Maverick by Joan Hohl

Author:Joan Hohl
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2007-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Seven

A sound woke her before dawn. Shifting up onto one elbow, Bri glance around for the cause of the sound. It was Boyo, snuffling around on the ground.

“Hungry, boy?” she asked, grabbing her jacket before tossing back the bag’s cover. Shivering, she pulled on the jacket, then retrieved Boyo’s food and the oats for Chocolate. While the animals ate, she munched on a pack of peanut butter crackers between sips of water.

Within a half hour, Bri had everything together, Chocolate saddled and was on her way, once again trailing Boyo.

She made a brief stop around noon to give the animals as well as herself a break. Less than an hour later she was back on the trail. For the first part of their trek, they were following the stream upward. But slowly during the afternoon the ground leveled onto a fairly smooth plain. She let the horse pick her way through the trees and low brush while staying within sight of Boyo.

It was rough going. Once again, Bri stopped just past midafternoon. She was stiff and achy from being in the saddle so long. It felt wonderful just moving around on two legs.

After feeding the animals, Bri noticed Boyo beginning to roam. Certain he wouldn’t go far, she visited the bushes for personal business, then strolled toward the stream to wash up.

Her foot caught on a root protruding from the grassy patch edging the low slope to the stream and she stumbled. When she regained her balance and glanced up, what she saw stopped her dead in her tracks. A man stood on the other side of the stream. He had changed his hair color and was wearing glasses, but Bri recognized him at once. Jay Minnich. In his hand he held a rifle hanging next to his thigh. And he was looking straight at her.

Even at that distance she could see the sick intent in his eyes. She took two steps back. He took three steps into the water, raising the rifle to his shoulder.

Bri froze. A lump of fear closed her throat, preventing her from crying out, although who she would have cried for she didn’t know.

Yes, she did.

For Tanner. Where was he now, miles and miles away?

Barely breathing, Bri took another careful step back. His finger curled around the trigger. Shutting her eyes tight, she steeled herself for the impact of a bullet slamming into her body.

In that instant, not a bullet but another body slammed into her, knocking the breath completely out of her and sending the two of them to the ground. Her eyes flew open as the report from the rifle rang out and the zinging sound of a bullet whizzed overhead, a few feet above their bodies.

Tanner. She could have wept with relief, but her glance caught sight of his outstretched arm, a pistol grasped in his hand. He fired a shot, so close it sounded like a cannon blast to Bri. He gave a stern command to Boyo to stay.

Then he was up and splashing through the water.

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