Free All Fired Up (Stardust) by Mimi Riser Page B

figure. “Where is he going?”
    “Beats me,” Cody said, skillfully slowing his own double-burdened pinto down to a walk so as not to tire it. “Guess he decided on a little trail ride. Don’t worry, if he ain’t back by Christmas, we’ll send out a search party.”
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
    Bong… A single tone, the half-hour mark. “Eleven-thirty and all’s well,” the church chimes seemed to say.
    Ina Lorene hung up the phone. She’d taken a lunch break, then decided to call Lydia Jones and tell her the news. It was too good not to share, and Lydia was the obvious one to share it with, of course, seeing as how they’d soon be related by more than neighborliness.
    “I don’t think it’ll take ’em too long to wake up and smell the coffee,” Ina Lorene had said.
    Lydia had agreed. “I saw it in their eyes last night. Just like Romeo and Juliet! They fell in love at first sight, too, you know.”
    Actually, Ina Lorene didn’t. She’d left school early to help on her parents’ farm, and had only a vague notion who Romeo and Juliet were, but she was willing to accept Lydia’s word on that point.
    There remained only one question.
    “Do you suppose he’ll ask her to move to Houston?” Lydia had worried aloud. “That could ruin everything. She’ll want to stay here, I’m sure, but I doubt he will.”
    Hmm, now that’s where Lydia was wrong. Ina Lorene might never have read the classics, but she knew plenty about people in general, and one person in particular – knew him better than he knew himself. The boy wasn’t nearly so tough as he tried to pretend. He had a tender heart and a loyal nature, and was more country than he cared to admit. He just bored easy was all. But Ina Lorene had always known the right girl would fix that. A girl who could capture his imagination as well as his eye, who could spark his interest on all levels and keep him fired up.
    Ina Lorene wasn’t worried at all.
     
    * * * *
     
    The horse’s name, Evangeline had informed Slo, was Homer – big surprise – although “Lightning” would have been equally apt. Homer had made it to the Carstons’ ranch in record time. Slo made it back to Star in Evangeline’s old Cadillac even faster, intent on heading someone off at the pass. With a little luck…
    Yep, there they were, just entering the main street of town. Slo scanned the area for oncoming traffic, but this being Star, there wasn’t any. So he tapped the accelerator and sped forward, then turned the wheel sharply and slammed on the brakes. The Caddy skidded to a sideways stop, barricading the route.
    “Well, hey there, Winslow. Fancy meetin’ you here.” Cody reined to a halt, a big sunny smile shining out from under the brim of his Stetson. He lounged back in the saddle, holding Roxanne in front of him with a brotherly arm around her waist.
    But not that brotherly.
    Baring fangs in a snarl of a grin, Slo climbed out of the car.
    Cody got the chance to demonstrate his expert horsemanship by preventing the pinto beneath him from shying at the sudden shriek of a siren.
    Deputies Mike Thompson and Juan Martinez had finally cornered their man. Their feathers severely ruffled from all the chasing around they must have been doing, they burst out of their vehicle, red faced and sweaty, and snapped cuffs on the culprit.
    “Hey, if there’s a reward for him, I get it,” Cody declared brightly. “I blocked his escape for you.”
    “Uncuff me for ten seconds, and I’ll block his mouth for you,” Slo said to Mike.
    Mike looked tempted, but Juan shook his head. “Sorry, Slo, I wish we didn’t have to do this, but Randy and Andy haven’t dropped charges.” Sounding awkward and embarrassed about it, he began reading Slo his rights.
    “Wait a minute!” Roxanne swung her leg over the horse’s neck and slipped off onto her feet. “Does this have anything to do with last night? What are the Bullfinches charging him with?” Like Joan of Arc confronting the