The two teamsters appeared behind Miranda.
“The cat?” Joe asked.
“I scared him away,” Clint said, “but maybe not for long. You fellas better hook up your horses and get a move on.”
“Don’t gotta tell me twice,” Les said. “I ain’t lookin’ forward to tanglin’ with no cat.”
They moved past Clint and Miranda and untied their horses.
Givens was surprised at how fast a cat that size could move. If he’d had nothing else to do, he would have liked to go and hunt that cat, test his abilities against the big animal. Maybe, after this was all over, he’d do just that.
The other predator watched the cat, wondering if he’d get close to the horses, or the house, but the Gunsmith appeared in the doorway with his rifle, and the cat recognized the danger and got out of there fast.
The predator was tempted to take a shot at Clint Adams right then and there, but decided not to alert the others. He knew that his first shot had to be at Tesla, just in case he got only one.
Clint stood guard with his rifle while Joe and Les hooked up their team.
“If you run into that fella who came up with you, and his friends, just keep going,” Clint suggested. “I don’t think they’ll bother you.”
“I hope not,” Joe said.
“We got guns,” Les said, “but we’re not gunmen. We’ll fight back, though, if it comes to that.”
“If you hear shootin’,” Joe said, “you’ll know we didn’t make it.”
“Good luck,” Clint said, “whatever you run into.”
Joe snapped the reins at the team, and they moved off.
Tesla and Miranda came out behind Clint.
“We’ve only got one horse left for our buckboard,” Tesla pointed out. “Will that get us back to Denver?”
“That depends,” Clint said. “How are you supposed to get this equipment back to Denver?”
“I’m supposed to send a telegram to the company and let them know to come and pick it up.”
“Were you planning on taking some back yourself?”
“Well . . . yes.”
“Then I suppose we’ll need to get another horse.”
“You can get one in Gunnison,” Miranda offered.
“Yeah, that’s probably what we’ll have to do,” Clint said. “And I suppose we’ll be loading some of it ourselves. We’ll need some help.”
“You can also get that from Gunnison,” Miranda said. “Always a pair of strong shoulders for rent cheap.”
“All right,” Clint said. “Well, let’s listen up and see if we hear any shots in the next hour. And keep your eyes open.”
“Clint,” Tesla said, “the roof.”
“Oh, right,” Clint said. “Miranda, Nikola and I have to put some stuff up on the roof. You keep an eye out.”
“Okay,” she said, “but don’t fall off. With that big cat prowling around and all the guns, it’d be a shame for you to die that way.”
“I’ll be careful,” Clint said.
THIRTY-NINE
There was no ladder anywhere. Clint used the buckboard to reach the roof and then haul himself up. Tesla handed up the antennae, then a hammer and nails. Tesla backed up so he could see the entire roof, then told Clint where he wanted each antenna.
In the distance dark clouds were gathering. The smell of rain was in the air.
“The timing was just right,” Tesla said. “The storm clouds are coming in.”
Clint straightened up and took a look.
“It’ll be a while yet,” he said. “I’ll get the rest of these nailed down.”
“Make sure they’re firm,” Tesla said. “We don’t want any of them flying off when they get hit by lightning.”
“Lightning?” Miranda asked.
“That’s what Nikola Tesla is all about, Miranda,” Clint said. “Lightning.”
“Harnessing it,” Tesla said. “Controlling it. Putting it to good use.”
“You can control lightning?” she asked.
“I’m going to give it a good try,” he said.
“There,” Clint said. “That should hold them.”
He climbed back down onto the buckboard, then stepped to the ground.
“No shots yet,” he said to Miranda.
“I know,” she said. “Maybe they got through.”
“Maybe.”
Givens heard the buckboard coming.
“Get out of sight,” he told the others.
“Why don’t we take ’em?” Donnie asked.
“What for?” Givens asked. “They don’t have anythin’ we want, and we want them out of the way. Get out of sight. We’re gonna let ’em pass.”
“Do what he says,” Roman said.
They grabbed their horses and walked them into some trees, then waited. The sound of the buckboard came closer and closer, and then it passed. The two teamsters were holding their rifles and looking around, but they went right by.
After a few minutes Givens stepped out of hiding, followed by the others.
“Okay,” he said, “they’re gone.”
“So now we go in?” Lefty asked.
“Not yet,” Givens said, “but soon.”
“Have you come up with another idea, Givens?” Roman asked.
“No,” he said. “No, I’ve decided I like your original idea, Roman. I’ll go in all alone. We’ll just wait for the right time.”
“When will that be?” Donnie asked.
“Don’t worry,” Givens said. “I’ll know it.”
The predator saw Clint walking around on the roof. If Adams had been his target instead of Tesla, he’d have been a sitting duck up there.
He sat back and watched as Clint erected some stuff on the roof. He didn’t know what it was for, but there were some wires. Maybe they were putting up their own telegraph—except he hadn’t seen any poles in the area. Well, he’d heard that Tesla was some kind of scientist. Maybe even a mad scientist.
