Free Longarm and the Yuma Prison by Tabor Evans Page A

Longarm said. “Yuma is a small town run by a corrupt marshal and we’ve already considered that the judge himself may be in cahoots with Marshal Beeson.”
    â€œAll I can do is ask him to help and offer to pay him well. When I left here to go to Denver I had forty-seven dollars and not much hope. But now I return with you and the sale money from the Denver house. So the way I see things, Custis, is that I’m doing a whole lot better than I was before.”
    â€œThat’s a good way to look at it.”
    â€œWhat about you?”
    Longarm frowned. “I think I’m going to rent a horse and ride up to your mining claim.”
    â€œI should go with you,” Jessica said.
    â€œNo, I’d rather go alone so they don’t know who I am.”
    â€œThey might shoot on sight.”
    â€œI doubt that, but I’ll just have to take my chances.”
    Jessica nodded. “All right. I guess we’ll meet back up in our hotel rooms later today.”
    â€œThat’s the plan,” Longarm told her.
    Jessica and Longarm finished their breakfast and went their separate ways. Jessica was eager to see Kent. A year earlier they had enjoyed a brief, but steamy romance and she knew that Kent still carried a strong torch for her. So when she entered his office it was no surprise to see the delight on his handsome face.
    â€œWhy, Jessica! How good it is to see you again!” he said, hurrying forward to give her a powerful embrace and then a kiss. “You’ve been on my mind since the last time we saw each other and I’ve been visiting your father up on Prison Hill every Sunday.”
    â€œHow is he doing?”
    Kent’s smile faded. “I hate to tell you this but he’s aging fast and has lost quite a bit of weight. I take him extra food that I get at the bakery and he enjoys it, but . . .”
    â€œThank you for doing that.”
    â€œYou know he and I have always been good friends. He thought we were going to be married.”
    â€œMaybe, if things had gone just a little differently, I would have married you.”
    â€œI proposed and my offer still stands,” Kent said. “We made quite the couple here in Yuma.”
    â€œWe did,” she agreed, pulling away from his arms. “I sold my house in Denver and I’ve come back to hire you to help my father.”
    â€œI’d have helped him without expecting payment.”
    â€œI know. But I want to pay you anyway. How much do you want?”
    â€œI can use some payment,” he admitted. “I work alone but this office isn’t cheap to rent and I have parents in New Mexico that I send money to every month the same as my oldest brother does. Without our help, they’d be in a bad situation as my father is in poor health and needs a lot of medical attention.”
    â€œYou’re a good son,” Jessica said. “And I feel better paying you for your services.”
    He turned and walked over to his desk. “If I really go to work trying to free your father, my life is going to be in danger. I may have to leave Yuma before this is over in order to stay alive.”
    â€œI understand that.”
    â€œThen understand this,” Kent said. “I want a dollar an hour and I want us to be like we were before.”
    Jessica thought about what she should say or do next. Kent Hamilton was her father’s only hope and he was desperately in love with her and had been for years. He wanted to marry her. So what else could she do but go along with his demands?
    â€œAll right,” she said quietly as she reached up and began to unbutton her blouse. “Let’s seal this agreement.”
    He gaped. “Do you mean right here and now?”
    She went over and locked his door then pulled the shade down over his front window. “That’s
exactly
what I mean.”
    Suddenly, his eyes were glazed with passion and he watched as she removed her