Apache Gunhawk

by Monogram Press

“Are you sure, we’re not lost?” Lee Hadley whined. He was lagging behind the others by half a length. The early morning sun was rapidly settling in for another scorching hot day.

  “For the umpteenth time,” Charlie Noonan growled back. “We’re not lost. Just shut up and keep up. Or we’ll leave you behind. Then you can ask yourself, if you’re lost. And guess what? You will be.” He grinned to Bill and Sid. They all gigged their horses forward, a little faster.

  Hadley blustered and fumed as his tried to push his mount forward, into a trot after them.

  It was about mid-morning when Hawk, Tom Noonan and Julie Hadley emerged from a stand of trees, pulled their horses to a halt, and gazed down into the valley below. Four riders were traveling at a hurried pace almost directly below them. Tom started suddenly as he recognized them. Hawk grasped the bridle of Tom’s horse, controlling it and sidling up close enough to press the muzzle of his pistol against the side of the outlaw’s neck. “Just keep quiet and let them go,” he said lowly. The hammer of his Colt clicked into cocked position. “And that goes for you too, Missy.” He backed his horse toward the brush line, leading his two prisoners with him, to avoid being noticed by the Noonan gang as they rode on toward the North.

  “The marshal’s not with them,” Hawk mused, almost to himself, but said it aloud.

  “I knew that old man couldn’t hold my father,” Tom almost gloated.

  Hawk was silent and chewed on the situation. Obviously, the Noonan’s had escaped from Coburn and he had noticed that the gang was armed, except for the fourth man, which he could not readily recognize at that distance. He wondered as to the old marshal’s fate. He didn’t want to admit to himself that he cared if Coburn had met his death, but deep down, he hoped that the old lawman was still alive. Whether the marshal was alive or dead, the Noonan’s would pay for whatever they had done to him. He began to formulate a plan.

  It was a half hour later when the Noonan gang pulled up next to a water hole in a grassy arroyo. There was shade from the cottonwoods that lined both sides of it. Here they dismounted, watered their horses, drank their fill and cooled themselves off as much as possible considering the tepid state of the still water.

  It was here that they were startled by a crashing sound in the brush behind them. Their weapons came out almost simultaneously and they stood ready for the intruder. A mixture of surprise and relief crossed their faces as a riderless horse emerged from the thicket.

  The expressions disappeared almost immediately as they saw that the horse did carry a load. There was a body hanging over the saddle and bulging saddle bags hung over the horse’s withers and rump. Bill Noonan froze, in shock. He couldn’t believe his eyes and as grief poured over him, he absently holstered his six shooter and ran to the grayish black horse. Both hands reached out and grasped the shoulders of Little Bill Noonan’s body. His knees felt weak and tears began to swell up in the outlaw leaders eyes. Sid and Charlie gathered around, both equally shocked at the scene before them.

  Grief had taken them all by surprise and were momentarily oblivious to anything else around them. They didn’t notice the sounds of three riders emerging from the trees until it was too late. Almost in unison, they whirled around at the sound, hands reaching for weapons, but freezing in mid motion as they saw the Apache bounty hunter sitting astride his horse, a little to the right and a bit behind Tom and Julie on their horses. Hawk had his rifle pointed at them all.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Hawk warned. “Toss your guns down.”

  “You stinking savage,” Bill Noonan growled. “You did this.” He nodded toward his son’s body.

  Hawk ignored the curse and repeated. “I said toss the guns down.”

  “I’m sorry, Pa,” Tom said sadly, “There was nothing I could do.”

  “I know, son,” Bill Noonan came back resolutely.

  “The guns,” Hawk repeated. “This is the last time I’m going to tell you.”

  Bill Noonan stepped away from the horse with his son’s body. He glanced from Hawk to Charlie and Sid. He heaved a deep sigh and said as he tossed his pistol to the ground. “Do as he says.”

  Reluctantly, the two comrades followed suit. “That’s better,” Hawk said. “Now what did you do with to Coburn?”

  “What does that matter to you?” Bill chided.

  “It matters.”

  “To you? A savage? Since when did anyone ever matter to you?”

  Again Hawk ignored the slur. “I won’t ask again. What did you do with Coburn?”

  “We left him behind. On foot,” Sid said quickly.

  “I thought you said, you shot him,” Charlie blurted stupidly.

