Capturing The Marshal's Heart (Escape From Texas) Read Online Free PDF

glanced around, looking for an injured animal or a raggedly clothed child. Nothing. “Beg your pardon?”
    At the next business establishment, someone stepped through a doorway without looking and bumped into Jessimay, pushing her against him.
    Her soft breast nudged his forearm and, even through his jacket sleeve, his skin was scorched. Branded by the intimate contact. He gritted his teeth and breathed in quickly through his nose.
    “Oh, pardon me.”
    Slade glanced over Jazzy’s head and spotted Mrs. Harrington. Her voice was apologetic, until she spotted whom she’d bumped into.
    Jerking up her chin, she sniffed loudly. “Oh, it’s you. About time someone arrived with our bags.” She reached for hers and pulled.
    Slade broke contact with Jessimay and juggled the bags as best as he could against her insistent tugging. “I’ll be glad to carry these into the boarding house, ma’am.”
    “But I need mine right away. I simply must have a change of clothing before supper.”
    Irritation at this bossy woman stiffened his hold. He strode over the threshold and dumped the bags at the foot of an iron coat rack.
    “Careful. I’ve got delicates packed in there.” Mrs. Harrington swooped down on the pile and pried free her bags.
    From the corner of the room, Miss Whitfield and Miss Torrance moved forward and claimed their satchels. “Thank you, sir.”
    Slade touched the brim of his hat. “Ladies.”
    A tall, smiling woman approached, drying her hands on her apron. “I’m Ella. Welcome to my establishment. Supper is ready whenever you are—beef stew, fresh bread and apple cobbler. You’ll be wanting separate rooms?”
    Miss Torrance lifted a hand and waved it. “I wish to rent my own room.”
    “No,” Mrs. Harrington spoke up, her hand moving between herself and the quiet woman. “Miss Whitfield and I wish to share a room. Safety in numbers, you know.”
    Jazzy shook her head, curls bobbing around her face. “What’s the fun there?”
    Astonished faces turned to stare at the woman whose eyes had widened and whose face had blushed pink.
    Slade gulped back a laugh. Her outlook on life constantly surprised him. As did the way she apparently spoke aloud whatever popped into her mind.
    “Oh!” Jessimay’s hand covered her mouth and she gazed at the circle of people around her. She dropped her hand to her side and grabbed a handful of skirt. “I meant to say there’d be no fun in sharing with me because I snore so horribly. A trait passed down by my dear departed papa. Louder than a hornet’s nest—” she bobbed her head, “—and a wet hornet’s nest at that. Mama always did say that about me.”
    Suspicion raised the hair on his neck. She was lying. Including too many details in an explanation was a surefire tell.
    With quick movements of her hands, Ella waved them forward. “So, that’s four rooms. Follow me.”
    Slade allowed the ladies to go first and then he scooped up his bag, making sure he lagged behind the group. He was very interested in learning which room the fascinating Miss Morgan was given. A few minutes looking through her belongings would be time well spent. If he could arrest her tonight, this investigation would end, and he’d be free to get on with the rest of his life. Alone, and back home on his small ranch in the Rocky Mountains.
    On the second floor landing, he leaned against the newel post and watched Ella show the rooms to the ladies, pointing out the advantages of each. Finally, the two ladies settled on the east room at the end of the hall away from the street, at Mrs. Harrington’s insistence.
    The quietest woman, Miss Torrance, disappeared into the room at the end on the west side.
    Jessimay stood with her hand on the knob to the middle room to the right of the stairs. Her gaze rested on him and didn’t waver.
    Something in her eyes beckoned him, and he stepped closer. “Do you need help, Miss Morgan?”
    She tilted her head and tapped a finger at the corner of her