Badge and a Saddle (Heroes in the Saddle Book 2) by Randi Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B

and sat on the
chair next to Mina’s. “Looks like I’ll be your company tonight, Miss Mina.”
    Treven snorted.
“That’s Doctor Mina, redneck.” He held out his hand toward Delta. “Come
on, wife. Let’s get you home so I can finish the chores before comin’ back for
my graveyard shift.” His eyes went wide. “That didn’t come out too good, did
it?”
    Delta strolled
over to him and down the steps. “You have such a clever way with words.”
    They laughed, but
Mina caught Rex’s stare. It could be a graveyard for all of them if just one
slipup occurred. One overheard conversation at the police station. One person
trusting the wrong coworker. She blinked and looked away. She was putting all
these people in jeopardy.
    “Why the frown,
hun?” Clint set his booted ankle on his knee and rocked back in his chair. “You’ve
got me here to protect you, and while I’m at it, I’ll keep an eye on Rex and
Ben too.” He laughed at his own joke.
    “Don’t need that,
son.” Bennet’s voice came from behind them. “But, thanks.”
    Mina jerked around
and spotted him just inside the screen door. Sneaky fellow. Had he heard her
and Delta talking about Rex?
    “Stay safe.” Delta
and Treven left, and Rex came up the steps.
    “I’m gonna lay out
the ammo.” Rex walked into the house.
    Clint stood,
blessedly serious, finally. “I’ll bring in my arsenal.”
    What would Rex say
if she asked him to show her how to shoot a gun?
    ****
    Hours later, Rex patted
his full stomach. Mina was good in the kitchen. Really good. Clint had gone out
of his way to compliment her, but Rex could see that the doctor wasn’t falling
for the other man’s bad boy charm.
    Rex had spent the
afternoon cleaning, loading, and positioning weapons at points around the house,
with spare ammo close by. Clint and Bennet helped, but spent more time arguing
over the best manufacturer of pistols, rifles, and shotguns than working on
them.
    Mina asked if she
could try shooting a gun, but Bennet and Rex had talked her out of it. They
were well covered with Rex and Bennet’s lawman skills, and Clint was a deadeye
trap shooter. After that, she had paced until Bennet politely suggested she get
her mind off things by cooking up something for supper.
    The white kitchen
walls turned a soft orange as the sun hugged the horizon.
    “Miss Mina.” Clint
stood. “Would you care to go for a stroll?”
    “No.” The word
shot out of Rex like hot lead out of a forty-five.
    Everyone looked at
him, frozen in place.
    “Too dangerous.”
He grabbed his plate and Mina’s and walked to the dishwasher.
    “Probably right.”
Bennet worked a toothpick through his teeth. “Maybe you two should go on into
the parlor and work on that jigsaw puzzle that’s been half-finished for a
month.”
    A fork slipped out
of Rex’s hand and hit the floor. He picked it up, frustrated with himself for
catering to his emotions instead of adhering to the cold details of this case.
    The sound of a
chair pushing back from the table grated on his nerves. He needed to focus, or
things would start slipping. He needed to be on point.
    “Mina.” Clint
helped her with an elbow on her arm. “It’d be my pleasure to give the ol’
jigsaw puzzle a spin with you.”
    She laughed
softly. “Rex? Bennet? Would you like to join us?”
    Rex shook his
head. “I’m gonna take a look around, check on things.”
    “I’ll go with
him.” Bennet stood and balanced on his walker.
    “Suit yourselves.”
Clint led Mina to the small room off the far side of the living room, where
Bennet entertained visitors of the female persuasion.
    “Leave the
dishes.” Bennet stuck a pistol in the holster on his walker and made tracks out
the screen door, across the porch, and down the long ramp that covered half the
width of the steps.
    Rex picked up a
rifle and jogged to catch up. “What’s your hurry?”
    “Son, if you like
the pretty doctor, why don’t you do something about it?” Bennet stopped in