Wife Wanted in Dry Creek Read Online Free Page B

he turned back to Conrad. “It might be best if you took the young lady into your office while I talk to the boys.”
    Conrad nodded. “Makes sense.”
    “And make sure she doesn’t make any phone calls,” the sheriff added. “She might be working with someone.”
    “I’m not working with anyone,” Katrina protested.“I mean, I didn’t do anything either so I don’t need a partner.”
    The sheriff grunted and looked at Charley. “Why don’t you go with them, too?”
    Conrad could see that Katrina wanted to protest, but she didn’t. Instead, she walked ahead of him with her head held high and that long hair of hers swinging again like she was some princess. Her back was straight with indignation.
    And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Uncle Charley leaned over and whispered, “Did you hear that? She’s single.”
    Conrad muttered low enough that only Charley could hear. “Give it up. We’ve got trouble enough.”
    He couldn’t stop watching her, though. Her high heels didn’t even wobble as she marched across the concrete floor. Which was more than he could say for his heart. He supposed it was only natural that, after he’d looked at that calendar a hundred times over the past week, he would feel some warmth for the woman in the picture. He had sense enough to know that had nothing to do with real life though. This woman could be a criminal.
    The three of them had no sooner stepped into his office than Katrina turned on them.
    “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she demanded. Her hands were on her hips and the color was high on her face.
    Conrad didn’t figure it was the time to say she looked magnificent.
    His uncle wasn’t so sensitive. “My!”
    Fortunately, the older man didn’t elaborate, but Conrad recognized the appreciation anyway.
    “The sheriff got a call,” Conrad answered. He figured she deserved to know. “The car you’re driving was reported stolen.”
    “That car belongs to my sister. She lent it to me so I could go out scouting around for places that look romantic.”
    “You mean like our stop sign?” Conrad asked in astonishment.
    Uncle Charley just stood there looking like a cat who’d found a bowl of cream. “Romance?”
    “If you must know, I’m hoping to become a professional photographer. I took some shots for a calendar called Romance Across America. I am—well, was—looking for locations for photo shoots this morning.”
    The fire went out of her as she spoke.
    “That’s the job you lost?” Conrad asked softly.
    She nodded. “I’m thinking I could make another pitch for it, but I’ve already sent them my best work so I don’t know. They said my pictures lacked heart.”
    “What do they know?” Conrad said without thinking. He wasn’t ready to champion this woman. True, something about her tugged at him. But he had sense enough to know that she would break his heart if he let himself get involved with her.
    “So you’re a professional photographer?” Uncle Charley asked. “That’s why you wanted someone to stand by our heart sign?”
    Katrina nodded.
    “Then young lady, that makes you an answer to prayer,” he said with satisfaction in his voice.
    “What?” Conrad almost swallowed his tongue. Here he was trying to be sensible and his uncle was diving off the deep end. Surely, there had to be a limit to what his relatives would do in pursuit of a bride for him. “I’m sure you don’t mean—”
    “No, she’s an answer to prayer.” Uncle Charley was adamant. He turned to Katrina. “My wife, Edith, has been praying up a storm asking God to send us a photographer to take some pictures for the church directory. She’s set on us having photos now that the church in Miles City has them. She says we need to keep up with the times.”
    “The church directory?” Conrad was so relieved he didn’t care that he sounded like a simple-minded parrot.
    “I don’t really—” Katrina stammered. “That is, I mean, I really should keep