Page 25 of Fairest of Heart

Once Miss Snow was no longer visible, Titus stepped into the hall and met his grandfather when he turned away from the stairs. “I’m heading out.”

Doc eyed him with an arched brow. “You’re not going to say good-bye?”

Titus shrugged. “No time. I’m already late getting back to headquarters.”

The old man’s eyes glittered behind his spectacles. “We’ll see she’s taken care of.”

“I know. Wouldn’t leave her here otherwise.”

Doc slapped Titus’s shoulder. “Well, come see us again when you can. Check in on Lucky.”

“Lucky?”

Doc grinned. “Your dog. Miss Snow was talking about how both she and the mutt were lucky to be looked after by kindhearted strangers. Jeb overheard and decided to dub the critter Lucky. Said a dog staying under a man’s roof needed a name.”

Titus chuckled softly. “Can’t argue with that. Sounds like you’re gonna have another Diamond D resident if Lucky hangs around after he mends.”

“He’ll be welcome. As will Miss Snow.” Doc’s expression turned sentimental as his gaze traveled up the staircase. “She reminds me a bit of your grandma when we first met, with her dark hair and laughing eyes.” His jaw tightened as he turned back to Titus. “The girl doesn’t have any family. Least none she’d allow me to telegraph with her whereabouts. As far as I can tell, she’s got no one lookin’ out for her.” Doc eyed Titus, the pain of experience gleaming in his eyes. “The world can be a dangerous place for a young woman on her own. I’m thinkin’ we might need a family meeting to take a vote about lettin’ her stay. Should she wish it.”

Didn’t take a fortune teller to predict how that vote would go. “Just promise me you’ll be careful, Grandpa. All we really know about this girl is that she got herself tangled up in some kind of trouble. She might be involved with something nefarious that could put all of you in danger.”

Doc squeezed his shoulder. “Your work with the Rangers has made you cynical, son.”

“It’s made me cautious. There’s a difference.”

“Either way, I think seven grown men with four centuries of combined life experience can handle one young lady, tangled in trouble or not. But should you feel the urge to stop by the ranch more regularly to check on us, I won’t complain.”

Doc gave him a wink and shuffled down to the parlor where he typically did his morning reading. He wasn’t one to stand on the porch and wave good-bye. After losing Tate, he did his best to avoid farewells. Titus wasn’t all that fond of them himself. In fact, he was happy to find the kitchen empty except for the dog when he stepped inside.

Coy had left him a couple of cold pancakes on a plate on the table. Titus picked up the top flapjack, folded it in half, then bit into it like a sandwich. As he chewed, he wandered over to the pallet by the stove and squatted down to rub the coonhound’s black head. Lucky opened his eyes and whined slightly as if sensing Titus’s imminent departure and lodging a protest.

“I’ll be back,” he said as he ruffled the dog’s ears. “Then maybe you and I can go huntin’ together. What do you think about that?”

Lucky struggled to stand until Titus urged him back down.

“Easy, boy. There’s plenty of time for huntin’ later. Right now, you gotta focus on getting well. Hear me?”

Puppyish disappointment radiated from his dark eyes, but he didn’t try to rise again.

Titus rubbed the dog’s neck and head a final time. “Watch over them while I’m gone, all right?” He pushed to his feet. “I love these old goats.”

Lucky’s head bobbed as if in a nod, making Titus grin. He tore off a bit of his flapjack and fed it to the mutt before getting up. He stuffed the rest in his mouth, then grabbed the last flapjack from the plate and headed out.

He and Rex made good time, but it still took riding until nearly dusk to rendezvous with his battalion. After seeing to his horse, Titus headed to the officer’s tent to make his report.

“Kingsley! Just the man I wanted to see.” Captain Bill McDonald rose from his worktable and held out his hand.

Titus shook it, his chest expanding. Captain Bill didn’t dole out handshakes on a regular basis.

“Good work on that robbery case. The folks of Meridian were mighty happy to see those Buchanan brothers behind bars.” He leaned close. “Hoffman told me about the dog. He gonna pull through?”

“Looks like it. My grandfather’s tendin’ him.”

Captain Bill nodded. “Good.” He gestured for Titus to follow him over to his worktable and waved a hand over the papers spread across its surface. “I got another theft case for you. More complicated. Several small robberies scattered throughout the state, ones I suspect are connected.”

Titus glanced at a list of names and cities, the last one being a Mr. Hubert Hathaway of Eulogy, Texas. A town not far from the Diamond D. “Money?”

“Jewelry. Men’s jewelry. Stickpins, rings, watch fobs, cuff links, that sort of thing. Rather odd if you ask me. More money in women’s jewels.”