Skye by Linda Lael Miller

Author:Linda Lael Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2001-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

“He’s gone,” Orville Hayes whined, twisting his hat in his hands as he stood blinking his rheumy eyes in the dazzling sunlight outside Jake’s office. “Mr. Vigil, that fine stallion of yours is just plain gone. Somebody stolt him.”

Jake resisted an urge to grasp the old man by the lapels and wrench him onto the balls of his feet. “What?” he demanded, even though he’d heard Orville’s words all too clearly. “Where the devil were you when this happened?”

Orville swallowed visibly and crumpled the hat still further in his nervousness. “I stepped down to the Golden Garter—just long enough to have a single drink, mind you—Lil done cut off my credit a long time ago—and when I got back—”

Jake glanced pointedly in the direction of the sun, which was well above the eastern horizon. “When you got back, you were so drunk that the stables could have burned down around your ears without your knowing,” he finished, disgusted but resigned. “When, exactly, did you discover that my horse had been stolen?”

“J-just a little while ago,” Orville confessed. “You ain’t gonna get me into no dutch with Lil, are you, Mr. Vigil? I lose this job, I don’t know what I’m gonna do—”

Jake sighed, resting his hands on his hips, and considered the situation. Orville worked for none other than the illustrious Diamond Lil; besides running a thriving saloon and brothel, the lady owned the stables and several other businesses in town, and she was hardheaded. Turning her loose on poor old Orville wouldn’t get the stallion back, and besides, Jake had a pretty good idea who the culprit was, anyhow. If he found Skye McQuarry, chances were good that he’d find the bay, too.

He rubbed his chin. “I don’t know,” he said in a noncommittal tone of voice. “Fact is, if you worked for me, I’d show you the road.”

Orville did not dare to point out that he didn’t work for Jake; it would have been worse than stupid, given the circumstances. “I came and tolt you right away, didn’t I?” he half whined, his countenance having slipped from fawning to outright pitiful. “I ain’t even been over to tell the marshal yet.”

“I’ll take care of that,” Jake said tightly. He didn’t plan to speak to Zachary just yet himself. No, it was someone else he wanted to see. He felt a strange, elemental stir deep within him, just anticipating the coming encounter with Skye McQuarry. “You go on about your business, and I’ll see to the horse thief.”

“You know who done it?” Among Orville’s other unredeeming qualities were a nosy nature and a tendency to gossip like an empty-headed spinster.

Jake ignored the question. “Get my horse saddled,” he said, speaking of Trojan, the stallion he’d owned for the last several years. Then he turned to head for the mill, where he told his foreman he’d be gone awhile. Hank was over at the schoolhouse, and it looked as if the boy was finally going to stay put, so he could concentrate on catching up with Miss McQuarry.

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