Twelve-Gauge Guardian

Twelve-Gauge Guardian
B.J. Daniels

Twelve-Gauge Guardian

B.J. Daniels

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Table of Contents

Cover (#ud05c70c4-20f5-52ca-93d5-79721a761212)

Title Page (#u996eaafb-958a-5a04-8155-26dbd5f74ecd)

About the Author (#ulink_74c9baa9-31b1-5c5e-a83d-388927956899)

Dedication (#u3801a449-52c8-54c2-9cfe-587bdfb444f7)

Chapter One (#ulink_b9055e76-fb20-5936-9cf8-9946ce60573c)

Chapter Two (#ulink_9bf4f6c9-dfde-5689-97bf-7f60458b3aaf)

Chapter Three (#ulink_c63b3c32-cd1c-5fcf-9031-39abf21ef0db)

Chapter Four (#ulink_ef06e77c-36b2-59db-8f8d-a8b8d329a1df)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#ulink_d05f3c7c-46e4-5a89-944e-e64dff26dace)

B.J. DANIELS wrote her first book after a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist and author of thirty-seven published short stories. Since then she has won numerous awards, including a career achievement award for romantic suspense and many nominations and awards for best book.

Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and two springer spaniels, Spot and Jem. When she isn’t writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis. Daniels is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Kiss of Death and Romance Writers of America.

To contact her, write to BJ Daniels, PO Box 1173, Malta, MT 59538, USA or e-mail her at bjdaniels@mtintouch. net. Check out her webpage at www.bjdaniels.com.

This book is dedicated to mothers.

Please warn your children not only about strangers

but what to do if they are approached by them. we need

to keep our little ones safe.

Chapter One (#ulink_19d07d15-b93d-5c73-87db-d4ae7547f5b8)

Cordell Winchester almost missed the Whitehorse Hotel. The old four-story brick building sat in a grove of cottonwoods on the far edge of town, the morning sun glinting off the worn structure.

More than a hundred years old, the place looked deserted. He took note of the vacant surroundings as he parked and went inside. The first thing that struck him was the aging smell, reminding him unpleasantly of his grandmother’s lodge. It wasn’t a reminder he needed this morning.

He’d been seven the last time he’d seen the Winchester Ranch—twenty-seven years ago—but he recalled the rambling old place only too well. He had always thought nothing could get him back to Whitehorse—let alone to the ranch.

The hotel lobby was done in overstuffed couches and chairs, the upholstery fabrics as dated as the furniture. At the unoccupied registration desk, he rang the bell, then turned to look toward the small parking area outside. No sign of his brother’s black pickup.

Where was Cyrus? Not at Winchester Ranch. Cordell had called out there and their grandmother hadn’t seen or heard from him. So where the hell was he?

Cordell took off his Stetson and raked a hand through his thick dark hair as he studied the small Western town in the distance. At a sound, he spun around to find an ancient man had appeared behind the counter as if out of nowhere.

“May I help you?” asked the stooped, gray-headed old man.

“My brother Cyrus Winchester is staying with you,” he said, settling the Stetson back on his head.

The man nodded, showing no sign of surprise at seeing Cyrus’s identical twin. Clearly this man hadn’t checked in his brother last night. The clerk thumbed through a file with gnarled fingers. “412. Shall I ring him for you?” He’d already picked up the phone and dialed the room.

Just as Cordell had expected, Cyrus didn’t answer. He’d been trying his brother’s cell since late last night and gotten no answer and Cyrus’s truck was missing. A sure sign Cyrus wasn’t here.

Cordell wished now that he’d insisted his brother wait and they ride together, but Cyrus wanted to leave a few days earlier and stop to see friends in Wyoming. Cordell had been tied up with a case and couldn’t leave until yesterday. He’d flown into Billings, spent the night and had driven the rest of the way this morning.

He and Cyrus had planned to go out for breakfast when he arrived, where Cordell had planned to make one last attempt to try to talk his brother out of this visit to their grandmother.

“I’m afraid there is no answer in his room.”

“Did you happen to see him leave?” Cordell asked even though he figured that was doubtful. The parking area, he’d noticed when he’d driven in, was at the back of the hotel. The clerk couldn’t see it from the front desk.