“When?” Cooley said.
“Why, now, of course.”
“Well, maybe tomorrow,” Cooley said. “I’ve got a bounty to collect tonight.”
Bentley-Foulkes reached inside his coat and produced his wallet. He took out some bills and said, “Five hundred dollars, Mr. Cooley. Now.”
The gunman looked at the money, shrugged, and tipped Pickett’s body out of the saddle. The corpse thudded onto the ground, and Cooley said, “I saw a livery stable close. I’ll sell this here hoss and saddle, and then we’ll leave.”
“As you wish,” the Englishman said. “Just don’t haggle too long, there’s a good chap.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
WILLIAM W. JOHNSTONE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 300 books, including the bestselling series Smoke Jensen, the Mountain Man, Preacher, the First Mountain Man, MacCallister, Flintlock, and Will Tanner, Deputy U.S. Marshal, and the stand-alone thrillers The Doomsday Bunker, Tyranny, and Black Friday.
Being the all-around assistant, typist, researcher, and fact-checker to one of the most popular western authors of all time, J. A. JOHNSTONE learned from the master, Uncle William W. Johnstone.
The elder Johnstone began tutoring J.A. at an early age. After-school hours were often spent retyping manuscripts or researching his massive American Western History library as well as the more modern wars and conflicts. J.A. worked hard—and learned.
“Every day with Bill was an adventure story in itself. Bill taught me all he could about the art of storytelling. ‘Keep the historical facts accurate,’ he would say. ‘Remember the readers—and as your grandfather once told me, I am telling you now: Be the best J. A. Johnstone you can be.’”
Visit the website at www.williamjohnstone.net.
Stand Up and Die Page 30