Hold on!”

      Not slowing, he pressed his lips together, afraid to speak. Afraid he’d utter something foul

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