Free June by Lori Copeland Page B

something wrong, boss?" Simon eyed him with a concerned frown.
    Parker leaned back, stretching. "Nothing's wrong. Just a little tired, I guess." But something was wrong. Something nagged at him.
    Simon's hand was on the doorknob when Parker stopped him. Something told him not to ask, that he didn't really want to know. Common sense dictated he'd better.

    "Did I see you talking to the Kallahan girl earlier?"
    "The woman in the buggy?" Simon nodded his head warily.
    Parker's heart sank. Simon had a heart of gold. If he was worried, Parker's instincts were on target.
    "She wanted to know where the nearest camp was. I told her she didn't want to go there, but-"
    Parker slammed his fist on the desk and got up. "Blast that woman!"
    "Trouble, boss?"
    "Saddle the horses, Simon."
    "Right away." Simon hurried out the door, pulling on his coat.
    Parker took a deep breath. June was naive, but was she crazy? Riding into Tin Cup, spouting the gospel? They'd have her for supper. For a moment he considered letting her learn the hard way. Going off, half cocked, to a camp known for its ...
    Reaching for his coat, he shrugged into the fleece lining. Regardless of his aggravation, he couldn't allow anything to happen to her. Loyalty to Eli, as well as his own judgment, forbade it.

    "Gonna preach to us, girlie?"
    Trying desperately to hide her fear, June swallowed hard. Intent on drowning out the suggestive words of the vulgar men, she turned Papa's words over in her mind. The Lord will take what the enemy has intended for harm and turn it to good.

    "Well, now, yo're a purty li'l thing, ain't ya!" A burly man grinned up at her, showing rotting teeth. "All dressed up and smellin' so fine!"
    Fear is not of God. Fear is not of God, June told herself. Springing to her feet, June pointed a commanding finger at the man as he closed in. "You stop right there!"
    "Fiery, too!"
    In her mind Papa's voice, clear as a bell, shouted, Sing, June! Sing!
    June opened her mouth and belted out one of the songs she'd sung in front of the saloon yesterday.

    The words tumbled out crisp and clear. From the corner of her eye she saw the men were listening.

    Two men slowly removed their hats and laid them over their hearts.

    June's knees were knocking so hard that she thought the men would surely hear it. She silently thanked God for the power of song and her singing voice. Without this talent, she would surely be thrown over one of these bullies' shoulders and hauled off to who knew where. She shuddered, and sang louder.

    She glanced at the men and finished with a rush.

    She was running out of verses! Now what should she do?

    She wavered at the sound of approaching hoofbeats, going limp with relief when she saw Parker Sentell gallop into camp, along with the giant she'd asked directions from earlier.
    Parker shot her a look that told her he was angry with her, but even with his caustic glance, June was relieved to see him.
    The men cleared a wide path for the big Pine Ridge foreman. June dropped weakly to the buggy seat. Her knees were so watery that she hoped he wouldn't ask her to get out of the buggy.
    The man who had grabbed her hem grinned. "Howdy, Mr. Sentell."
    Parker nodded to the camp foreman. "Herschal." His eyes scanned the group of rough men. "What's going on here?"
    "Just singin', Mr. Sentell."
    Parker gave him a dubious look. "Singing?"
    Herschal hung his head. "Aw, me and the boys was jest havin' fun with the little lady. Don't mean no harm."
    Parker glanced at June, then back to Herschal. "Then I suggest you apologize to the lady."

    Herschal whipped off his hat, nervously twisting the dingy brim in his fingertips. "Sorry, missy."
    "The lady's name is Miss Kallahan."
    Herschal shot Parker a pained look, then tried again. "Sorry, Miss Kallahan. Didn't mean no harm."
    Parker dismissed Herschal with a cold look and turned to June. She swallowed, feeling like a disobedient child caught in the act and about to be punished.
    His eyes pinned her.