Bodine's Bounty [Harlequin Historical #872]

Northern California 1882His shoulder ached where the bullet had gone through almost two weeks ago. Bodine cursed silently, leaning heavily against the livery wall and keeping his eyes trained on the Silver Lady Saloon. He rubbed the sore spot some, but bitter cold nights had a way of settling into the injury. After ten solid days he still felt the sting. And not just from the gunshot, but also from his brother being killed by Rusty Metcalf, the bounty he''d been dogging for the past two months. The murdering outlaw knew Bodine was after him. Rusty had come upon Bodine''s twin, Josh, mistaken him for Bodine, and shot Josh in cold blood right in front of a mercantile. Now because of a bum shoulder still healing, Bodine couldn''t chase Metcalf no matter how badly he wanted revenge. Plus, there was the matter of a favor owed. He was stuck chasing down the granddaughter of Mrs. Eloisa Rourke, the wealthiest woman in the Northern California territory.It seemed that young Emma Marie Rourke had run away from home. The girl was on a mission to find her pa, an outlaw at that. Until she''d exhausted all of her options, no amount of persuading her home would do.Eloisa Rourke''s words vibrated in Bodine''s ears like thundering hooves over a quiet prairie. "She''s to be married in six weeks. I want her back safe. Unharmed and untouched."She''d put the emphasis on the last part and Bodine got her message real clear. He''d yet to see the girl up close, but judging from the tintype he''d been given and the enormous oil rendering on Mrs. Rourke''s parlor wall, Bodine figured she''d be no such temptation.A refusal had lain like soured milk on his tongue, waiting to be spit out. But Mrs. Rourke''s offer of one thousand dollars, plus expenses incurred, wasn''t something Bodine could turn down. The money would go a long way in helping him settle down with Josh''s widow and new baby. Plus his injury had put him out of commission for a time. He couldn''t chase down a wicked outlaw like Metcalf until he fully healed.He shivered as much from the thought of settling down with any one woman, much less a ready-made family. But he''d promised. Bodine had never backed out of a promise, especially not one he''d made to the brother who''d taken a bullet meant for him. He''d spoken a solemn vow to Josh the day he took his last breath. Now he was honor-bound to marry his brother''s widow and raise his child. "Hell," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder again while he watched the saloon. He''d tracked Emma Rourke to River Junction, fifty miles north of Fresno, three days ago, watching her from a distance as she moved through town. She''d venture from her hotel late in the day to enter the saloon, keeping her woolen coat collar up high on her face to block the cold. That helped her conceal her identity, as well.Miss Emma Marie Rourke had been serving drinks these past few days. Bodine had trouble figuring that, since the young heiress stood to inherit the Rourke money one day. The wisp of a girl had no damn business traipsing through strange towns on her own, much less providing whiskey to thirsty cowboys on cold winter nights.He puffed on his cheroot and hunkered down into his slicker, perturbed by his run of bad luck lately.November winds kicked up mightily and Bodine lifted his collar. Muttering an oath, he tossed his cheroot and within a second, the icy ground had extinguished the flame. He watched and continued to wait as the saloon emptied out.It was after midnight. No stars lit the sky and the biting chill in the air froze whatever body parts he hadn''t covered. When Emma didn''t come out, Bodine crossed the street.He didn''t like it. He didn''t trust Red Hurley, the owner of the Silver Lady. Bodine could tell he was as mean as they came. But he''d watched and waited for a good part of the week and, up until now, nothing seemed amiss with Emma.Bodine stood just outside the Silver Lady, opening the door an inch, listening."Mr. Hurley," Emma said witSands, Charlene is the author of 'Bodine's Bounty [Harlequin Historical #872]', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373294725 and ISBN 0373294727.