Page 12 of Cowboy Peril

A cowboy is kind and gentle to small children, old folks, and animals.

A cowboy is free from racial and religious intolerance.

A cowboy is always helpful when someone is in trouble.

A cowboy is always a good worker.

A cowboy respects women, his parents, and his nation’s laws.

A cowboy is clean about his person in thought, word, and deed.

A cowboy is a patriot.

Parker had a few of the cowboy qualities, but like Colt, she had a whole lot of work to do in other areas. Working on a ranch didn’t make anyone a cowboy or a cowgirl. He considered himself a ranch hand. To be a cowboy of Gene Autry’s standards at least, he’d need to be almost perfect.

A man stood in the back of the co-op ready to help load the feed and other items into the bed of the truck. He shot Parker a quick look, his gaze lingering longer than Colt liked.

Colt cleared his throat.

The guy jerked to attention and resumed loading. “Ain’t seen her around here before.”

“That would be because she hasn’t been here more than a day.” He crossed his arms and glared, not sure if the man’s attention or Colt’s reaction to that attention rankled more. Colt no longer had any claim on Parker Wells, and he preferred it that way.

Movement across the lot drew his attention. The same man he’d spotted in the grocery store entered the diner. It shouldn’t be suspicious, but something about him set off alarms in Colt. The furtive way he kept his face averted. The hunched shoulders as if he didn’t want to be seen. The man warranted watching for sure.

Parker glanced up from her phone when Colt climbed into the driver’s seat. “Everything good?”

“Yep.” He threw the truck into drive and pulled away from the building. “Anything else before we head back up the mountain?”

“I could use some more books. I like to read in the evening and only have two.”

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