  “Shut up you fool!” Bill Noonan snapped at him. Charlie looked confused and a bit peeved.

  “I guess that answers my question,” Hawk said. He let the rifle barrel drift toward Sid’s chest. Sweat began to bead on his forehead.

  “Go ahead,” Sid said. “Might as well get it over with. I suppose you’re going to kill us all anyways.”

  “Wait a minute there,” Lee Hadley stumbled forward nervously. “You know I’m not one of them. I just came along to get my wife back.”

  Julie cringed back in her saddle, a look of hate and disgust on her face. She glanced from Hadley to Tom, then to Hawk, questioningly. Suddenly, her body eased a little as she resolved her fate. If Hawk were to kill them all, well perhaps that would be better than riding away with Hadley.

  “Hello, Julie,” Hadley said, glancing up to her.

  “If you’re going to kill us all, make sure you kill him too,” Julie told Hawk.

  “I’m sure you remember that I’m paying a ten thousand dollar reward for her, Mr…. uh Hawk is it.?”

  “I remember,” Hawk answered coldly.

  “I remember that too,” a gruff voice said from behind Hawk. Hard steel pressed against the back of Hawk’s neck. He didn’t flinch, nor did his body tense. He just accepted the threat, but did not loosen the grasp of his rifle stock. His eyes darted back and forth and he glimpsed the dark form of a rider behind him.

  Eli Cobb had been trailing the gang at a distance and had seen Hawk and his prisoners circle the Noonan’s, baiting a trap. He had let Hawk take the Noonan’s by surprise and then made his move.

  It didn’t completely surprise the Apache, for his keen ears had heard a movement as Cobb rode out of the brush, but he had not dared to take his eyes off his captives.

  “Drop the iron, Hawk,” Eli Cobb moved his mount a little closer to the side so Hawk could see him plain.

  Hawk said nothing, but Bill Noonan gasped with surprise. “You!” He snarled.

  “So you remember me?” Cobb chided.

  “Remember? I never forgot you. Every day for the last twenty years I’ve seen your ugly face every night before I go to sleep and every morning before I get up. I see my wife dying in my arms from the bullet you put into her.”

  “It was your fault,” Cobb said flatly. “It was you I was after. There was no reward on her. Unfortunately, you put her in harm’s way and cheated me out of the bounty on you.”

  “You bounty hunters are all alike.” He glared at Cobb, then at Hawk. “You live off blood, like vampires. That’s what you are, vampires!”

  Cobb laughed and said, “Thanks for reminding me. I do believe I did ask you, Mr. Hawk to drop your weapon.” He poked the muzzle deeper into the Apache’s neck.

  Without a word, Hawk held his arm out to the side and let the Winchester fall to the ground.

  “That’s better,” Cobb grinned triumphantly.

  “You’ll never be able to take us all in, alone,” Bill Noonan said.

  “That’s right,” Cobb said. “That’s why I’m willing to cut Hawk in on the deal.”

  “Since when did you ever share a bounty with anyone?” Hawk said.

  “Well, actually, share isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” He paused, waiting for Hawk to respond. When there was none, he added, “I was thinking about letting you have the bounty on the
se miserable wretches. There’s enough bank money on that horse, over there, to make me forget about the paltry bounties. I ride away and you do what you want with them.”

  “What about me?” Lee Hadley interjected. “And my wife? I told you I’d pay ten thousand dollars.

  Eli Cobb laughed. “You stupid fool. I’m taking all the money anyways.”

  Hadley’s shoulders slumped with chagrin. Then he said, “Can’t you take us with you anyhow?” He pleaded.

  “Well, you know Mr. Banker, that might not be such a bad idea at that,” Cobb mused. “You might be a help to me.”

  Hadley brightened with hope. Julie only shuddered.

  “You can start right now by dumping that carcass off the horse, for me.”

  “No!” Bill Noonan shouted. “I’ll do it myself.” He turned toward the mora, untied the thongs that held Little Bill’s body secure, and lowered it gently to the ground.

  “That’s what I like to see,” Cobb chuckled. “Cooperation.”

  Noonan knelt down as he lowered his son’s body and cradled the head in his arms. Sid Denglert knelt beside the outlaw leader and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

  “Now ain’t that just touching,” Cobb chided. “You’d think that old hypocrite really meant it. After he got your Pa killed”

  Sid’s head jerked up and he shot to his feet. He glared at Cobb. Bill Noonan, catching the start and seeing the anger in Sid’s eyes said, “What’s he talking about Sid?”

