Conard County--Murderous Intent by Rachel Lee

Author:Rachel Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-02-06T14:15:06+00:00

Chapter Eight

Four of Josh’s soldiers appeared at the lodge in about twenty minutes. Three men and a woman who looked as if she could carry any load the guys could. The tromp of their booted feet, in cadence, had brought Krystal and Josh from Joan’s office.

The room fell silent, staring in amazement at this unexpected invasion. None of the four carried guns, Krystal noted, but the potential threat was hardly less visible as they stood there in a straight line, at attention, in their camo clothing and ponchos.

One spoke. “Reporting for duty, Colonel.”

Josh answered, “Thanks, Angus. I appreciate you all volunteering.” Then he looked around at a room that had gone from stunned to whispering. “These soldiers are here to protect you. Even from yourselves. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to make it difficult for them to provide that protection.”

Joan emerged from the kitchen with Donna Carstairs, her chief cook. “Josh? Okay to offer coffee and food to your soldiers?”

“After today, I’m sure they’d be grateful. At ease, troops.”

At once the four soldiers broke from formation and scattered around the room. The effect was to make them appear less of a threat. Yet people remained wary and startled by their arrival.

Krystal, for her part, was grateful that Mason Cambridge couldn’t be here. She could just imagine the story he’d weave around the presence of the soldiers.

But people started to talk. Started to hear that these soldiers, so long hidden behind stockade walls, had emerged to protect them all.

Moods gradually became friendlier.

And some of that ugly talk faded away.

Except, of course, the inevitable wondering about whether a murderer was in this room right now. People kept looking around, aware that a threat could be standing only a few feet away.

Soldiers or not, the situation was explosive.

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