The Loner Read Free Page A

Treasure. Trace McBride actually had constructed a hidden exit from the vault in the First National Bank of Fort Worth where a portion of the treasure remained. Logan could sure use a place like that at the moment to help trap this killer. Nevertheless, he was prepared to work with what he had.
    Gap Tooth and the woman followed Logan out of the lobby into the office hallway. He'd take them to the president's office. On a previous visit he'd noted a large vent cover on the far interior wall. Unless a better idea occurred to him in the next thirty seconds, he'd try to lure Gap Tooth there and tell him it was the tunnel entrance. If he could get the outlaw to bend down, he could surprise him with an elbow to the chin followed by a gun to the gut. Once he had control of the situation, he'd force the bandit to—
    Whoof. Thunk. While Logan turned toward the sound, Gap Tooth dropped to the floor like a stone. "What the—"
    "If I'd known you'd be so slow to save us I'd have kept the gun myself," the violet-eyed virago hissed as she grabbed the weapon from Gap Tooth's hand.
    Logan gawked at the gunman now writhing on the floor in pain. "What the hell did you do to him?"
    "He loosened his hold on me, so I pulled away and kicked him in the private parts."
    Damn. Logan braced his hands on his hips and grinned.
    On the floor, Gap Tooth let out a loud groan. She exhaled a snippy sigh, grabbed the handkerchief from Logan's jacket pocket, then knelt down and shoved it into the gunman's mouth to muffle the noise. Color stained her cheeks and frustration filled her eyes as she glared up at him. "Now, are you going to help me or do I have to do this alone?"
    Good Lord, she was magnificent when in a snit. And she wasn't wearing a wedding ring. How handy was that? "What's your plan?"
    "I don't have a plan. I thought you would develop one. You have much more experience at this sort of thing than I."
    Logan used line cut from nearby window drapes to bind the would-be robber and secure the gag. "You know who I am?"
    "Oh, yes."
    "Have we met before?"
    At that, she stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. Logan got the impression that for a moment, she considered pointing the villain's gun at him. Instead, she drew herself up, squared her shoulders and said, "Let's save the hostages now, shall we?"
    "Sure." Logan nodded, frowning at the soiled spot on her stylish white blouse from the gunman's grimy hand. Seeing it made Logan want to follow her lead and give ole Gap Tooth another kick in the balls. "That sounds like a fine plan, missy."
    "Missy," she muttered.
    A thought occurred to Logan that improved his mood. Maybe if he played his cards right, he wouldn't need to visit Ella's place after all. He could be charming when he wanted, and the woman had demonstrated that she knew her way around a belt buckle. Why, they could pass a right fine afternoon. Giving her a wink, he suggested, "After we are done with the rescuing, why don't you join me for lunch?"
    A series of emotions flashed across her face—shock, surprise, consideration, then fury. "No, thank you."
    Huh. Logan's brows arched in surprise. That put him in his place, didn't it? But he didn't understand the fury one bit. What was he missing here?
    Dammit, he wanted to find out. This gal lit his wick.
    Well, the sooner he took care of business here, the sooner he could see about getting his answers, so Logan turned his attention to matters at hand. Stepping into the bank president's office, he spied a walking stick with a metal handle. Testing its weight and strength, he nodded. It would do nicely as a weapon. Next, he made a quick phone call to Sheriff Luke Prescott's office and reported the robbery in progress. With the doors locked the lawmen couldn't storm the building, but they'd be waiting when access was provided.
    Debating just how best to make that happen, he returned to where the woman waited with Gap Tooth in the hallway, the outlaw's gun in one hand, his medallion in the other. He