  “He’s been lying to you for years, Noonan. Who do you think tipped off the law that day in Mud Flats?”

  Bill lowered Little Bill’s head to the grass and stood up slowly, his eyes burning with tears. “Sid?” He almost whispered it. He started to step toward the old man, but Cobb halted him with a warning.

  Sid shook his head and looked away.

  Cobb laughed brutally. “All right, Hadley, you’ll lead the horse with the saddle bags. Mount up. I’ll bring your woman along.”

  Hadley did as instructed and led the mora a short distance away from the others. Cobb backed his mount away from Hawk and reached out with his free hand, grasping the bridle of Julie’s horse. As he started to pull her toward him, Tom Noonan lashed out at him, reaching for the bounty hunter’s arm. Eli wheeled his horse, ramming its butt into the side of Tom’s mount, giving him a jolt. At the same time, he swung the barrel of his rifle into a swooping arc and laid the metal across Tom’s temple. Blood gushed from the torn gash and Tom Noonan fell from the saddle, striking the ground solidly and rolling with blinding pain as his horse flailed about with his hoofs churning up sod around him, and finally skittering away.

  Hawk had reacted simultaneously and swung around in the saddle reaching for the pistol in his holster, but it was too late. Eli Cobb had recovered from his sudden attack and brought the rifle back around and pushed the muzzle into the Apache’s dark face. “Don’t try it!” He warned.

  Hawk let his hand drift away from the holster.

  At the same time, Sid Denglert, angry and shamed took advantage of the momentary distraction. He dived toward one of the pistols that lay on the ground. He had just reached it, fingers curling about the butt and had just started to lift it, when Eli Cobb’s rifle bellowed; flame darting from its muzzle and leaving a cloud of smoke behind. Sid clutched his chest. Bright crimson liquid billowed out between his bony fingers. His eyes glazed over and he slumped, limply, into the grass.

  “Sid!” Bill Noonan screamed, running wild eyed toward his fallen form. Cobb’s rifle boomed again. A slug tore into Bill’schest and spun him around sideways. He fell to the ground beside the old man.

  Amid the new firing, Hawk threw himself sideways, away from Cobb and fell from the saddle to land on the ground with his horse between him and Cobb. He landed on his shoulder and rolled away while clawing at his holster and fumbling with the revolver as he pulled it free.

  Cobb had wheeled his horse to ride away, leading Julie and her mount, and charged directly into Charlie Noonan.. The old outlaw fell backward and the hoofs of Cobb’s horse ground into his flesh.

  Hawk was up on one knee and firing as Cobb, Julie, and Lee Hadley rode off with Hawk’s mora trailing behind. His first two shots missed the fleeing riders and by the time he squeezed off the third and fourth, they were out of range and disappearing out of the arroyo.

  Holstering his weapon, Hawk hurried toward Bill Noonan. He could tell that it was already too late for Sid and Charlie, but Bill was still moving. He bent beside the outlaw leader and turned him over. Noonan looked up into the Apache’s face and said with a choke, “Tom..? What about Tom?”

  Hawk looked up and saw young Noonan climbing to his feet, brushing blood away from his eyes. He staggered forward and fell to his knees beside his father.

  “You…you’re alright, son?” The elder Noonan managed to gasp. His breathing was hard and labored.

  “I’m alright, Pa. How about you?”

  “I’m fine, son.” He coughed and blood dripped from the side of his mouth. “Takes more than one bullet to keep me down.” He tried to smile, but winced instead and his breath caught short.

  Tears were forming in Tom’s eyes. The wound was bad and his father’s life was quickly ebbing away.

  Ears always Apache sharp, Hawk heard the riders approaching behind them. He didn’t bother to turn and look for the chink of cavalry metal and trappings was familiar. He heard the soldiers reigning up and men dismounting, but it was obvious that Tom was still unaware.

  A large shadow fell across them and Tom looked up to see Marshal Brace Coburn squat down beside them. Four soldiers stood behind him, blotting out the sun.

  “Coburn?” Bill Noonan gasped. “I thought…?” He coughed again. “Sid?”

  “No. Sid couldn’t shoot me like that. He was a good man.”

  “But he said Sid… Sid sold us out at Mud Flats.” His voice was becoming weaker.

