Finally Home Read Online Free PDF

open and banged against the wall.
    She spun around just as Sophie Jaegar stepped into the doorway. The girl held a Winchester in both hands.
    â€œSoph!” Casie gasped.
    â€œWhat the hell!” Colt snarled, but just then Emily rushed up, breath wheezing as she careened to a halt.
    â€œWhat’s—” Emily began, then gasped as her attention dropped to Colt. He was just pushing up from one knee to curl his hand around the rifle barrel and shift it aside.
    â€œHey!” Sophie said, perfect face marred by a scowl of thunderous proportions.
    â€œHey what?” Colt asked, signature grin noticeably absent. “What the devil do you think you’re doing?”
    For a moment Sophie almost looked chagrined, but then she shifted her gaze from Colt to Casie and back again. “What are you doing?”
    â€œWell, I’m not threatening your life,” he said, still holding the rifle.
    â€œI’m not—” Sophie began, then paused. Her scowl darkened even further, but she cleared her throat. “I thought you were someone else.”
    â€œSomeone else!” Casie’s voice sounded squeaky to her own ears. And her knees felt weak again, but maybe for different reasons. “Like who?” she asked, but Emily took that opportunity to jump into the conversation.
    â€œMr. Dickenson, were you going to—”
    â€œGive me that!” Colt demanded and tugged the rifle from Sophie’s hands.
    She glowered but released it. “I thought you were burglars.”
    â€œBurglars?” Emily said, and tearing her gaze from Colt, glanced around the bunkhouse. “What would they burgle?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Sophie said. She looked a little embarrassed and a lot angry. Far be it from Sophie Jaegar to come out of any situation looking less than in control. “There’s been that rash of robberies in town. Kids stealing copper from old buildings and . . . I was worried about the horses.”
    â€œIn the bunkhouse?” Emily asked.
    â€œMaybe that bastard’s still after Freedom,” she said, referring to the mare they had rescued a few months before.
    â€œHe’s in jail,” Emily reminded her.
    â€œMaybe he broke out.”
    â€œHe didn’t break—” Emily began, then drew a deep breath, forced a smile, and aimed it with deadly accuracy at Casie. “Hey,” she said and grabbed Sophie’s arm in a tight grip. “Listen, I’m sorry we interrupted . . .” She glanced at Colt. “. . . whatever you were doing. We’re just going to . . .” She took a step backward, dragging the other girl with her. “Soph’s going to finish up chores while I—”
    â€œI already finished—Ouch!” Sophie said and tried to snatch her arm out of the other girl’s grasp, but when Emily Kane set her mind to something, there wasn’t much short of the apocalypse that could change her course.
    â€œThen you can help me with supper,” she said, ghoulish smile still pasted in place. “It’s not quite ready, by the way. So just . . .” They goose-stepped backward in tandem. “Just take your time doing . . .” She waved. “Whatever.” The door closed firmly behind them, all but reverberating on its hinges.
    The bunkhouse dropped into silence.
    â€œWhat was that about?” Casie asked.
    â€œParanoia?” Colt guessed and shelled out the Winchester’s bullets.
    â€œYeah. Sophie’s always worried about the horses.”
    He set the rifle aside, butt end on the floor, as he settled his shoulders against the wall. “I meant you .”
    â€œWhat?”
    He exhaled carefully, eyes narrowed, saying nothing for a moment, but finally he spoke, voice low, expression somber. “I’m not Bradley, Case.”
    â€œI know that, but . . .” She shook her head and shrugged.
    â€œBut what?”
    â€œI can’t . . .” She