Free Desperado: Deep in the Heart, Book 2 by Tina Leonard Page A

pondered that as she drove away. Something was wrong with the whole scenario, but at the moment he couldn’t figure out what was bothering him. Teenager or not, he wasn’t completely sure that what Mary needed wasn’t a whipping. If he caught her throwing rocks at horses, a whipping would be the minimum he’d recommend to Annie.
    Tate’s truck pulled past him, and he nodded Cody’s way. The grin on Tate’s face made him grit his teeth. He couldn’t see Stormy, but no doubt that grin told the story. Tate had gotten what he wanted.
    Annie was too late. Mary wasn’t going to get her movie.
    And Cody wouldn’t have to look at Stormy Nixon anymore. The thought should have been a relief, but the pain in his gut said otherwise.
    Five minutes later, he saw Annie’s truck and flagged her down. “Catch her?”
    “No, she wasn’t in. I left a message.”
    “Thought I saw her come in a bit ago with Tate.”
    “You sure are noticing her comings and goings.”
    “Well, I wouldn’t except that darn Tate was wearing a grin the size of a quarter moon.”
    “I see. Well, anyway, I’ve got to get on home. I’ve grounded Mary and Zach’s watching her, so no doubt he’s ready for a break.” She smiled and waved as she put the truck in gear. “Maybe you oughta take Stormy to the calf catch tonight, Cody,” she called as she drove off.
    “Maybe I ought not.” He grabbed his gear and took it out to throw in the back of his truck. Thirty minutes later, he saw Tate leaving the vicinity at a faster speed than when he’d come into town. Maybe Stormy’d stuck the spurs to his backside.
    “Naw. He’s just hurrying off to tell the Shiloh bunch they got themselves a deal.” Still, he wandered around the square, all the while glancing through the crowd for Stormy.
    After the calf catch, she still hadn’t put in an appearance. Twenty teenagers were grinning and wearing cow manure and straw as they proudly accepted their prizes, but Stormy wasn’t there to pick on him about the poor little calves being dragged by their tails. He was sure he would’ve gotten an earful.
    No doubt she had an appointment with some other city mayor, as she’d said she was on an urgent deadline to find a location—if she and Tate hadn’t come to terms. However, she just might be sitting in her room, feeling lonely. That would be no way to treat a visitor to their town.
    Cody set his hat on his head and decided it was his duty to pay a call on Miss Stormy Nixon.

Chapter Six
    Stormy didn’t answer his knock on her hotel room door. Nor had she answered when he’d rung her room. But, dang it, her rental car was in the parking lot. He’d glanced at the pool but she wasn’t there. “Stormy?” he called. “It’s Cody.”
    He heard rustling inside. She opened the door a crack. “Oh, Cody. I thought Tate had come back.”
    His stomach curdled at Stormy’s flushed face. If Tate had done anything to her, he’d put a hurt on him he wouldn’t forget. “Are you all right?”
    She barely nodded. Her hair was disheveled, her upper lip perspiring a bit. And by golly, for a woman with skin she so proudly called alabaster, she was damn white right now.
    Pushing her hair back with trembling fingers, she said, “Actually, I’m dying. But there’s nothing you can do about it.”
    “My God, Stormy! Let me in.” He was afraid she was going to faint.
    “No, Cody. Please. I just want to be alone. Oh, no!”
    She slammed the door. He heard another door inside her room slam shut. The bathroom. Pushing his hat back on his head, he frowned. Not that he considered Stormy attractive, but she certainly hadn’t looked right. Something was dead wrong.
    A second later, he heard a moan. Briefly considering his options—he could go away or he could risk taking one of those high-heeled shoes of hers in the head if she flung it at him—he decided to make sure she was all right. He barely opened the door, which she had neglected to lock, and poked his head around