Missy Meets the Marshal (Lone Star Love Book 2) by Amelia Smarts Read Free Book Online Page B

settled her daughter into his arms. The baby stared and him and made babbling noises while waving her tiny fists in the air. Anna smiled. "You're a natural, Marshal."
    "Believe it or not, this is the second time today I've held a baby girl about this age. I've got a story for you both, which I trust won't leave this room. I need your help. Especially yours, Anna."
    # # #
    Anna and Carter stared at Grover with similar stunned expressions. Carter rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me get this straight. You want to marry a bank robber after forging papers that give her a new identity."
    "I know it sounds crazy," Grover said.
    "Crazy? It sure is that, but crazy isn't the first word I'd use. It's criminal. What spell has this woman cast on you?"
    "Tell me you wouldn't have done the same for Anna," Grover countered. "Or Nalin," he added. Nalin was Carter's deceased first wife, Paddy's mother.
    "Oh, for Pete's sake, Grover. It doesn't compare. Nalin wouldn't have broken the law. She feared it." A mournful affection crossed Carter's face briefly, as it always did when he spoke of Nalin. "Anna here, well," Carter glanced at her and smiled slightly, "Anna would worry about who would get hurt if she stole money from the bank. She'd think about the bankers' families."
    Anna poured coffee into two mugs. "I think it's admirable, what the marshal wants to do. The poor girl sounds like she got stuck with the wrong man. She didn't end up with any of the money, so she's not a real bank robber." Anna handed Grover his mug of coffee and scooped her daughter out of his arms. "I want to help you, Grover. What do you need?"
    "Hold it right there, missus," Carter said. "You're not getting involved in this."
    Grover held up a hand. "Hear me out, Carter. I only want Anna's bible. Nothing else."
    Anna cocked her head. "My bible? What for?"
    "Do you have it? I'll show you." Grover took a sip of coffee.
    She scrunched her eyebrows together. "I'm sure it's here somewhere. I'll put the baby to bed and look for it in the bedroom." She walked to the room carrying her daughter and returned holding the bible and leading Paddy.
    "Has it been fifteen minutes, Pa?" Paddy asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.
    Carter glanced at a clock on the wall opposite him. "Close enough, son. But find something to do out here that doesn't involve wobbling your jaw."
    Anna handed Grover the dusty bible. He opened it to the first page and smiled. "This is perfect. See? I knew you were from Maryland, and your parents bought this for you when you were young, as good Christian parents do. It has a Maryland address printed on it."
    Carter frowned at him. "So?"
    "So I want Missy's story to be that she came as my mail-order bride from some other state. Maryland is as good a place as any. She can use this bible as proof. We can even draw out a fake family tree in the back pages like people do. Understand?"
    Carter took a drink of the coffee Anna served him. "I understand your brain's been flogged to mush by a pretty piece of calico. That's what I understand."
    "No it hasn't. It's a good idea," Anna said. "You can have my bible, Grover. Heaven knows I never read it."
    "Anna," Carter said loudly, setting his mug down next to his pipe on the table. "You don't get to make decisions like this without your husband's permission."
    Anna's cheeks took on a light pink color. "Don't bellow at me, Carter."
    "I hardly bellowed at you. You haven't heard bellowing yet today, but I promise you will if I hear much more of this nonsense."
    Grover observed them glaring at each other. He pulled at his collar, feeling warm and uncomfortable. "Look, I don't want to cause disharmony between you two. I won't take the bible if it's that much of an issue."
    "No, Marshal. Take it," Anna said firmly. "Carter will come to agreement. Plus we owe you. Don't we, Carter?" She shot him a meaningful look.
    That look referred to three years ago when Carter dragged one of his ranch hands to the marshal's jail. The man had