Preacher and the Mountain Caesar
Page 29
It took Frank a few moments to recover before he said, “What did you tell him?”
“I said I’d speak to you. And I told him something else, Frank. I said if he killed a man while he was under my employ, I’d hang him.”
“Kate, Lowery is a professional gambler. When was the last time you saw a gambler eating dust? Riding drag? And he’s a shootist. I bet you never saw one of them punching cows either.”
“And that’s the whole point. Lowery wants to make a fresh start and put his violent past behind him. He thinks he might prosper in Dodge as a merchant, perhaps in the lumber business.”
“He wants to be a storekeeper? And pigs will fly.” Frank flicked away his cigarette butt. It glowed like a firefly before hitting the ground. “I’ll tell you something about the Colt’s revolver, Kate. It casts a mighty long shadow. A man who’s lived by the gun and made a reputation can run, but he can’t hide. Sooner or later the past catches up to him and he’s forced to draw the Colt again. John Wesley tried to go straight and so did Dallas Stoudenmire, two men I knew and liked. Now Wes is rotting in Huntsville and five months ago Dallas was shot down in El Paso. Lowery will end up the same way.”
“I aim to take a chance on him, Frank,” Kate said.
“Then you’re making a big mistake.”
“I took a chance on you, remember? You turned out all right.”
“Have it your own way, Kate. You’re the boss. But if Lowery harms or even threatens harm to me or anyone I know, I’ll kill him. Is that understood?”
“Perfectly,” Kate said. “But it will not come to that. I will not let it happen.” She rose and walked into the moonlight, her back stiff.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
WILLIAM W. JOHNSTONE was the author of over 220 USA Today and New York Times bestselling books, including The First Mountain Man, MacCallister, Eagles, Savage Texas, Matt Jensen, The Last Mountain Man, The Family Jensen, and The Kerrigans: A Texas Dynasty, as well as the stand-alone thrillers Suicide Mission, The Bleeding Edge, Home Invasion, Stand Your Ground, and Tyranny.
Visit his website at www.williamjohnstone.net.