Diamond Spur by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

was already coming back out the front door with his Winchester under one arm and Sheila raging behind him.
    "You'll end up in prison, I tell you!" she bellowed, her hair standing practically on end. "You can't go around
    solving problems with a loaded gun! Henry Tanner is an Easterner! He's just learning about the beef business! He needs a helping hand, not blazing guns!"
    He wasn't even listening. He was walking with the hard, measured stride that meant trouble, his hat at a dangerous angle over his eyes. Kate, leading Kip, intercepted him.
    "I won't listen, so save your breath, Kate," he said shortly.
    "I didn't say a word, Jason," she replied innocently.
    "Well, you needn't," he murmured. He stared at her. "You aren't going to try and talk me out of it?" "Not at all." She smiled pleasantly. "I've never been to visit anyone in jail before. It sounds exciting."
    "I won't go to jail."
    "If you shoot Mr. Tanner, you will."
    "I'm not going to shoot Mr. Tanner. I'm going to shoot his bull."
    "He'll sue you."
    "He's welcome, but his bull will still be dead."
    "Jason, you'll be arrested."
    "His bull is trespassing," he said. "Trespassing is against the law. I'm making a citizen's arrest, which his bull will resist. Resisting arrest is also against the law. I will pass sentence and enforce it with a bullet. And you and the boys can have a nice steak."
    She lifted her eyebrows. "It will be the most expensive steak you've ever served."
    He grinned. "Nothing's too good for my men." He tipped his hat pleasantly and walked past her. "You'll rot in prison!" Sheila was yelling from the front porch, her apron waving in the breeze. "Kate, for God's sake, stop him!"
    "Sure. Have you got another gun and some bullets?" Kate asked.
    Sheila threw up her hands and mumbled her way back into the house, slamming the door furiously. Kate mounted Kip with a heavy sigh and rode back down the driveway, pushing the incident in the field to the back of her mind until she had enough time to deal with it.
    She hoped Mr. Tanner had his bull insured. It was a pity he hadn't listened when Jason asked him not to put that bull next to heifers in heat with only a double strand barbed wire fence between. It was Tanner's fence, and Tanner was a retired department store manager who'd moved here from back East and decided to raise cattle in his retirement years. Jason had even offered to reinforce the fence and Mr. Tanner had refused to let him. Now he was going to pay the price.
    Kate began to whistle as she turned Kip down the road toward home. It would be rather interesting to taste a purebred black Angus bull with a hundred thousand dollar price tag. She hoped Sheriff Gomez would let Jason have a plate of it in his jail cell.
    Chapter Three
    Kate had just taken a taco casserole out of the oven and was putting the unmatched plates and cups and utensils on the supper table when her mother came in the door.
    "Something smells good," Mary Whittman sighed, as she kicked off her comfortable thick soled shoes at the door. "Heavens, I'm tired. I can't remember doing so many bundles in one day."
    "If you made production, you shouldn't complain," Kate grinned.
    "I made over a hundred percent, in fact," her mother replied, "so I expect I'll get a better check this week than last. By the way, Mr. Rogers stopped me on the way out and said for you to come in tomorrow."
    "Have they got some serging for me?" she asked.
    "They probably will have. We got some new cuts in today for the pants line. But what Mr. Rogers wants to see you about is those designs you left with him" Mary said, her green eyes twinkling. "He's been calling people all week to stop by and look at them. I think he's made a decision."
    Kate stopped breathing. "You think they might be interested in using one?"
    "Definitely. There's been a rumor about a new line of sportswear, and he loves your Indian designs, especially those bold turquoise colors you've used," Mary added. "It seems that one of the buyers found a