Free Pariah by J. R. Roberts Page A

couldn’t decide which left a worse taste in his mouth: the way the old woman spoke about Madeline as if she were a friend or the way she crinkled her nose while speaking, as if the words themselves gave off a sour stench.
    â€œThere was a young woman in here, but she’s already gone,” Clint said.
    The deputy standing to the old woman’s left looked to be in his late twenties, which would put him a few years ahead of the other one on the porch. He stepped forward like a bull demanding entrance into the proverbial china shop. “Where did she go?”
    Clint stood in front of the deputy, making it clear he wasn’t about to move. “I don’t know.”
    â€œThen how do you know she’s gone?”
    â€œBecause she isn’t here,” Clint said sternly.
    â€œHow about we take a look around?”
    â€œNow why would I allow something like that?” Although he enjoyed seeing the dazed look on the deputy’s face, Clint added, “This isn’t my house. I don’t know if the proper owner would approve of having strangers in without permission.”
    The old woman let out one, coughing grunt of a laugh before saying, “Plenty of strangers drift in and out of this house and she doesn’t seem to mind one bit.”
    Clint responded with, “Maybe, but they have permission.”
    It wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted to say to the shriveled old prune, but it did the trick. She flicked her eyebrows up and backed away. The older of the two deputies was more than happy to stand in her place.
    â€œAre you going to let us have a look in there or do we need to get the sheriff?”
    â€œYou go ahead and get the sheriff,” Clint said. “Maybe by the time you get back, I’ll have a nice little welcome ready for him.”
    â€œIs that a threat, mister?”
    â€œNot hardly. I was thinking more along the lines of some water or lemonade. I’m sure there’s something to drink floating around in here.”
    â€œSo all the commotion was on account of you tripping on something?”
    â€œYeah. It was a chair. If you don’t believe me, perhaps this fine lady can verify my story? I’m sure she peeks into enough windows for the odds to be good that she saw me take my spill.”
    The old woman sputtered and flapped a hand over the base of her throat. While the display was surely meant to show offense, the embarrassed flush in her cheeks and the darting of her eyes spoke to the validity of Clint’s claim.
    â€œYou’d best step aside and let us take a look in there,” the deputy warned.
    Before he could think better of it, Clint snapped, “Or what?”
    Both lawmen placed their hands upon the grips of their holstered pistols. “Or we’ll drag you outside the hard way.”
    â€œWhat’s the cause for all of that?”
    â€œSeeing as how Miss Gerard ain’t nowhere to be found but one of her troublemaking little stray dogs and a known gunman are in her house is cause enough. Miss Gerard has already brought fire and lead to this town, so it’s only fitting that we check up on whatever crawled into her home while she’s away.”
    â€œI’m the only one here, Deputy,” Clint said.
    â€œThen you won’t mind if we step in to make certain of that.”
    Clint pulled in a deep breath, weighed his options, and finally decided upon the one to end the conversation the quickest. “No,” he said, hoping Lylah was good at staying hidden. “Come on in and have your look.”

SEVENTEEN
    The deputies stepped into the house, eyeing Clint as if they expected him to make a move for his gun at any moment. When Clint merely let them pass, the two younger men started glancing about. Clint had already picked out the bigger of the threats and did his best to keep those sharper eyes away from the kitchen.
    â€œSo,” he said to the nosy old neighbor, “would you