Lee (The Landon Saga Book 6) Read Online Free PDF

there. It was hard to tell, but I guessed her to be in her early thirties.
    As for the child, she was probably around nine or ten. She had long blond hair, and she also had the cutest face I had ever seen.
    Her round, blue eyes stared straight into mine. It was a piercing look, and I couldn’t help but stare back.
    They were both clean and well groomed, but their clothes were worn, and they were very slim. I knew at first glance that they had very little money.
    I was startled, and several awkward seconds passed before I cleared my throat.
    “You wanted to see me, ma’am?”
    The woman spoke with a clear, distinguished voice. She sounded tired but also proud.
    “You are Lee Mattingly,” she said, and it sounded more like a statement than a question.
    “That’s me.”
    “I am April Gibson, and this is my daughter June.”
    “Where’s May?” I made a weak attempt at humor.
    “She died last month.”
    My face turned somber.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t feel bad. You didn’t know,” she said.  
    I nodded and looked at June, and she was still staring at me through round and very solemn eyes. I swallowed and looked back at April Gibson.
    “Do I know you, ma’am?”
    “No, we’ve never met,” she said. “But of course, I know who you are.”
    I smiled and nodded, and then a thoughtful look crossed my face as I studied her.
    “You do look sorta familiar.”
    “You might have seen me in Midway. That’s where we’re from.”
    “And you rode the stage all the way here?”
    “Yes, we just arrived a while ago.”
    I nodded, and it was silent for several long seconds.
    “So, what can I do for you, ma’am?” I finally asked.
    “I need a job. I was hoping you would give me one.”
    “To do what?” I asked, confused.
    “I can wash dishes, mop floors, do laundry, clean the rooms; anything,” she said. It was silent, and she added sternly, “Almost anything.”
    I smiled faintly.
    “I don’t mean to intrude, but where’s your husband?”
    “He’s dead,” she said, and her voice shook a little.
    “Oh?” I asked, startled. “What happened to him?”
    “My husband was a shotgun rider for the stage line in Midway,” she explained. “He was killed last year when Cliff Curtis and his men held up the stage. Yancy Landon told me later that it was Stew Baine that actually shot him.”
    I nodded thoughtfully as I remember back.
    “Your husband was Sam Gibson.”
    “That’s right.”
    “I wasn’t there, but I heard about it,” I said. “Stew also killed the driver.”
    April didn’t say anything. Instead her face turned soft and sad with the memory of an old pain.
    “But I was there-,” I tried to be helpful, “-when Stew Baine was killed.”
    April didn’t say anything. Instead, she just nodded.
    “So, what made you leave Midway?” I prodded for more information.
    “After Sam was killed, Yancy helped me find odd jobs around town,” she said. “It was tough going, but we made it.”
    “That’s sounds like Yancy.”
    “But then May got sick and died last month-,” April paused as tears came to her eyes, “-and we just couldn’t stay there anymore. I sold our house, got on the stage, and came here.”
    “And why did you choose this town?”
    “Yancy and Cooper were real nice to me, and they helped me a lot,” she said. “I knew their cousin Rondo was here, and I had hoped that he would be able to find me some work. But he’s not here, and then I heard that you owned this hotel.”
    I nodded slowly as I thought on that.
    “You’d be the only woman employee,” I warned.
    “I’m fine with that.”
    I scratched my jaw. It was very silent, and April’s face remained emotionless.
    June was still staring at me, and I made the mistake of looking at her. Her piercing eyes made me fidgety.
    “All right,” I said as I looked back at April. “See Brian Clark when he gets back. He’ll find you something to do.”
    A small smile appeared on her face, but it disappeared just as