Own the Night by Debbi Rawlins Read Free Book Online Page A

me,” he said, catching her chin and bringing her face around to his. Eyes shaded with concern, he looked deep into hers before moving on to study her face. “You look pale.”
    “It’s nothing.” She jerked her chin away. “I’ve had a long day. It’s not easy getting from New York to Montana at the last minute.”
    “You were in a hurry?” He didn’t look concerned now, just appeared oddly invested in her answer.
    “I suppose you could say that.” She smiled wryly, wondering how her mother had reacted to the cryptic message she had left her. Alana had even gone so far as to tell her housekeeper and doorman she’d be in the Caribbean in case her mother contacted them. Eleanor would be at wit’s end by now, analyzing how she’d lost control of her daughter. “I’d prefer you call me Alana.”
    “All right.” His mouth curved slightly. “Noah is okay with me.”
    His stare was surprisingly captivating, and she forced herself to turn away before she made a fool of herself. God forbid she start acting like one of his groupies. She pushed the door open the rest of the way. Three steps over the threshold, she froze.
    The entire room consisted of two jail cells, each one furnished with nothing more than a cot and a toilet.

4
    W HEN SHE WOULDN ’ T MOVE , N OAH sidestepped her and unlocked the cell with the small barred window and the newer cot. He did feel a twinge of guilt for coldcocking her. For one thing, she might be innocent, a tourist in the wrong place at the wrong time, just as she’d claimed. If that proved to be the case, he’d still feel bad for the McAllisters. Rachel had worked hard to build the dude ranch business, and if news of this incident got out, people might not be so anxious to come to Blackfoot Falls.
    The other thing was, Alana really had looked pale a minute ago. But then if she was Sheriff Moran’s suspect and had been double-crossed by her partner, yeah, she might be feeling a little helpless and panicked.
    Or she was playing Noah like a fiddle. He couldn’t take that chance. He hadn’t had a lot of personal experience with grifters, but he’d heard plenty of stories. Most of them centered around a brazen act, something so crazy no one ever thought to question it. Like, say, turning to the town sheriff for help then waiting for the right moment to escape across the border.
    Either way, whether she was innocent or on the make, he had to deal with facts, which defied the likelihood that she’d been robbed in broad daylight in front of half a dozen cowboys who hadn’t seen a thing. True, the recent thefts had to be considered, but they fell into a different category, with a different M.O. The victimology was wrong.
    It could have been the varsity team, but they toed the line under the new coach. And then, too, someone could be yanking Noah’s chain because of all the attention he’d been getting from the Sundance female guests. Not Cole or Jesse. They knew better. But he wouldn’t put it past Trace to send someone like Alana into his office with some cockamamie story just to get a rise out of him.
    He stood back, holding the cell door open, and eyed the disbelief on her face. If she was faking her appalled reaction, she was a damn good actress, he’d give her that.
    “You’re kidding.” She slowly turned her head and regarded him, wide-eyed with shock. “Tell me you’re kidding.”
    “You’ll have clean sheets.”
    She covered her mouth with her hand, then quickly removed it and stiffened her spine. “I am not staying in that…that—” She shuddered. “Oh, my God. This is seriously, seriously insane. I’m already a victim and you want to further victimize me by sticking me in a jail cell?”
    “No, ma’am. The way I see it, I’m offering you a safe place to sleep.”
    She made a small, exasperated sound of distress.
    “The meals aren’t bad, either. Marge at the diner will bring over breakfast and supper.”
    “Okay,” Alana said with forced calmness,