White Dove's Promise Read Free Page A

of sweet chocolate suggested she was half Comanche like himself. While her dusky pink lips reminded him she’d been the one girl he’d always wanted to kiss, but had never been given the chance.
    â€œKerry—” For a moment her name was all he could manage to say until the fear widening her brown eyes forced him to continue. “I’m not sure where your daughter is. I’ve followed her tracks and from the looks of things she’s entered one of the drainage ditches and hasn’t come out.”
    Jared watched her mouth fall open. At the same time he could feel her small fingers tightening in a death grip around his forearm. She was terrified and rightly so. Yet she was holding herself together with the courage of a Comanche warrior. Admiration flowed through him, along with the desperate urge to help her.
    â€œWhat do you mean? Hasn’t come out of what?” she flung the questions at him.
    Before Jared could explain, Bram, dressed in a tan uniform and sheriff’s badge, joined them. The oldest of the five Colton siblings, Bram was only an inch taller than Jared and shared the same athletic build and black hair. Yet the similarities stopped there. Where Jared’s eyes were gray and usually full of playful mischief, Bram’s were black and serious. At the moment, the two brothers were both tight-lipped with anxiety.
    â€œYou’d better show me where she went in, Jared,” Bram said, then to Kerry he added, “You can come with us. But tell your mother and the rest that they must stay back and out of the way.”
    Nodding, Kerry left them momentarily and hurried over to briefly explain the situation to her mother. As the two men waited for her, Jared said, “I don’t like the looks of this, Bram. The girl has ventured into a spot where we haven’t started working yet. It’s a safe bet to say that the drainpipes have probably broken and shifted into all sorts of directions and turned the whole thing into a treacherous maze. She’s probably crawled inside one of them and can’t find her way out.”
    â€œDamn it, why wasn’t someone out here? Where’s your work crew anyway?”
    Jared didn’t allow Bram’s sharp questions to get under his skin. His older brother took the responsibility of his sheriff’s position very seriously and he was committed to keeping everyone in Comanche County safe.
    â€œIt rained yesterday, remember? I let the crew off,” Jared explained. “As for someone guarding the place, that responsibility lies with the gas company and they apparently didn’t want to be out the extra expense. The yellow tape is supposed to keep people away from the danger.”
    Bram’s lips twisted with disapproval as he eyed the yellow caution tape that roped the perimeter of the well site. “Yeah,” he said with sarcasm. “That’s sure going to keep the kids out of this accident waiting to happen.”
    â€œBelieve me, Bram, I tried to warn the gas company. Right after we started digging up the place I asked them to supply a night watchman at the very least, but they refused. His salary would have been a hell of alot cheaper than the lawsuit that might come out of this.”
    Kerry rejoined them just as Jared finished speaking. Her expression was grave, but hopeful as her gaze encompassed both men.
    â€œMother will keep the friends and relatives back,” she assured Bram.
    The sheriff nodded at her, then motioned for Jared to lead them to the spot where the child had entered the drainage pipe.
    Instinctively, Jared took Kerry by the arm. “The ground is rough and slippery,” he gently warned her. “So watch your step.”
    Kerry realized she must appear ridiculous in her skirt and high heels, but she couldn’t help it. Ever since she’d raced home from the bank, she’d not had time to draw a deep breath, much less change her clothes. Already her panty