Free Just After Midnight: Historical Romance by Lori Handeland Page A

drunken sot of a miner had tried to get fresh with one of the girls, no doubt. Motioning for Megan to take a chair, Alex did the same as he picked up a pen. “The woman who was assaulted should be here, not you, Megan. Which one of the girls is it?”
    “Not one of the girls. Someone attacked me in my room last night”
    “You!” He jumped to his feet, hands clenched. Now that he looked more closely, what he’d thought were shadows from the room were actually light bruises about her neck. Who had dared to touch her?
    “I’m all right.” She smoothed the fur on the wolf’s head. “Thanks to Damon.”
    “Who was it?”
    “If I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn’t be here. I was sleeping; and when I awoke, I saw someone rifling through my father’s papers. When I tried to stop him, he attacked me.”
    Alex’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “I would think a thief would look for gold, not personal papers.”
    “I had the same thought. But if not gold, then maybe this.” She withdrew a paper from her sleeve and handed it to him.
    As he took the missive from her outstretched hand, he noticed the length and fragility of her fingers. Images of those soft hands on his face, neck, chest shot through his mind.
    “Lieutenant?”
    Megan’s questioning voice brought him back to reality, and he opened the paper with a snap. He had never had a problem keeping his mind on his work before Megan Daily entered his life.
    The document was the title to a gold claim in the names of Willie Shore and Brian Daily. He looked up at Megan. “What’s this?”
    “That’s the only item of value I found when I went through my father’s papers again this morning. Do you think that’s what the intruder was looking for?”
    Alex rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps. Though the claim belongs to whomever it’s registered to, or their heir in this case, not who’s in possession of this paper.” He glanced at the document again and frowned. “Who’s Willie Shore?”
    “I was hoping you might know. I asked Queen, and she had no idea my father even had a gold claim, let alone a partner.” Megan smiled fondly. “She was mighty put out that he’d kept something from her, too.”
    “I can imagine.” Alex returned her smile as he handed the paper back to her.
    “Is there any way to find out more about this Willie Shore and the claim?”
    “I’ll ask around; but if Queen doesn’t know him, I can’t say that I’ll have much better luck. As for the claim, the directions are right here on this document. You can go take a look at the land for yourself if you’d like.”
    “I suppose I’ll have to. Will you take me?”
    Alex started at her question. He had convinced himself in the early hours of the morning that further contact between himself and Megan Daily should be kept at a minimum. He was attracted to her far too much for his own peace of mind. But he found himself wavering at the beseeching look in Megan’s clear green gaze.
    “I suppose I could take you there on Sunday. I should really check this claim myself, as it’s related to your assault.” Alex prided himself on the businesslike tone of his voice. Too bad his heart was hammering in a very unbusinesslike rhythm.
    “Sunday would be perfect. Thank you.”
    Megan stood and snapped her fingers to Damon. Alex admired the sway of her hips through the thin fabric of her dress as she walked toward the door. When she turned, he hurriedly shifted his gaze to her face.
    “What did you do with the dog?”
    “Dog?” Alex wondered if he had missed part of the conversation while he was admiring her nether regions. He cleared his throat and coughed to cover his embarrassment.
    “The puppy we rescued the other night. I forgot to ask about him on the Fourth.” She looked up at Alex from beneath her lashes. “The day was a bit hectic.”
    Alex recalled their interrupted kiss on the hill. Studying her closely, he saw evidence of a blush upon her cheeks. If he