Free Heart of Texas Vol. 2 by Debbie Macomber Page A

cut out for us.”
    Jane frowned, not sure she understood. “What work?”
    Dovie’s expression told Jane she’d over looked the obvious. “We need to find out what’s wrong with everyone in this town. I’ve decided there’s nothing wrong with you, Dr. Jane. It’s everyone else, and I’m determined to find out what.”
    Â 
    â€œA LL THE COMFORTS of home,” Richard Weston said out loud. He stood in the middle of the dirt road that ran through the ghost town. “Bitter End, Texas,” he continued, “population one.” He laughed then, the sound echoing down the long dusty street littered with sage brush and rock.
    Hitching his thumbs in the waist band of his jeans, he sauntered down the dirt road as if he owned it, and for all intents and purposes, he did.
    For the time being Bitter End was his home. He was proud of the good job he’d done carving out a comfortable place for himself. He figured he’d be stuck here for a while. How long wasn’t clear yet. A man on the run didn’t have a lot of alternatives.
    Everything was about to catch up with him. His brother already knew he hadn’t paid that old coot Max Jordan, and hewasn’t going to be able to hide all the other charges he’d made, either. Although Grady’s business account had sure come in handy. But he’d stretched his luck to the max in Promise.
    Time to move on. Hide again, only no one would ever think to look for him here. He was as safe as a babe cuddled in his mother’s loving arms. Richard had a sixth sense about when to walk away. He’d come to trust his instincts; they were what had kept him out of prison this long.
    Richard kicked the toe of his snake skin boot into the hard dry ground. He’d arrived in Promise penniless, miserable and afraid to glance over his shoulder for fear the law—or worse—was hot on his tail. He’d decided to head back to Promise on the spur of the moment, when he awoke one morning and found himself outside El Paso without money or transportation. Hitch hiking, he made his way to the central part of the state.
    Luck had blessed him all his life. He hadn’t been back long before he discovered Savannah had visited Bitter End. As soon as his older sister mentioned the ghost town, he’d known what to do.
    Little by little Richard had managed to squirrel away supplies, making the trek so often he no longer lost his way. Each day he managed to take something from the ranch or buy supplies on ranch credit. In the beginning it was little things, items not easily missed. Seldom-used equipment no one would notice was gone. Gradually he’d worked in the larger pricier necessities. He’d been clever about it, too.
    Still congratulating himself, Richard walked up the old wooden steps to the board walk. He sat down in the rocking chair he’d discovered in one of the buildings and surveyed the town. His domain.
    He’d been born under a lucky star, Richard told himself, and its shine hadn’t faded. He marveled anew at the craftyway he’d charged much of what he needed. Grady didn’t have a clue, either. Richard would charge something nonsensical like tractor parts to Grady’s account, knowing no one would think to question that. Later, making sure it wasn’t the same sales clerk, he’d return the part and use the credit to purchase what he really needed. In the weeks since his return he’d accumulated all the comforts of home, and the best part was that it had been at his brother’s expense.
    â€œOh, yes, I’m going to be real comfortable now,” he said, grinning broadly. Tucking his hands behind his head, he leaned back. “Thanks, Grady,” he said with a snicker.
    Slowly his smile faded. None of this hiding out would be necessary if the situation with Ellie Frasier had worked out differently. It would have been easy to let that sweet young thing soothe