Curious, he decided to keep watching. They may not have been on the roof, but they were all still sitting ducks. He could take them anytime he wanted to.
Anytime.
FORTY
The cat was territorial.
He’d made enough kills in the area to think that he owned it. He didn’t like all the two-legged creatures that were wandering around. He’d had a taste of them and the horses, and he wanted more.
They were moving about now. If they would move away from the horses, he could dart in and grab another one for a quick meal.
He licked his muzzle and waited.
Clint went inside with Tesla, watched him fiddle with his equipment. There were knobs and dials, but at the moment they didn’t seem to be attached to anything.
“They’ll work once the antennae are hit by the lightning,” Tesla said. “Then they’re connected to these electrodes—”
“That’s enough for me, Nikola,” he said. “I think I’ll wait for the real thing to happen, so I can see it for myself.”
“That would be easier,” Tesla agreed, “than trying to explain it to you.”
“I’ll just go back outside and stay out of your way,” Clint said.
Tesla was already involved in his equipment before Clint even got out the door.
The predator sighted down the barrel of his rifle at the woman, then noticed the sunlight glinting off the badge on her chest. A woman sheriff? He wasn’t aware that any law was going to be with Adams and Tesla at the house. In his head, his price just went up. If he had to kill a badge toter, that was going to cost somebody a lot more.
“Okay,” Givens said, “I’ll give you time to get around behind them, and then I’ll ride in.”
“What are you gonna do?” Donnie asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Roman told him. “I’ll tell you what to do.”
The three men mounted up and rode out of camp. Givens took the time to stomp the fire to death, then mounted up and rode slowly toward the house.
As Clint stepped
outside of the house, Miranda called, “Clint.”
“Yeah?”
She jerked her chin and he looked in that direction.
“One rider,” she said.
“I see him.”
The man broke into the clearing and slowly approached the house. The other horses shifted uncomfortably. Clint doubted they were reacting to the rider. They had probably caught the scent of that cat.
As the man came closer, Clint asked Miranda, “Know him?”
“Yeah,” she said, “he’s the one who came to me lookin’ for you in Gunnison.”
“Looks like the one Joe and Les described, too,” Clint said. “Okay, so something is finally going to happen.”
“But what?” she asked. “Why’s he just ridin’ in alone?”
“I don’t know,” Clint said, “but I guess we’re about to find out.”
The predator with the rifle noticed the big man riding up to the house. He didn’t know what the man had planned until he saw behind the house. From his vantage point he could see three other men moving in with guns in their hands. They were on foot, having left their horses behind.
Damn it, he thought, if one of them killed Tesla, he was going to lose his fee.
He sighted down the barrel, watched as the three men continued to move in closer.
“Hello there,” Givens said, reining his horse in.
“Hello,” Clint said.
“I remember you,” Miranda said.
“Oh yeah,” Givens said, “the lady sheriff. What are you doin’ here?”
“I could ask you the same question.”
“Me? Well, I tol’ ya, I’m looking for a couple of men.”
“And who might they be?” Clint asked.
“Well,” Givens said, “if I ain’t wrong, I’m thinkin’ you’re one of ’em. That means the other one must be inside.”
“And you came here all alone?” Clint asked.
“Why not?” Givens asked. “It ain’t like I’m lookin’ for trouble.”
“Well, I think you found some,” Clint said. “Your three friends must be coming up on the back of the house about now. The minute they make a move, you’re a dead man.”
“Now what kinda talk is that—”
“Mister,” Miranda said, “seems to me you’d be better off finding out the name of the man your trackin’ before you track ’im.”
Givens frowned.
“What’s that got to do with anythin’?” he asked.
“Allow me to introduce you,” Miranda said. “This here fella is Clint Adams. That mean anythin’ to you?”
Givens stared at Clint for a few moments, then shifted uncomfortably in his saddle.
“Clint Adams?” he said.
“That’s right,” Clint said.
“The, uh, Gunsmith?”
“That’s right,” Miranda said. “The Gunsmith.”
Givens thought about Roman, Lefty, and Donnie coming up on the back of the house and said to himself, Goddamn them!
FORTY-ONE
The predator tightened his finger on the trigger, still sighting on the three men. One of them had his arm in a sling, so he decided to concentrate on the other two. He didn’t know what their story was. Were they there for Tesla? Or the Gunsmith? Did they even know who they were sneaking up on?
And was the big man out front with them? Or were they simply taking advantage of the distraction?
He picked his target, and aimed at him.
“I’m assuming you’re here to distract us while the others work their way from behind,” Clint said. “I’ve got to tell you, you won’t live to see if this plan works.”
Givens wet his lips.
“N-Now wait a minute, Adams,” he said. “Nobody tol’ me you was here.”
“That’s not an excuse for trying to kill me,” Clint said.
