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Sloan was silent She spoke so naturally to him, and he wondered what it was like to be cos that others didn’t He’d wondered far too often hi his s out

"Trey Hardy was dead before the stagecoach disappeared," he re connected to this that has to do with him I’m positive Sloan--" Jane stopped to s the "So, have you spoken with Grant Winston?"

He nodded

"What was the fight about?"

"Grant’s collection of rare books He caught Caleb Hough in his office Hough told him he’d ruin him if he didn’t sell him his own books"

"Oh But is that a motive for murder?"

"I don’t think so I’ to get back into Grant’s office before the end of the day," he said

His cell phone rang as they walked, and he answered immediately It was Liam Newsome

"My officer just called from the hospital," Liam said "Seems there was a wo a basket of food to Zoe and Jih"

"Who was it?" Sloan asked

"He didn’t know When he stopped her in the hallway, she took off He couldn’t go after her and still guard his patients, so he called to tellup "I’ to borrow a horse from the stables and ride out to the hospital With all the traffic, not to mention the street closures, that’ll be the fastest"

Jane had heard the conversation "That woenuinely be a friend Half the people here are in costu the other way now, you know"

"And she could be heading this way," he said He hesitated, then suddenly took her by the shoulders "Be careful"

"I will And Logan and Kelsey are due soon," she added

He started to walk off, but then turned around "No basements!" he warned her

"Not unless someone screams blue blazes and I’ll be ready if that happens," she proet backup, don’t worry"

He left her on the street and hurried over to the stables Heidi was just getting a group e

"I need a horse," he told her

"Sure, Sloan, but why? Your horses are better than anything we have in our hack line"

"I’ to the hospital and I’d rather take a horse than a car right now Don’t want to waste ti back to my place"

Heidi looked at him wide-eyed Her eyes briht? I should’ve knohen he didn’t show up yesterday that so well, Heidi Now--"

"Take Bullet He’s saddled and he has some spunk in him," Heidi said

Sloan mounted the horse and rode out of the stables

He heard a loud cheering and realized people thought that he was part of the festivities He tilted his hat to them--and set out on the road that led from Main Street to the hospital

He took the trail at an easy lope until he was a good mile past all the hoopla Then he slowed Bullet andfor cars

People were driving slowly, even this far frolad to see it; they needed to be careful with the nu what appeared to be parents and three children passed hi women He lifted his hat to them all They waved in return

More parents,people

And then he saw the car he aiting for

A young wo She wore a prairie bonnet

She frowned, concentrated on her driving, clearly irritated that she had to slow for a van filled with schoolchildren