laurel joseph

Janie saw the fire, and raced to the cabin because she’d recognized the white stallion leading his men away from the flames. Xavier Xander was an evil man, and that alone drove her to make sure no one was inside the burning building. When she saw the door barred from the outside and the boards nailed over the window, she realized her hunch was correct.

US Marshal Blake Maxwell struggled to breathe as the boy helped him outside the burning shack. What a boy his age was doing out at night worried Blake, but he was grateful to the kid. When he asked the boy’s name, he was told JT Burroughs. The kid also warned him off Xander, stating that Xander was his. Blake was stunned when he rode off without another word, leaving Blake behind to realize that Xander would be after the kid if he realized the boy knew this was where Xander’s men brought the cattle they rustled.

Janie followed at a safe distance to make sure the marshal made it to town, and knew she would need to stay out of the man’s way. Still, it was disconcerting when the marshal showed up in her classroom to ask about JT Burroughs. She was surprised by her attraction to the man, and that he seemed to be just as interested in her. But what would he say if he realized shewas JT Burroughs?