Donovan is away someplace, but they expect him back any day. Both Boone and Spinner look out for her. She’s mighty fond of both of them and them of her. It’s almost like she’s got two extra fathers.”
“Do you know what her father does besides farm?”
“He sells something, I think. He doesn’t farm. That place hasn’t been farmed for a long time. Miss Annabel would like for it to be a real farm. Boone got her some chickens and a cow. She hasn’t had them long. She can’t even milk.”
“Have they hired you on to work there?”
“No. I’m putting in the garden. I’ve got to pay her back for taking care of me, and I’ve got to find the thieves who took my baseball and mitt. I’m not leaving here without getting them back.”
“I plan on staying here for a while. The doctor told me not to try making the long drive back to Fertile until my leg and my shoulder heal.”
“What happened to your leg?”
Corbin told the story once again about getting out of his car to relieve himself and being ambushed. He told about waking up in the cabin in the hills and learning that Boone had run off his attackers. Boone attended his wounds and several days later helped him get to the car to come to town.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that they would have killed me and taken the car. If they’d left me, I’d have bled to death. I owe Boone a lot. He’s a man of principle even if he doesn’t want anyone to know it.”
“He was gone for about a week. Annabel said he liked to go up into the hills and hunt. He came one day with a hunk of venison and some smoked fish. I had to show her how to cook the deer meat. Now Spinner has gone fishing. Spinner is the other man who works there. I thought it was strange that Boone hunted for that long.”
“They may have something to hide, Jack. I think it best if you didn’t ask them about their business or say anything about me ever being a police chief.”
“Why? I’m kinda proud to know a police chief.”
“Folks could get the wrong idea of why I’m here. Besides, I don’t like them knowing my business.”
“Not even Miss Annabel?”
“Boone knows, and I imagine he’s told her. But if it isn’t mentioned, there isn’t any explaining to do.”
Corbin watched Annabel come out of the store and stop on the walk to talk to the dapper little man who ran the drugstore. She was slender and poised and reminded him a lot of Julie Jones Johnson.
For the first time in a long while a woman interested him. He was looking forward to dinner.
Chapter 7
J ACK AND CORBIN GOT TO THEIR FEET when Annabel and Boone came up the steps to the hotel porch. Annabel had removed her hat and looked even younger and prettier than before. Her green eyes were sparkling, her lips smiling. Corbin could hardly tear his eyes away. When he did, he caught a frowning Boone watching him.
Determined not to let the surly man spoil his pleasure in being with this exciting girl, Corbin maneuvered the cane to his other hand and offered his free arm to Annabel.
“Shall we go in?”
“Corbin …” Jack spoke hesitantly, even as Annabel took Corbin’s arm. “I’m not dressed to go into a fancy place—”
“You’re dressed just fine. This place isn’t that fancy.”
After putting his hat on the hall tree beside the door, Corbin led them to a square table covered with a white cloth. He held the chair for Annabel. Boone dropped his cap on the floor under his chair.
“According to the posted bill of fare,” Corbin said, still standing, “they’re serving catfish and corn bread today. Also chicken pie with biscuit crust. Which do you prefer, Miss Donovan?”
“The chicken pie.” Corbin looked at Boone and Jack. They both nodded.
“Excuse me and I’ll ask that they serve us the chicken pie family-style.”
When Corbin left the table, Annabel watched him limp away. He was a tall man and lean yet muscular, with broad shoulders. He appeared to be confident, capable of handling himself
“Do you know what her father does besides farm?”
“He sells something, I think. He doesn’t farm. That place hasn’t been farmed for a long time. Miss Annabel would like for it to be a real farm. Boone got her some chickens and a cow. She hasn’t had them long. She can’t even milk.”
“Have they hired you on to work there?”
“No. I’m putting in the garden. I’ve got to pay her back for taking care of me, and I’ve got to find the thieves who took my baseball and mitt. I’m not leaving here without getting them back.”
“I plan on staying here for a while. The doctor told me not to try making the long drive back to Fertile until my leg and my shoulder heal.”
“What happened to your leg?”
Corbin told the story once again about getting out of his car to relieve himself and being ambushed. He told about waking up in the cabin in the hills and learning that Boone had run off his attackers. Boone attended his wounds and several days later helped him get to the car to come to town.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that they would have killed me and taken the car. If they’d left me, I’d have bled to death. I owe Boone a lot. He’s a man of principle even if he doesn’t want anyone to know it.”
“He was gone for about a week. Annabel said he liked to go up into the hills and hunt. He came one day with a hunk of venison and some smoked fish. I had to show her how to cook the deer meat. Now Spinner has gone fishing. Spinner is the other man who works there. I thought it was strange that Boone hunted for that long.”
“They may have something to hide, Jack. I think it best if you didn’t ask them about their business or say anything about me ever being a police chief.”
“Why? I’m kinda proud to know a police chief.”
“Folks could get the wrong idea of why I’m here. Besides, I don’t like them knowing my business.”
“Not even Miss Annabel?”
“Boone knows, and I imagine he’s told her. But if it isn’t mentioned, there isn’t any explaining to do.”
Corbin watched Annabel come out of the store and stop on the walk to talk to the dapper little man who ran the drugstore. She was slender and poised and reminded him a lot of Julie Jones Johnson.
For the first time in a long while a woman interested him. He was looking forward to dinner.
Chapter 7
J ACK AND CORBIN GOT TO THEIR FEET when Annabel and Boone came up the steps to the hotel porch. Annabel had removed her hat and looked even younger and prettier than before. Her green eyes were sparkling, her lips smiling. Corbin could hardly tear his eyes away. When he did, he caught a frowning Boone watching him.
Determined not to let the surly man spoil his pleasure in being with this exciting girl, Corbin maneuvered the cane to his other hand and offered his free arm to Annabel.
“Shall we go in?”
“Corbin …” Jack spoke hesitantly, even as Annabel took Corbin’s arm. “I’m not dressed to go into a fancy place—”
“You’re dressed just fine. This place isn’t that fancy.”
After putting his hat on the hall tree beside the door, Corbin led them to a square table covered with a white cloth. He held the chair for Annabel. Boone dropped his cap on the floor under his chair.
“According to the posted bill of fare,” Corbin said, still standing, “they’re serving catfish and corn bread today. Also chicken pie with biscuit crust. Which do you prefer, Miss Donovan?”
“The chicken pie.” Corbin looked at Boone and Jack. They both nodded.
“Excuse me and I’ll ask that they serve us the chicken pie family-style.”
When Corbin left the table, Annabel watched him limp away. He was a tall man and lean yet muscular, with broad shoulders. He appeared to be confident, capable of handling himself
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