“No, no,” Givens said, “I didn’t come here to kill you.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Roman,” Givens said, “you broke his arm with an ax handle. H-He just wants to get back at you.”
“So he’s creeping up behind us with his two friends?” Miranda asked.
“That’s right,” Givens said, “Lefty and Donnie.”
“And you’re just here to help them,” Clint said. “Maybe hold me down while they do some damage with an ax handle.”
“No, no, no,” Givens said quickly, “I was just comin’ to make sure everythin’ was, ya know, fair.”
“And you’re in favor of things being fair, right?” Clint asked.
“Sure,” Givens said, “sure I am.”
He wished he had the nerve to draw on the Gunsmith, but he didn’t. Jesus, what if he killed him? What a reputation he’d have. Maybe if Roman and those other two idiots would show up . . .
“I know you’re waiting for your three friends to show up,” Clint said, “but I’ve got to tell you, you’re going to catch my first bullet.”
“Now, wait a minute—”
“I think I hear ’em comin’ now,” Miranda said.
“You take that side,” Clint said to Miranda, “and I’ll take this.”
“Right.”
Givens sat his horse, still trying to work up the nerve to go for his gun. If he was on his feet, if he and Adams were facing each other with no guns, it would be different. There wasn’t a man alive who could stand up to him in a fight.
He waited for his chance.
The predator switched his target.
The big man on the horse was probably the most dangerous of the four. That was probably why he went riding straight to the front of the house. He saw Clint Adams and the lady sheriff split the sides of the house. They knew about the others, and were ready.
He moved the barrel of his rifle and sighted on the broad back of the man on the horse, and waited for the action to commence.
FORTY-TWO
Clint waited for the men to come into view before he removed his gun from his holster.
Miranda held on to her rifle. Not being as adept as the Gunsmith was, she needed to be ready.
Roman wondered for a moment why he didn’t hear any voices. Givens was supposed to keep them talking. Just for a moment he thought he should wait, but then he drew his gun.
“Go ahead,” he told Donnie.
As Lefty came around the other side of the house, he saw Givens still sitting his horse. The odd thing was, Givens never went for his gun. Lefty took a few more steps, and found himself looking down the barrel of Miranda Lawson’s Remington.
“Shit!” he said.
Miranda saw the man appear with a gun in his hand and didn’t hesitate. If he was just some innocent man wandering around the mountain, too bad.
She shot him.
Clint saw the man with the gun come running around the house and recognized him as one of the three.
Donnie saw Clint, recognized him as the man with the ax handle.
The man’s gun was still in his holster. Donnie grinned and raised his gun.
“No ax handle now,” he said.
“Don’t need one,” Clint said.
He drew and fired.
Roman heard the shot and saw Donnie step back, and then fall onto his back.
“Donnie?”
Two more steps and he’d see what was going on in front of the house.
But he stopped.
Tesla heard the shots and came to the door.
“What is happening?” he asked.
Clint turned and shouted, “Nikola, get back inside!”
Then he heard the sound. A bullet striking flesh. The sound of the shot came later.
The big man on the horse swayed, frowned, and fell from his saddle. He was bleeding from a huge hole in his chest.
Tesla looked down at the body.
“What—”
“Inside!” Clint said. He rushed forward and pushed Tesla inside and closed the door.
A bullet struck the door and punched right through it.
The predator fire
d, struck the big man dead center in the back. He knew his bullet would punch right through. He ejected the spent shell, inserted a fresh one, then saw Tesla in the doorway. He fired a split second too late. Adams had shoved Tesla inside and the bullet had struck the door.
“Damn!” he swore.
“What’s going on?” Miranda asked.
She looked down at the fallen man, and at the size of the hole in him.
“What did that?” she asked.
“Sharps,” Clint said, “Big Fifty.”
FORTY-THREE
“Inside!” Clint yelled again, this time to Miranda. “Before he reloads.”
She ran to the door. He pushed her in, ran in behind her, and slammed the door.
“What is happening?” Tesla asked.
“There’s another assassin,” Clint said.
“But the shots . . .”
“We took care of the others,” Clint said. “Actually, with the help of the assassin. He shot the big one.”
“We’re missin’ one,” Miranda said.
“Right,” Clint said. “The one with the broken arm.”
Suddenly, it became dark out.
“The storm clouds are coming in,” Tesla said.
“Where is the assassin?’ Miranda said. “You said he’s firing a buffalo gun?”
“Yup,” Clint said. “Could be from three or four hundred yards away.”
“Well, our guns are no good at that distance.”
“Let me see your Remington,” Clint said.
She handed it to him.
“Yeah,” he said, “I could get him with this, but I’d have to know where he is.”
“How you gonna make a shot with that?” she asked.
“I know of a man who made a shot with a Remington at four hundred yards.”
“What if he’s farther away than that?”
Gunsmith 360 : The Mad Scientist of the West (9781101545997) Page 10