  Coburn glowered at Hawk, then to Noonan he said, “Sid was your friend. Always.”

  “Sure?” He was going fast.

  “Sure,” Coburn reassured him.

  “Is.. is he….?”

  “Yes,” Coburn said gently. “He’s dead.”

  If he had had the strength to cry, he would have, but he could only say, “Little Bill… he’s dead too.” He looked straight at Hawk. “He killed him. He killed my boy. Do you know what it’s like to lose a son, Coburn?” His mouth felt dry and the words only rasped out. Then he was silent, breathing shallowly, eyes half closed.

  “Yes,” Coburn whispered after a moment of reflection. “I do. I lost my boy to the Indians, the same day we met up in Mud Flats.”

  Noonan’s eyes fluttered open. There was a glint of light in them and his lips tried to form a wry smile. “Well, I’ll be…..” His lids drooped once again and he was gone. Tom Noonan, his face ashen with grief and amazement at what he had just witnessed, and Hawk exchanged knowing looks. They both, now, knew the truth.

  Coburn stared silently at the dead outlaw for a moment. His lips pursed and his jaw set hard. He stood up slowly, his narrow eyes squinting to even narrower slits, but the anger in them, still showed through. He stared down at Hawk, his massive fists balling at his sides.

  Hawk saw the hardness in the marshal’s face and stood up to face him directly. “What?” He started to ask.

  Coburn’s fist came up and quickly and smashed into Hawk’s jaw. The Apache, taken by surprise, stumbled backward a step, then his feet lifted off the ground and his rump landed hard against the hard pack. He had fallen to an almost sitting position, his hands striking flat on the ground beneath him, ready to push himself up and forward to his feet.

  Coburn followed after the fallen Indian and swung a wide arcing round house blow at his face. The blow landed with a loud smack and Hawk fell backward, sprawling full length, flat on his back. “You stinking Savage!” Coburn cursed vehemently as he stepped forward and stood over Hawk. “Killing is all you know. You just had to kill them all, didn’t you? You can�
�t ever bring anyone back alive, can you?”

  “You’ve got it wrong, Marshal,” Hawk started to say, rolling to his side and trying to push himself up, but Coburn moved in again and gave him a swift kick in the ribs. He rolled sideways, pain clouding his vision, but his dark eyes flashed with vengeance.

  With a lunge, he shoved himself upward and dove head first into the marshal’s broad midsection. Coburn’s body bent in the middle and his breath expelled with an ‘oomph’. He staggered backwards, falling to the ground. The Apache kept coming, landing on top of the lawman, straddling him and pinning his shoulders with his knees. Hawk brought his fist up taking a chopping swing at Coburn’s round face.

  Restraint took hold of Hawk’s wrist and prevented it from driving the punch home. He twisted his body to see Corey Dillon grasping him from behind. He rose suddenly, reaching for Dillon’s own arm, twisting and turning with a lunge and snapping the Cavalry Sergeant’s arm upward and flipping him over his hip. Dillon landed hard on the ground, reeling in pain from his broken arm.

  “Now are you going to listen to me, old man?” Hawk growled, grasping the insides of Coburn’s shirt collar and pulling the lawman into a sitting position. “I didn’t kill the Noonan’s. It was Eli Cobb and he’s gotten away with the bank money and the Hadley woman.” Now was not the time to set the record straight about Little Bill Noonan.

  Sunlight glinted on the gold covering of Coburn’s pocket watch as it dropped from the marshal’s vest pocket onto his shirt front. Hawk was still shaking the old lawman with anger, when the watch fell open revealing the picture of a much younger Brace Coburn and a pretty, dark haired woman. Hawk froze with surprise as he recognized the young couple. His dark eyes flashed and he shoved the lawman back to the ground, holding him down with one hand while grasping the watch and dangling it above Coburn’s face. “Where did you get this?” He shouted.

  “It…it’s mine,” Coburn choked it out feebly.

  “I mean the picture,” Hawk shook him viciously.

  “My wife… my.. our wedding picture,”

  “No! It can’t be!” Hawk bellowed. He slammed Coburn’s shoulders against the ground, then yanked him back up to slam him again. He halted abruptly and let the lawman drop easily against the grass. He repeated it, but this time with a whisper. “No! It can’t be! Don’t you know? You crazy old man. That’s a picture of my mother.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO