Along Came a Cowboy Read Free Page A

committee?” I grin again and shake my head. “My answer is the same as last time you asked. You’ll have to find another sucker.” I put one hand on his shoulder and kick the pedal to lower the table. Back to business.
    When he is facedown, I lift his feet for a leg check.
    â€œOw!” He kicks my hand.
    Not a normal reaction to a simple leg check. I carefully lower his foot. “Where’s the pain?”
    â€œMy knee. Bursitis, I guess.” His voice is muffled against the face paper.
    â€œMind if I take a look?” I kick the lever to raise him back to standing.
    â€œBe my guest.” He lifts the leg of his loose-fitting khaki pants.
    I feel my eyes grow wide, but I quickly put on a professional face. “That’s a lot of swelling.”
    He shrugs. “It is a mite big, but I figure I’m old enough to be having a few aches and pains.”
    â€œMaybe, but I don’t think this is bursitis.” I squat down and touch the flesh lightly with my fingers; then something at the side of his knee catches my attention. “Ron, that looks like a bite.”
    â€œA bite? What kind of a bite?” He twists his upper body around to try to see but can’t.
    â€œI can’t say for sure, but it could be a spider bite. Have youseen any brown recluse spiders around?” When his wife died a few years back, Ron moved out to a little log cabin by the river. Wonderful for peace and quiet. And perfect for spiders.
    He grunts. “A few. But we have a deal. I don’t bother them, and they don’t bother me.”
    I shake my head. “I’m afraid one of them didn’t keep that bargain. You have to get Dr. Jackson to check this out.”
    â€œI don’t have time to go to two doctors today.”
    I look toward my phone. “Maybe I should call an ambulance to come take you.” A totally empty bluff on my part, but it gets the desired result.
    â€œThe day I can’t drive myself to the doctor will be the day—” He gives me an abashed grin. Which is quickly replaced by a worried frown. “What if he tells me I have to stay off my feet? What about the centennial celebration?”
    â€œIf there’s anything pressing in the next day or two, I’ll take care of it for you.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    I nod. “You get that knee looked at and don’t worry about anything else.”
    â€œI’ll stop by my office and send you a few notes for the meeting tonight.”
    â€œTonight?”
    He nods. “We’re supposed to meet at Coffee Central Bookstore at six.”
    â€œHow many people are on the committee besides you and Alma?”
    â€œThat’s the problem, actually. Why do you think I was trying to recruit you?”
    â€œYou’re kidding.” I’m incredulous. The centennial celebration may not be much compared to Mardi Gras or New Year’s Eve at Times Square, but around here it’s a huge deal. Andtwo people are handling it?
    He snorts. “There were five of us. But Rupert passed away after the first meeting—”
    â€œNow there’s a real selling point. Where do I sign up?”
    He laughs. “He was ninety and died with a fishing pole in his hand.”
    â€œLikely story.” Of course I’d heard about Rupert’s dying at his favorite fishing spot. But I still have to give Ron a hard time. “So what about the others?”
    â€œWhen we started the committee, Retha Holland conveniently neglected to mention that she goes to Florida every summer.”
    â€œEver heard of the Internet? Or even good old-fashioned Ma Bell? She can still help from down there.”
    He grimaces. “We tried that at first, but she was always running off to some senior citizen social. And finally she quit answering her phone.”
    â€œOkay, so short of calling in a bounty hunter who specializes in tracking down little old ladies, I guess you’re stuck. But