Thunder At Dawn

Chapter 1 Thunder Creek, Wyoming "Hold it right there, lady. Step away from the car. I happen to know it belongs to our sheriff--you're under arrest." Faith Barclay straightened from placing two sacks of groceries in the backseat of the silver Explorer and smiled at the man bearing down on her on Thunder Creek's main street. Her cousin Roy Hewett wore the same shit-eating grin on his face she'd seen a hundred times when they were kids--right after he'd slipped a frog down the back of her T-shirt or challenged her and her brothers to a race through the cemetery under a full moon. "Good to see you too, Roy--I think." She had to laugh as he scooped her into a bear hug, then swung her around in the air like she weighed no more than she had when she was ten. "Ty told me you'd be arriving today." He set her down on her feet and bussed her cheek. "Nice he could leave Josy's car at the airport for you to use while you're here, but too bad he and Josy were headed to New York right when you finally got your butt out here for a visit. Don't worry, though, big cousin Roy is here to keep an eye on you. You need anything, you know who to call." Faith laughed, shoving her windblown, toffee-colored curls out of her eyes and giving him a hug. She was touched by Roy's concern. And at the same time she fought down a twinge of irritation. What had her mom and brothers been telling him . . . telling everyone? Did half the town know she was "going through a rough spell," as her father so delicately put it? "Thanks for the thought, Roy, but I don't need a babysitter. I'm more than able to take care of myself." "You always have been, Faith. Hell, we know that." He gently tugged one of her curls. "Still . . . you're family. And me and Corinne are here for you." "How is Corinne? Excited about the baby?" Faith was more than happy to change the subject from herself to Roy's wife. He and Corinne had gotten married just over a year ago and now they were expecting their first child in March. Much more pleasant, she thought, to discuss babies and nurseries and small-town life than the train wreck of my own life. "Excited?" Roy smacked himself in the forehead. "She can't talk about anything else. Names. Girl names, boy names. Do I like Cassandra, she asks me. How about Viveca? If it's a boy, Roy Jr. and we'd call him RJ--or how about Caleb? I swear, she must have that book A Million and One Baby Names down cold." "So which ones do you like?" Faith asked. Roy threw up his hands. "Don't you start too. How about a cup of coffee? Bessie's Diner, right now. I'm buying. Then you should come on home with me--Corinne always has plenty for dinner. Might as well have a home-cooked meal your first night here--" "How about a rain check, Roy? I'm beat," Faith lied. She ignored the guilt snapping through her at her cousin's disappointed expression. "I'm worn out from the flight and the drive in from Casper." She spoke rapidly, apologetically. "I just want to get out to Blue Moon Mesa and settle in." That part, at least, was true. "Sure, but you gotta eat--" he began, and she interrupted him with a forced grin. "I've survived twenty-nine years without you or my brothers spoon-feeding me, Roy. I'm pretty sure I can survive a monthlong stay in Thunder Creek too." "But--" "Kiss Corinne for me. Tell her I'll come by and see her soon." Without giving him a chance to argue further, Faith gave him a quick hug and stepped up into the Explorer. "You always were a damned stubborn snip of a thing," Roy called as she put the SUV into gear and started forward. &quGregory, Jill is the author of 'Thunder At Dawn', published 2005 under ISBN 9780440241782 and ISBN 0440241782.