The Sheriff and the Mayor by Starla Kaye

Author:Starla Kaye
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Blushing Books
Published: 2013-06-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Somehow Dalton made it to his bedroom. He’d managed to hang up his hat down in the mudroom and toed off his boots as well. He wasn’t bothering with more than that. In three long strides, he dropped face down on his bed, fully clothed. It was near four in the morning and he should be getting up in another hour to start a new day.

What day was it anyhow? Monday? No, Tuesday, right?

As his mind started shutting down, he vaguely thought about how he usually helped at the ranch an hour or two before he went to his sheriff’s job. He’d even been working that crazy schedule when he stayed in town during the week with Cassie. He was damn tired of working both places. But he wouldn’t be doing that today.

He shifted his head on the pillow enough to breathe better. This had been a hell of a long day. Well, yesterday had been. He’d briefly checked in at the office and then, with things quiet there, he’d helped his brothers with more of the tasks necessary after settling in the new cattle. His body had been sore from the extra physical exertion since Sunday when the cattle had been delivered. He’d been ready to drop when he’d finally sat down with his brothers for a late supper.

And then he’d been called away on a legal matter.

Even fuzzy brained and half asleep, his mind’s eye saw again the half dozen practically skin and bone horses. Everyone in the area generally stayed clear of crotchety old man Jericho Hayes. But he’d actually done a good deed for a change. When he’d stopped by his neighbor’s ranch to complain about a stench near his back field, he’d discovered a sickening case of animal abuse. The ranch and its livestock had been abandoned by the nephew who had recently inherited the place. What the man had left behind….

Dalton tried to forget it all for now, just drift off to sleep.

But something worried at him. Something not related to the disgusting situation he’d just spent the night dealing with. He couldn’t quite get a handle on whatever it was, other than sensing it was important.

And then he was too tired to think any more about anything. He needed sleep and lots of it. Because he knew he’d be spending a great many hours and a lot of effort over the next few days dealing even more with the animal abuse case.

His last semi-conscious thought was that he missed snuggling against Cassie. Except she was unhappy with him.

***

As Cassie got ready the next morning later than normal, she nearly stabbed her eye with the mascara wand. Blinking and bristling, she tossed the wand into the sink. She’d go without mascara today. She wasn’t in the mood for patiently applying it or anything else to do with looking good. Thanks to a restless night. Thanks to Dalton.

“Can’t talk now.” His blunt words and abrupt disconnection still haunted her. Making her even more frustrated, he hadn’t called back to explain.

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