Hannah Grace Read Online Free PDF

closer to nine."
    Her brow crinkled. She folded her hands and put them to her plump waistline. "If he is, he's underweight and sickly. You should probably take him to see Dr. Van Huff. He might need to check him over real good. There has to be some reason he won't talk. Maybe he's got no tongue."
    Gabe shot her a look that could only portray his disdain for her remark.
    "Well, a lack of a tongue would surely keep one from talking," she insisted.
    "He's got a tongue."
    "How do you know?"
    "He stuck it out at me last night in the hotel room,"

    "Oh."
    He groaned and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger at the first feelings of a headache. This was too much. He'd accepted the job as sheriff, not guardian to some homeless brat.
    Lord, forgive me for this attitude, he prayed silently. Tell me what to do.
    "I need to get him some clothes and boots, and he needs a bath. Who's that woman who works at Kane's Whatnot?" What he'd meant as mere thoughts came out of his mouth.
    "Depends on which one you're referring to. There are three of them."
    Three? He couldn't imagine three of that particular woman.
    He must have thrown her a questioning look. "Jacob Kane has three daughters. They all take turns working the store, but I'd say Hannah's there most often. Was Mr. Kane in the store?"
    "I didn't see any man about, just a tall, slender girl with red, wild curls on her head and a-"
    "Oh, that's Hannah Grace, all right. She's such a sweet thing. So pretty, too. 'Course, all those girls are lovely. I imagine Mr. Kane was over at his office. Besides running the store, he runs a little insurance business with Leo Perkins. You might have seen the placard across the road from the Whatnot-Kane and Perkins."
    "No," Gabe responded absently. He was still digesting the part about Hannah being sweet and pretty. Are we talking about the same woman? Oh, she was pretty, for sure, but sweet? Maybe if you poured a pint of maple syrup down her throat.

    "Well, I'll let you know if that tyke wakes up." Kitty started to turn, then paused. "I'm going out for some lunch soon, if you don't mind. I shouldn't be gone long. Is there anything I can get for you, Sheriff?"
    "No, I'll be fine, thanks. I'm just wading through some paperwork SheriffTate-uh, God rest his soul-left behind," He took another deep swig of the black brew in his mug and settled back in the leather chair with the squeaky roller, surveying the office that had belonged to Watson Tate just two weeks ago.
    Kitty's round, weathered face took on a faraway look. "Truth be told, that man should've retired long ago. If he had, he'd probably be out fishin' right now. He had a weak ticker, and word has it he had a couple other heart spells before this last one took him. He just wasn't one to give up or give in," She shook her head and walked to the door, then quickly turned and buoyed up her shoulders. `At least we got a young, spry one this time," She grinned, and Gabe thought he detected a dimple amidst the creases of her cheeks. "You should outlast us all,"
    "Well, we'll see about that. You have yourself a nice lunch now, Mrs. Oakes,"
    "Oh, merciful heavens! Call me Kitty, please."
    He nodded. "Fine, but only if you call me Gabe,"
    Her hand spread over her ample chest. "Oh, well, I guess I could do that," Pushing a lock of silver hair off her forehead, she held the door. "It'll seem odd, though. I never called Sheriff Tate by his first name.'Course, he was my elder. You're more like ...well, you could be my son, I s'pose."

    "Never. You don't look a day over thirty."
    Now, Kitty clamped a hand over her blushing face. "Oh, my soul and body! I can tell already you're just going to be the berries,"
    She was still giggling to herself when she closed the door behind her.
    Gabe folded his hands in his lap and leaned back, crossing his legs and propping his feet up on the marred desktop. Staring at the ceiling, he watched a spider weave its web in the corner above the