Zina Abbott Books: January 2023

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Saturday Snippet: It Sounds Like You Need a Scout, Not a Detctive

Today's Saturday Snippet is taken from

Lauren

Rescue Me (Mail-order Brides), Book 2

by Zina Abbott

“… You’re, no doubt, wondering why I’ve called you in here.”

Resisting the temptation to engage vocally, Jeb slowly nodded.

Orson picked up his cigar and leaned back to take a puff. He blew the smoke toward the ceiling before he turned to Jeb. “As I recall, in your early years with the company, you used to work as an expressman along the line all the way to Ogden. Correct?”

Jeb felt like a weight inside dropped from his chest to his gut. He nodded. “I did. They often had me guard the payroll and other valuables along the entire route.” He shook his head and quirked up the corner of his mouth. “Can’t say I saw much outside while I was cooped up inside with the safe.” Jeb felt no desire to visit the Great Plains that extended to the west across most of the Union Pacific line until they sloped up into the Rocky Mountains. The plains of Nebraska west of Omaha to Grand Island were stark enough.

“Hum…” Orson leaned back in his chair and gazed at the ceiling behind Jeb’s head. He twitched his handlebar moustache side to side. “I had hoped that, for this assignment, you would be more familiar with the Wyoming Territory countryside. It would pay for you not only to know the towns and terrain immediately adjacent to the tracks, but what is beyond.”

“It sounds like out there, you need a scout, not a detective.”

Orson waved his hand to brush aside the comment. “There are plenty of sheriffs out that way who are familiar with the geography of their counties. For this assignment, it will be like it is everywhere else along the line. Away from the tracks and U.P. property, you’ll work with local law enforcement. You know—offer to aid with their investigations, join a posse when it involves railroad crime, that sort of thing.” He interlaced his fingers and rested his hands on top of his belly mound. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m sending you out there?”

The skin around Jeb’s eyes twitched as he again quirked up the corner of his mouth. “I figure you’ll get around to telling me when you’re ready.”

Lauren is now available for sale or at no additional costs with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. A book with a lawman theme, this is my final book that includes references to the 1878 total solar eclipse. To find the book description and purchase link,

please CLICK HERE.

My next book I will be writing for the series, Rescue Me (Mail-order Brides) is Book 8,

Elise.

To find the book description and link, please

CLICK HERE.

Ellie, book 13 in the Runaway Brides of the West series is now for sale as an ebook, plus available on Kindle Unlimited at no additional cost. This book also has a connection to the 1878 total solar eclipse, although Ellie and Rand's story takes place a year later.

To find the book description and pre-order link for Ellie, please CLICK HERE.