The Lone Sheriff

The Lone Sheriff
Lynna Banning

A woman detective? Not on his watch!As if tracking down train robbers wasn’t hard enough, now Sheriff Jericho Silver’s back-up has arrived – and she’s a gun-toting, head-turning beauty. She sure spells trouble.Madison O’Donnell had the perfect life – a beautiful home and all the ladies’ luncheons she could stomach – but it left her bored to tears. Now a widow, she’s determined to fill her days with daring deeds and wild adventures. Jericho is equally determined that she’ll be on the next train home. But this is one lady who won’t take no for an answer…

“You’re here to help?” Jericho echoed.

“Of course. I am Madison O’Donnell. The Smoke River Bank hired me to help catch the gang robbing their gold shipments.”

Jericho stared at her.

“I believe you were expecting me?”

He snapped his jaw shut. The last thing he’d expected was this frilly-looking female with her ridiculous hat. In her green-striped dress, and twirling her parasol like that, she made him think of a dish of cool mint ice cream.

“Whatever is the matter, Sheriff? You have gone quite pale. Are you ill?”

He jerked at the question. Not ill—just gutshot. “Uh, yeah. I mean, no, I’m not ill. Just…surprised.”

She lowered her voice. “Most clients are surprised when they meet me. It will pass.”

Hell, no, it won’t.

AUTHOR NOTE (#ulink_bb9e0394-48ff-5e44-9c17-791fceded7f0)

During my research for this book I was pleased to discover there were a number of women Pinkerton agents; in fact Allan Pinkerton stated that some of his most valuable operatives, particularly during the Civil War, were women.

So I thought a female agent in the Old West deserved her own story.

The Lone Sheriff

Lynna Banning

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

For Joe Walsh, with love

With grateful thanks to:

Suzanne Barrett

Carolyn Comings

Kathleen Dougherty

Tricia Adams

Brenda Preston

Susan Renison

Ann Shankland

Austin Sugai

David Woolston

LYNNA BANNING has combined a lifelong love of history and literature into a satisfying career as a writer. Born in Oregon, she has lived in Northern California most of her life. After graduating from Scripps College she embarked on a career as an editor and technical writer, and later as a high school English teacher.

An amateur pianist and harpsichordist, Lynna performs on psaltery and harp in a medieval music ensemble and coaches in her spare time. She enjoys hearing from her readers. You may write to her directly at PO Box 324, Felton, CA 95018, USA, email her at carowoolston@att.net (mailto:carowoolston@att.net) or visit Lynna’s website at www.lynnabanning.com (http://www.lynnabanning.com)

Contents

Cover (#u2aac39c2-16a0-5966-a289-97c560e865a2)

Introduction (#u51e9a2fa-9594-5c00-af16-f16d75cac79e)

Author Note (#u2475973a-9b5d-5aed-9f10-a5c732c809d1)

Title Page (#u9d54e59c-a9fb-51ba-b658-25a6389834f5)

Dedication (#u642b0800-36cd-57ee-a1b5-d32eee768f9e)

About the Author (#uacbefdf7-8097-5246-889d-b87e9742201a)

Prologue (#ua9e82ae2-dec0-5c2f-b040-d0de981ed844)

Chapter One (#uf5e2fd65-683f-5b87-9e8e-553a06976c92)

Chapter Two (#u6ab5cbc1-21cf-51ec-8327-990609091756)

Chapter Three (#u9b4a13cc-054f-56da-bb5f-fa9ec5880826)

Chapter Four (#u5cf81812-9a41-504d-9566-7f6227ccdaf7)

Chapter Five (#u5b268b5d-f2cd-5f9b-b1cc-84aaaf3b0c96)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)