Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn Page B

the sheriff for his help?”
    â€œHe said there was nothing he could do if a man wanted to go somewhere without telling anyone.”
    Luke could understand the sheriff’s position, particularly if there was no evidence of foul play. “What about his foreman, Buck?”
    â€œBuck is dead.”
    Luke leaned forward with his arms on the table. “What happened to him?”
    â€œHe was shot just before Sam left.”
    That was an odd coincidence, Luke thought. “Who killed him?”
    â€œNo one knows.”
    â€œArina, I need to ask you about the kiss you gave me. What was that about?”
    She reached over and placed her hand over his and stared into his eyes. “I was just so glad to see a familiar face. I’m sorry if I overreacted, but I always felt a connection with you.”
    Her comment threw him. Connection? “We’ve never even been alone for five minutes, Arina.”
    Squeezing his hand, she looked at him with sad eyes. “I want to be friends with you, Luke. I know Sam trusted you. Please don’t turn me away. I need someone I can trust.”
    Luke looked away, feeling uncomfortable with Arina’s unusual behavior. It had been his plan to ask her if she preferred to stay at the ranch, but after the kiss she’d landed on him, he thought better of that. None of this was making sense to him. He really didn’t know anything about Arina, other than the fact she was his partner’s wife. Sam had never confided in him about his relationship with her, and it came as a complete surprise when Sam told him he was getting married. The whole situation was confounding. Luke glanced up and found himself staring directly into large silver disapproving eyes. He quickly jerked his hand from Arina’s grip.

Chapter Seven
    Later that evening, Luke was alone with his brothers and he told them about his meeting with Arina and her strange behavior.
    â€œI can see why you didn’t invite her to stay at the ranch,” Colt said.
    â€œThe way you like to flirt around, are you sure you didn’t give her the wrong impression at some point?” Jake asked.
    Luke didn’t take exception to Jake’s question, he didn’t hide the fact he liked women. “I don’t think I’ve said more than ten words to her before today. She never paid me the least bit of attention at the wedding, and I left Arizona right after that.”
    â€œDid the sky fall?” Jake teased. “You met a woman who wasn’t all over you in five minutes. I can’t believe it!”
    â€œVery funny,” Luke countered. “Sam didn’t talk much about her, so I know very little. I don’t even know how they met.”
    â€œWhat are you planning on doing?” Colt asked.
    â€œFirst, I’m going to telegraph the sheriff and see what he can tell me. I’ll also telegraph the supervisor at the mine. He worked for Sam before I became a partner.”
    â€œDoesn’t he have a foreman at the ranch you could contact?” Jake asked.
    â€œThat’s another strange thing. The foreman I knew at Sam’s ranch is dead. He was shot and apparently there are no leads on his killer. Odd coincidence, don’t you think?”
    â€œThere are no coincidences,” Colt and Jake said in unison.
    Luke laughed. “I knew you were going to say that. And in this case, I have to agree.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do about the wife?” Colt asked.
    â€œShe wants my help, but I’m not sure what I can do from here.”
    â€œIf you’re asking my opinion, I think this is exactly where you need to be,” Colt told him.
    â€œWhy is that?”
    â€œThink about it, if Sam is not dead, he must have had a purpose for leaving. It stands to reason a man would protect his wife, but as he didn’t confide in her, it makes me think he didn’t trust her.”
    Luke hadn’t thought about it from that angle.