Read an Excerpt
"Good, good." The mayor nodded triumphantly. "Now, if you men will tell us your names, we'll get started." The doctor looked at Cade expectantly. "Cade O'Brien." An immediate hush fell over the other men. Every pair of eyes pulled wide. More than one mouth dropped open. Cade simply stood there, waiting for their shock to wear off. He'd built enough of a reputation out West to recognize the reaction; it'd pass soon enough. As if on cue, the silence disappeared as quickly as it had descended and something near chaos erupted in its place. Four of the six men simply threw their hands up and declared themselves out of the running. "I ain't got a chance against Cade O'Brien," one said, fixing his hat more firmly on his head. One by one, they passed Cade, dipping their hats or shaking his hand, and declaring it an honor to meet him. The town council looked a bit awed at both him and the exodus he'd caused. In the end, only Sweaty Hat and Blue Kerchief remained. His respect for the two men increased on the spot. Not everyone was willing to keep at a fight that had suddenly turned lopsided. "Anyone else?" the mayor asked. "One more," a feminine voice declared. Cade turned around. A woman approached, her nearly black hair pulled into a tidy bun. Deep brown eyes, a pleasant face-she was a beauty, for sure. Her eyes met his for a moment. She looked him up and down but didn't seem terribly impressed. The final candidate's wife, perhaps? Or sister? The question faded, however. Hanging low on her hips was a gun belt, a pistol in the holster. He'd known a few women who wore guns, but none who wore it as naturally as she did, or as menacingly. "One final name for your list of candidates," she said to the doctor, her voice firm and commanding. "Miss Paisley Bell."
