The Highlander Next Door Read Online Free PDF

shelter, since it’s also her job to help couples reconcile.”
    “Yeah, okay,” Jasmine said, striding off with another snap of her gum.
    “
Warden
Callahan?” Mac drawled.
    “The woman’s heart is in the right place.”
    “You’re defending her?” Duncan said in surprise. “Didn’t you tell me a few days ago that ye wanted to take the little termagant on a one-way boat ride up the fiord?”
    Titus set down his glass, his sharp green eyes lighting with interest. “Are we about to witness another infamous wife-stealing?” The old theurgist arched a regal brow. “You don’t believe three weeks is rather quick to decide a woman is
the one
, even for a MacKeage?”
    “The idea was to
leave
her there,” Niall said, taking a drink to hide his scowl.
    “So, Chief,” Titus continued with a chuckle, “is there a reason you’re still the sum total of our police force nearly two months after its inception?”
    “Aye,” Niall said with a grimace, even though he was glad for the change of subject. “To date my choice of applicants have been four boys barely weaned off their mamas, three men whose bellies are so big they likely haven’t seen their peckers in years, two gentlemen old enough to be my grandfather—one of whom told me he has a device planted inside him to remind his heart to beat—and one character I suspect only wanted the job because of our proximity to the border.”
    “What is so alluring about working near the border?” Titus asked.
    Niall shrugged. “If I had plans to move contraband between countries, I might feel that few people will question a man roaming the woods all hours of the night if he’s wearing a badge and gun.”
    Titus’s eyes lit up again. “That was an astute observation.” He looked at Duncan. “And you were astute as well, for seeing what a fine chief your ancestor would make.”
    Duncan dismissed the compliment with a tight grin and looked at Niall. “Didn’t any women apply for the positions?”
    “Three,” Niall snapped, not liking this subject any better.
    “And?”
    “And none of them appeared to be a good fit.”
    Duncan shook his head. “We explained that you have to seriously consider women applicants so they can’t sue us for discrimination.”
    “And I told you that I’m not putting a woman in harm’s way.” Niall took another drink to keep from growling, then lowered his glass with a glare. “I’d be spending more time watching her back than my own.”
    “You’ve met Trace Huntsman, haven’t you?” Mac interjected. “Married to Matt Gregor’s sister, Fiona.”
    “Aye,” Niall said with a nod. “Trace and Fiona and the twins often visited when I was living with Matt and Winter. I’ve even been down to Midnight Bay a couple of times and had the pleasure of hauling lobster traps on Trace’s boat.”
    “Then maybe you should ask him about putting females in harm’s way,” Mac went on. “Since Trace told me he preferred having women soldiers watching his back when he was fighting his war.” Mac’s grin widened when Niall started glaring at
him
. “Trace feels that because of their physical disadvantage, women are better at reading the subtle clues people—men in particular—give off, and can often disarm a situation before it turns deadly.”
    Niall looked at Nicholas, who, he noticed, appeared more interested in his ale than the conversation. “How many women are on
your
security force?”
    “Three at Nova Mare and four at Inglenook,” Nicholas said with a shrug. “I’ve found our women and younger guests seem to prefer dealing with female guards.”
    Niall decided it was time to change the subject again and turned his attention back to Duncan. “I still contend that thirty miles is too far apart for towns to be sharing a police force. Even at sixty miles an hour, which is pushing the limit of safety on that road, it can still take me thirty minutes to get on-scene.”
    “It beats waiting two or three hours for a county