Rodeo Sheriff

“No. You’re going to eat first.”

She tried to put Madeline down on the sofa again, but the little girl still clung.

Honey hitched her a bit higher. Good thing she was strong from running her bar and hauling around cases of liquor and beer.

One-handed, she put on a pot of coffee to brew and got out mugs, cream and sugar.

She poured a cup of coffee for Cole and brought it to him.

“You look numb,” she said.

Cole stared at her.

Frowning, she returned to the kitchen to pour a mug for herself.

The front doorbell tinkled. Company. Honey ran down the stairs to let in Rachel, Beth and Tori.

Thank God. The cavalry had arrived.

Four-year-old Tori threw herself against Honey’s legs. “Mommy said you gots kids here. Who’s that girl you’re holding? Can I meet her?”

“You sure can.” This, Tori’s boundless excitement, was exactly what these two waifs needed, but Madeline burrowed into Honey’s hair. “You can meet her upstairs.”

In the living room, Tori ran to the sofa and stared at Evan. “I’m Tori. I live in Rodeo. Who are you?”

“I’m Evan. That’s my sister, Madeline.”

“I like your names.” She pointed to the sofa. “Can I sit here?”

From behind the curtain of Honey’s hair, Madeline studied Tori, not emitting a sound.

Tori wasn’t bossy by nature, but she was friendly and exuberant. As far as Honey could tell, she had decided to take control.

“You look nice,” she said to Madeline. “Sit here.” She curled up beside Evan and patted the sofa beside herself.

Madeline merely stared.

“We be friends,” Tori said. “I brought games. We can play.”

The tiniest of smiles hovered on Evan’s lips. Madeline rested her head on Honey’s shoulder and stayed where she was.

Tori frowned, not used to resistance.

Honey frowned, too. If Tori couldn’t break through Madeline’s shell, who could?

Chapter Two (#u16f56e5e-7d70-5373-b068-429879ed1658)

Numb.

Honey thought Cole was numb.

If only.

Cole wished to hell he was truly numb all the way through to his core. He wished he never had to feel another emotion in his life again. Then he wouldn’t have to be this raw, pain-ravaged creature.

This aching, furious, grief-stricken man with every nerve exposed and crawling.

His reactions might be slow, but numb? No.

Sandy. His baby sister was gone. Her bright-burning presence would no longer illuminate this world. A shining star of a woman had been snuffed out too early.

He couldn’t wrap his head it. He couldn’t accept that he would never see her again.

Never.

Dennis Engle, her husband, had been a good guy. Cole had liked and respected the man. Gone too young, too.

Cole’s parents were still alive, but he hoped never to see them again in his lifetime.

His family had been reduced to those two orphans on the sofa.

He wasn’t up to this. He’d faced every challenge life had ever thrown at him and had survived. But this?

God.

How—?

God.

There were no words.

Numb?

A bitter laugh burst out of him. If freaking only.

No anesthetic in this world could kill his pain.

He dredged up every trace of strength he had left inside his hollowed-out shell of a soul.

As sheriff, he knew everyone in town. Tanya was good people. He phoned her. She answered on the third ring.

He told her why he was calling. “You wouldn’t start for at least a week, but I need—I need—”

“To get things settled and planned,” she said. “I understand. I’ll see you in an hour, Cole.”

He ended the call.

What now?