Two Wanted Men [Badlands 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) by Elle Saint James Page B

breath and released it. Calling out loudly, she responded, “Yes.”
    Hanna’s voice came through the door clearly. “Do you want some breakfast?”
    Miranda’s stomach took the occasion to roll with stress. “No.”
    There was a long pause. “Are you coming out?”
    Miranda closed her eyes and wished she could run far away. “No.”
    “Well, I wanted to tell you that I’m going over to visit my friend, Mary, as she just had a baby, and I’ll be back by lunchtime.”
    Miranda’s head spun to stare at the door. A warm feeling of growing delight encompassed her limbs. The new mother Hanna planned to visit was a former patient. Her newborn had been one of the three babies Miranda delivered back when she was still allowed to be a doctor. Had that only been a week ago? Miranda opened the door to see the expression on Hanna’s face was quietly conspiratorial. “Be careful here while I’m gone.”
    Miranda smiled. “Thank you. I will.”
    She shook her head. “Nothing to thank me for. Just so you know, John went to help Ben with some sheriff work north of town bringing a criminal man from one town to another. Ben will be coming over this evenin’, so you can see him, but they won’t be back until dinnertime. That should give you time enough to get ready.”
    Miranda grabbed Hanna in a quick, tight hug. She didn’t resist, but didn’t return it, either. “I’m grateful, Hanna.”
    “Don’t be. We didn’t have this conversation. When I left for my friend’s, you were still in bed.” She turned and walked away without another word.
    Miranda heard her leave the house five minutes later and ten minutes after that, Miranda also exited and headed into town. The three-mile walk to the north part of town invigorated her. Each step took her closer to possible freedom and salvation. Housed in the train station for convenience, the telegraph office was Miranda’s first order of business. She planned to send an immediate message, in the form of a plea for help, to South Dakota .
    The sun had just cleared the horizon when Miranda entered the rail station office next to the telegraph window, which also housed the post office. She peeked in to see who manned the desk. She’d heard a new man had been hired last week. She wanted him to wait on her, so there wouldn’t be any questions as to why she was leaving town.
    In the first stroke of luck since being escorted out of her home, the new man was indeed running the telegraph and train station. He had shocking wavy red hair and spectacles perched on his beak-like nose.
    She headed inside and straight to the desk. “I’d like to send a telegraph to Luke Quinton or Reese Martin in Campbell ’s Valley, South Dakota .”
    The man handed her a piece of blank paper and pointed to the inkwell and fountain pen on the counter. “That will be two cents a word payable up front. Keep that in mind when you create your message.”
    “I don’t have any money, but I do have a gold necklace—”
    “Sorry, ma’am. I can’t barter for telegraphs. Cash up front or no message.” He reached out and grabbed back the paper and turned his back on her.
    Miranda sighed and left the desk. She strolled over to the US Post Office. “Excuse me. Do you have any letters for me?” Perhaps Luke and Reese had miraculously sent her a letter with a train ticket inside. Her fanciful mind kept the awful reality of her situation just this side of endurable.
    “Who are you, miss?”
    “Miranda Herrington.”
    The old gentleman’s eyes lit up as if with recognition. “Nothing’s come this week. But I’ll be sure and give anything over to the sheriff like the last three times.” He grinned and walked away.
    She didn’t even have the few pennies it would take to send a letter to them. Besides the fact that it wouldn’t do any good anyway because by the time a letter arrived, she’d be dead or married to Ben and wishing she were dead.
    She walked over to the third window and inquired as to the