Crossing over into Colorado, Logan’s mind returned to the old days after the war. He had spent a few years covering this territory, ridding it of trouble and making a good living doing it. There had been no reason for him to return to Baltimore. It held little besides painful memories for him. Sure, his mother and Janie were still there at the time, but with his father dead, there was no longer a need for him to protect the women from the cruel man as he had done for most of his childhood. Somehow, freedom from the past was enough to make the dangers of the job worth it.
The wilds of the frontier had become his home for several years. It wasn’t until Janie and Tom settled in Oakmede that he actually took up residence somewhere. Before that he had lived a nomadic existence, riding from one town to the next, and living out of inns on the nights when he wanted a real bed. However, many other nights he’d found himself sleeping under the starry sky.
He clicked his heels against his horse, urging it off of the path and toward a stream. The heat was unrelenting, and the animal was beginning to slow. Stopping in a shady patch near the creek, he swung himself to the ground and let the horse drink. He scooped up a handful of the fresh, cool water and splashed it across his face.
Soon, he would be able to return to the ranch and find relief from the hardships of the trail. But until then, he was content to find a place to sit and rest for a spell. He swung his leg over a low-hanging tree branch and leaned against the trunk, propping his feet up. Letting his hat tip down over his eyes, he welcomed a few minutes of much-needed rest. His horse was sure to alert him of anyone approaching, and most of the men that he had a need to be concerned with did not know he was back on their trail.
Once the heat of the day had subsided, Logan dug in his saddlebag and produced the last bit of cornbread that remained from lunch. Finally brushing the crumbs away, he took a good long drink and swung himself back into the saddle. The ride to the next town would still take several hours, and darkness would inevitably surround him by then. He checked the rifle in his saddle slot, making sure he was prepared for whatever might lurk in the night. The revolver at his hip was at the ready as well.
By the time evening fell, he had ridden deep into the low-country. The mountain range in front of him surged high into the Western sky, making darkness creep over the valley as soon as the sun dipped behind the peaks.
The town of Mather’s Creek sat between him and the foot of the mountains, and a steady pace would put him there in an hour. He knew the danger that awaited him there. Philip Tucker was one of the better-known outlaws in the area. His eager gunhand had earned him a vile enough reputation that he could live in plain sight without any opposition from the law. No one cared to cross him, even for the hefty price on his head.
Logan pushed onward, determined to complete the two thousand dollars he needed. One last arrest would have him hot on the trail toward home. Nothing could take him back to Tom and Janie soon enough. And he missed Charley and Carter terribly. Soon he could leave this all behind him.
Riding into town, Logan pulled the brim of his Stetson down a bit further. His years of experience had given him an eye for spotting anyone set against the law. They carried themselves differently, and Tucker was no exception. Knowing the saloon would be the place to find him, Logan stopped his horse outside the establishment, swinging his reins around the rail out front.
Logan stepped inside, keeping a cautious eye on the card game being held in the far corner. As he had expected, the husky man with narrow eyes and a long, dark beard sat where he could see the door. He made confident eye contact with Logan, making him well-aware that he knew who he was. Logan returned the man’s glare with an air that made even him shift in his seat.
Logan perched himself atop a stool at the bar, waiting for his opportunity. If only momentarily, his thoughts drifted to Janie, knowing how she would anguish over him being in such a place. He pushed the idea from his mind, knowing he had a job to complete. A tap on his shoulder quickly brought him back to the present.
“What brings you back to this area?”
Logan looked up into the face of Eli Dawson, and old friend from his bounty hunting days. “It is good to see you again, Eli,” he said, giving the man’s hand a hearty shake. “You know why I am here as well as I do.”
“Yes, but I would not bother,” Eli sighed, taking the seat next to Logan. He lowered his voice, eyeing Tucker and the card game that appeared to be heating up. “Even if you could get your hands on him, you would have to transport him back to Kansas to collect any reward on his head. The sheriff here won’t lift a finger against him.”
“I am not asking the sheriff to arrest him. He just has to put him in jail once I do the work for him,” Logan replied, ordering a drink and a bite to eat.
“I wish you the best of luck with that. I have been trying to get my hands on Tucker for six months now. It is maddening to watch the man roam in plain sight with no opposition to his crimes. The sheriff has already warned me that he will have nothing to do with it,” Eli grumbled.
“What then? He is willing to sit by and allow his town to be overrun by any criminal who puts up a fight? Some lawman he is!”
“I agree with you, but that doesn’t change anything. Even the wanted ad that has been circulated is incorrect. The reward should be much higher, as Tucker killed the last sheriff that tried to oppose him. I am not sure it is worth the risk, Logan, even for a strong gunman like yourself.”
Logan nodded, taking this new information into account. ”What am I supposed to do then? Are you expecting me to ride out of here and leave him to roam free?”
“I am suggesting that is what you do, though I don’t really expect you to listen,” Eli smirked at his old friend.
“What would you say to the idea of us going after him together? Even if I could get my hands on him by myself, you are right about the idea of hauling him back to Kansas or at least to Denver. I am not fond of the concept of traveling alone with the man.”
Eli sat back, clearly uneager to have anything to do with Tucker. “I need to think it over,” he sighed. “What I can tell you, though, is that you have no chance of laying hands on him in this saloon. He has at least a half-dozen men scattered around the room, each as fast with a gun as he is. Why don’t we go talk about this somewhere else and let the idea sit for the night? You can come to stay at my place.”
Logan could not argue with that, and the two of them left the saloon with one last glance back at the man whose reward could send Logan home. Together, they rode out of the little settlement, heading for Eli’s house and a much-needed night of sleep.
Want to read the rest of the story? Check out the book on Amazon!
Also, please turn the page to find a special gift from me!
Sign up for my mailing list to be notified of hot new releases and get my latest Full-Length Novel “Her Indecisive Heart” (available only to my subscribers) for FREE!
Click the link or enter it into your browser
http://loreleibrogan.com/malissie
An Encounter of Courageous Hearts: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 31