Free Linda Castle by Heart of the Lawman Page A

documents changed immediately.”
    Flynn shook his head from side to side. “It isn’t going to be that easy.”
    Her eyes narrowed down to slits of blue flame. “What do you mean, it won’t be easy? I am her mother, for God’s sake.” She squared her shoulders.
    “You make it hard for a body to go easy on you, don’t you, Marydyth? You’ve got to keep poking and prodding until you have the whole damned story out right now, don’t you?” Flynn shoved the chair aside and advanced on her as if she were prey and he a hungry wolf. “All right, damn it, you’ll have it all. I didn’t want to tell you this way, but you are determined so here it is. Victoria had you declared an improper parent. Because of how you lived—what had gone on in your past—and because you never offered a word in your own defense at the trial. It’s done and it’s legal. You can’t ever get Rachel’s guardianship back.”
    “But.but my sentence.the pardon. “
    “Didn’t have a damned thing to do with Rachel or those guardianship papers. Victoria had Moze Pritikin do them—he made sure they were binding. The charges—loss of guardianship was because of the riverboats, the gambling—the things that happened before you married J.C.”
    And because I murdered Andre, an accusing voice in her head screamed. God is making you pay for killing Andre.
    Her throat worked for a full minute while she tried toswallow. She thought that the whole nightmare was over, that she had paid enough, but now she saw that she was wrong. Not only was she still paying for what she had done, her daughter was going to suffer for it as well.
    A strangled sob escaped her lips. Flynn could see unshed tears in her eyes. Finally she locked her trembling hands together and clenched her fingers so tight her knuckles whitened.
    “But why—you?” She said the word as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
    “I’ve asked myself that same question more than once.” Flynn raked his fingers through his hair. “God knows it was the last thing I wanted.”
    “What?” Flynn O’Bannion was caring for a child he didn’t even want? Her heart rebelled at the thought.
    “A few people came knocking on Victoria’s door, volunteering to take Rachel in, but most folks were interested in the Hollenbeck money and not Rachel. I was getting ready to leave town, only stopped by to pay my respects because of Victoria’s health, but while I was there I played with the baby. Before I knew what had happened Victoria had sent for Moses to draw up the papers and I was roped in and hog-tied.”
    “You could’ve said no,” Marydyth said bitterly.
    “Yep, I could have.” Flynn speared her with a withering look.
    “Why didn’t you?” She was vibrating with pent-up rage.
    “And where would that have left Rachel? Would you rather see her with a pack of money-hungry vultures?”
    She could not answer. One part of her wanted to scream that anybody would be better than him, but another part of her knew that was not true.
    Flynn O’Bannion was as rigid as iron—unable to strayfrom his notion of the truth. But the one black sin that Marydyth could not lay at his feet was greed.
    Two hot tears spilled over her lids and ran down her cheeks. She hated herself for letting him see her weep.
    “Can I—” She shuddered visibly. “Will you at least let me see her?” It cost her dearly to ask that question, but Rachel was worth the humiliation.
    Flynn stared at her in silence while the muscle in his jaw worked rapidly. Marydyth thought he was a lowdown son of a bitch. He tightened his jaw, unable to trust what wanted to come out of his mouth.
    Her eyes narrowed when he didn’t answer. “I will see her whether you allow it or not.”
    Flynn stalked toward her. “What kind of man do you think I am?” He whirled away from her, cursing under his breath. “Do you think I would hurt Rachel by keeping you from her? Damn it all to hell.” He jerked the bandanna from his neck. “Well, I am