Free Gunpowder Tea (The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series) by Margaret Brownley Page A

ran a finger across his upper lip and made no move to leave. “But, Eleanor, you haven’t got a leg to stand on.”
    She glared at him. “Enough of your bad jokes.”
    “Very well.” Robert stood. “I’ll let you get back to . . . running your ranch.” He donned his hat. “Have a good day, Eleanor.”

    He walked out of the room and closed the door.
    Shrugging away the loneliness that followed his departure, Eleanor reached for the bottle of medicine and rang the cowbell. Where was that annoying girl?

Chapter 7
    Warning: Peering through a keyhole can give you a private eyeful!
    Report #1: Miss Walker is not at all fey or even shy of tongue. She is a formidable woman with a will of iron, the temperament of a mule, and the aim of a charging bull.
    A nnie looked over what she had written. She would, of course, have to include every detail of Miss Walker’s accident, including her own unfortunate role.
    The Pinkerton General Order book gave explicit instructions on how to write a report. The reports had to be written in ink or indelible pencil. Descriptions must include all physical traits, clothes, jewelry, and habits. Conversations had to be recorded verbatim with detailed information as to time and locations. All arrivals and departures had to be accurately noted.
    The cowbell rang and Annie tossed down her pen. Now what did Miss Walker want? At this rate she would never get her report written, let alone accomplish what Pinkerton had sent her to do.

    During the next week, Miss Walker ran Annie ragged. It was hard to imagine that one old lady could require so much care. Annie hardly had time to think about the investigation and her frustration grew with each passing day.
    Worse, she had yet to figure out a way to send daily reports back to the main office. Not that she had anything of value to report, but Mr. Pinkerton insisted upon daily updates regardless. He would not be satisfied with the occasional letter Stretch or the doctor mailed for her. She also needed to identify herself to the marshal and collect her watch, but going to town seemed unlikely until Miss Walker had somewhat recovered from her injuries. None of the ranch hands or Able was willing to take care of Miss Walker, even for a few hours.
    Adding to her frustration was the constant ringing of the cowbell. Miss Walker insisted upon meeting each ranch hand regular as clockwork and, with the doctor’s approval, Annie relented. One by one, she ushered each cowboy into the house and up the stairs.
    Each man walked into the ranch owner’s bedroom, hat in hand, as if expecting to be hung. Each man came out looking as if he had been.
    Even Able had lost his good humor after being closeted with Miss Walker for the better part of an hour. Annie followed him into the kitchen.
    “Able, what’s going on?”
    He slammed a skillet onto the stove top. “Miss Walker thinks that the leader of the Phantom gang is one of us.”
    Annie was careful not to react. “I don’t understand. Who is this gang?”
    “They’re the ones who robbed the train and bank last week. They’ve been terrorizing the county for nearly a year.”
    Annie widened her eyes to feign surprise. “And she thinks that one of the thieves works here? On the ranch?”
    “That’s what she said. Heard it loud and clear with my own ears.”
    “Do you think it’s possible?” Annie asked.
    Able shrugged. “Anything’s possible, I suppose. But I know all the ranch hands. I know that Stretch likes his meat cooked all the way through and Ruckus likes his rare. I know that O.T. has a sweet tooth and Feedbag is seriously prejudiced against veg’tables. Wouldn’t you think I’d know if one of them was him ?”
    “I don’t know if it’s possible to completely know another, Able.” She couldn’t count the times she heard a family express shock and disbelief over a loved one’s arrest. “Do you think Miss Walker is in any danger?”
    Able’s eyes twitched. “Why would you think