King of the Mountain Read Free Page B

some of the wind from her sails. How could she press charges against the man who’d risked his life to save hers? On the other hand, how could she let him walk away scot free after he’d almost killed her?
    Kitty stood there, stewing in the juices of her own confusion, until Ben asked to use the sheriff’s phone to call the union hall to postpone the bargaining session to another night.
    He growled a low greeting into the receiver and said, “I’ve run into a little trouble.”
    Trouble?
Trouble
was she? She glared at the man who was lounging against the desk, his lean, supple body totally relaxed. He didn’t know what trouble was!
    “No,” he said then, straightening and looking directly at her. “More annoying than serious.”
    That did it. By the time he hung up the phone Kitty was fit to be tied. And she intended to prosecute him to the limit the law would allow.
    From the fully stocked gun rack by the front door to the cross-barred hotel in back, the office fairly reeked of truth and justice the Cooperville way.
    “Now,” the sheriff said, plopping his bulk into the swivel chair behind his scarred oak desk. He eyed them one after the other. “Would someone mind telling me what in the name of tarnation’s going on here?”
    They both spoke at once.
    “She was poking along like Mr. Magoo’s twin sister—”
    “He came barreling toward me at about warp seven—”
    “One at a time, please.” The sheriff held up both beefy hands as if to stop traffic, then pointed at Ben. “You first.”
    Kitty clammed up and crossed her arms over her chest, bracing herself for the biggest con job on record.
    “It was all my fault,” Ben admitted to Kitty’s total surprise. “I was going too fast and I didn’t see her until it was too late to stop.”
    The ceiling light glinted on the sheriff’s badge as he swiveled his chair toward Kitty. “Then what happened?”
    “After he hit me, my car started sliding toward the edge. I slammed on the brakes, but all that did was make it slide sideways.” Her blood curdled in her veins as she verbalized that nightmarish moment. “I thought I was a goner.”
    “And then?” the sheriff prompted, looking at Ben.
    “When I saw what was happening, I threw my car into park and ran to help her.” He shrugged his broad shoulders, making light of his own heroics. “Fortunately I was able to get her out before her car dove over the edge.”
    A dreadful silence enveloped the room. Each of them contemplated what might have happened had Ben not run to Kitty’s rescue. Like a gentle,generous thief, the memory of his sheltering arms and shared coat stole through her thoughts, robbing her of her resolve.
    The sheriff cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “It doesn’t sound like attempted murder to me. Careless and reckless driving maybe, but not—”
    “I’m sorry.” Kitty turned her dark-fringed eyes to Ben’s. “I was upset about my car and—”
    “Forget it.” He all but drowned in the shimmering blue depths of her eyes, and at the moment he could have forgiven her anything.
    “You suppose there’s anything left that’s worth salvaging?” the sheriff asked then.
    “Not of the car.” Ben took off his tie and put it into the pocket of his sharply creased trousers. Kitty couldn’t help noting how they showcased his fluid thigh and leg muscles before falling to a stylish break upon his polished Italian loafers. “I thought I’d go back and check on the contents, though.”
    The sheriff stood. “I’ll go with you.”
    “Is there anything in particular you want us to look for?” Ben’s question caught Kitty completely off guard.
    Her startled eyes flew to his, and she saw by the lazy smile that curved his lips that he knew she’d been staring at his well-dressed body.
    “My pit helmet,” she said quickly, trying to cover her consternation. “And my lunch pail.”
    “What about your coat?” the sheriff asked.
    “That too,” she confirmed.
    “And your