Brazen by Bobbi Smith Read Free Book Online

didn't know if he would be any help,
but the ride would give him a chance to see more of the
Circle D.
    "You be careful out there," Elizabeth cautioned.
    "We will be," Michael assured her. He had gotten his
six-gun out of the gun case the night before and made
sure it was cleaned and ready for action. He would be
strapping it on again when they rode out. He planned to
be ready in case of trouble.
    "Are you good with a gun, Nick?" Elizabeth asked,
knowing he'd led a sheltered life in Philadelphia
    "No, but I'd like to learn, if Michael has time to teach
me."
    "I can do that. You're going to need a change of clothes
if you're riding out with me," Michael said.
    "You don't think I should wear my suit?" Nick asked
with a grin.
    "Not hardly. Not where we're going."
    "Let me see what I can find for you," Elizabeth offered,
excusing herself while they finished eating.
    "I just hope I can find something there that will help us
track down the gunman. There's only one neighbor Pa
had any ongoing trouble with, but there's never been any bloodshed between us, and Turner had an alibi for the
day.,,

    "Turner?" Nick recognized the name. "As in Casey
Turner, the girl in town?"
    "She's his daughter," Michael answered flatly.
    "That explains it."
    "Explains what?"
    "The way you reacted to her."
    Michael was glad his mother returned just then with
the clothes. He didn't want to get into a discussion about
Casey.
    Nick went upstairs to his room to change.
    "Well, what do you think?" Nick asked when he came
back down.
    Michael and Elizabeth were both startled by the complete change in him. Nick no longer looked the dandy.
In the denim pants, workshirt and boots, he could easily
have passed for a regular ranch hand.
    "You look like you belong here now," Michael told him.
    "You think so?"
    "Yep. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were born and
raised in Texas."
    Michael went to the gun case, got out another gun belt
and handed it to Nick. "Here. I hope we don't need you
to use it, but just in case."
    Nick strapped the gun belt on as Michael buckled his,
too, then got his hat.
    "All you need is a Stetson," Elizabeth said to her
nephew, and she handed him a hat.

    "Thanks, Aunt Elizabeth." Nick put it on as they left the
house.
    Tom was waiting out front with horses for them.
    "Who's this stranger? I haven't seen this cowboy around
these parts before." Tom grinned at Nick, surprised and
impressed by the change in him. Michael had brought his
cousin out to the bunkhouse the night before to meet all
the ranch hands.
    "He's just some hand I found wandering around in
town," Michael joked. "I hired him on."
    "We can always use good help," Tom said, winking as
they mounted up.
    "We'll be back," Michael promised his mother.
    The three men headed for the scene of the ambush.
    "What exactly should I be looking for?" Nick asked.
    "Anything that will help us find out who shot Pa."
    "Is there any way we can be sure that it wasn't just a
random act by someone passing through?"
    "No. We can't be sure of anything right now, except
that I'm not going to give up no matter how long it takes."
    Nick studied the Texas countryside with interest as they
rode on across the seemingly endless miles. Mesquite
trees, Johnson grass and prickly pear cactus dominated
the landscape, and in the distance a butte rose up against
the horizon.
    Tom finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "So, Nick,
what do you think of the Circle D?"
    "It's big." Nick was impressed by the size of the spread.
"I think the Circle D is probably as big as a few of the
states back in New England."

    "I think you're right," Tom laughed.
    "It is one of the largest ranches in this part of the state,"
Michael added proudly.
    "Uncle Frank's done a wonderful job here. Why did you
leave?" Nick asked, glancing at his cousin. He had noticed how Michael had begun to change the minute
they'd arrived at the ranch. He had returned to his old
ranching ways almost