Heart of an Outlaw *First in the Crane Gang series*

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Gill shoved his hurt over Jeb’s questioning aside and tried hard to focus on the task at hand. 

Children. 

They were surrounded by children and Gill hadn’t ever cared much for the little creatures. It wasn’t that he necessarily disliked them but he’d never been comfortable around them. He didn’t know how to talk to them and he didn’t know how to act around them. 

One boy had captured Gill’s attention however. He appeared to be eight or nine years old and he wasn’t playing with the other children. He was sitting alone in the back of the large den with his nose buried in a book. 

There were two other boys that appeared to be around the same age, one boy younger, three younger girls, a boy nearing adulthood and four teenaged girls but this boy was alone. 

“That’s Preston,” Willie’s voice informed him. 

Gill glanced beside him at the other man. “Why isn’t he with the others?” 

Willie shrugged as his eyes scanned the children playing with the gifts that the gang had brought along. Most of the profits of their loot had gone straight to Margaret to purchase what she needed to keep operating but a bit had gone to buy gifts for the children. 

“Preston is quiet. He likes to read which is why Jeb bought him books. He can’t run and play with the other kids so I guess books are his way of having adventure.” 

Gill frowned. “Why can’t he run and play?” 

Willie fiddled with the fringes on his gaucho pants. “His lungs don’t work right. I’m not sure what exactly the problem is but he has to have a special medication that costs quite a bit just to be able to breathe. Without it, I reckon he’d die.” 

Gill felt his heart go out to the child. No one, especially someone who hadn’t yet even had a chance to live, should have to have something like death hanging over their heads. 

Gill felt Jeb’s eyes on him and looked toward the corner to find Jeb watching him closely. Gill felt his hurt and anger surfacing again. He didn’t like anger. Anger seemed to settle in his gut and bubble there causing him to feel sick. But he had a right to be angry with Jeb….

Damn, Gill had thought they had something truly special but it couldn’t be what Gill had thought it was because Jeb had jumped at the first chance to doubt him. 

Jeb started across the room toward him but was stopped by Margaret who seemed to have a list of things she needed to speak with Jeb about. Gill was thankful for the distraction. 

“Lovers quarrel?” Willie asked with a grin. 

Gill wasn’t sure what to make of Willie speaking to him with anything less than hostility in his tone. He shook his head. “Everything’s fine.”