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“We did soive up his commission on the truck and sell it for the owner’s price of seven thousand Does that suit you?”

Rose could only iet the price down, but this was no tiet the truck and leave “It suits me fine,” she said “Let’s do some business”

In the garage’s grin the paperwork and hand over the e oas sullen and silent butwhen a beat-up black Cae The o When Tanner nodded, the man left them and hurried forward to deal with his customer

Tanner slid the pistol into the holster under his vest and handed her the signed title “I’ll walk you to your new truck,” he said, holding the office door and closing it behind them as they walked outside “After that, you’re on your own”

“I guess I should thank you,” Rose said as they paused outside the truck “I h time of it if you hadn’t been there”

“Then I’lad I was” He opened the door of the truck “Be safe, Rose”

As Rose turned to climb into the cab, he laid a brief hand on her shoulder It was an innocent gesture, but the contact with her hypersensitive nerves triggered an alarasped and jerked around, poised to defend herself

He stepped back “Sorry I didn’t mean to spook you”

She reer, then exhaled and lowered her arms “I’m just jumpy, that’s all”

“I understand” He kept his distance as she cli your truck licensed?” he asked her

“Fine, assu the folks at the motor vehicle department have better ain”

“You never know” He closed the door and stepped out of the way as she backed up and headed for the gate Glancing back, she saw hiave her brief wave and disappeared froht

Tanner drove back to the ranch, side s rolled down to let in the fresh breeze Traffic was light on the narrow highway Two stray cows grazed on the grass that grew in the bar ditch along the road He pulled left to give them a wide berth

Ferg Prescott would be waiting to hear what he’d learned from Rose Not that there’d be much to tell Rose Landro wasn’t uarded, independent to a fault, and feisty as hell