by Neil Hunter
One of the advancing figures lurched sideways, a low cry forming in his throat as he caught a pair of 44-40 lead slugs. The second man ran forward, punching out shots that went wide. He darted to the side, flattening against the barn wall.
Brand dropped the empty rifle, snatched the Colt from his holster and extended his arm, snapping back the hammer. Took a breath and forced himself to remain still as he settled his aim on the fast shooting man. He felt a keen burn as a slug razored his right cheek. Felt hot blood stream down his face. Clenched his jaw and sighted along the Colt. Eased back on the trigger. The Colt bucked, a lance of flame issuing from the muzzle. The heavy slug hit the poised figure and knocked him back, his weapon suddenly off line. Brand rose to his full height, Colt steady in his hand as he fired again, and again, the slugs slamming into the jerking figure. Through soft flesh, impacting against rib bones and shattering them. The man hung against the barn wall, mouth open long enough for a drawn out sigh of expended air to escape, then slumped down and lay still…
~*~
…Bodie saw the stocky figure move out from the barn, a revolver in each hand.
Thad Monk.
The man he had climbed the mountain after.
‘I’m taking you in, Monk,’ Bodie said. ‘And they’re going to hang you.’
‘Like hell,’ Thad yelled. ‘Ain’t no back shooting bounty man besting me.’
‘You got that wrong. Back shooting’s your style…not mine.’
Bodie saw the muzzles of Thad’s pistols start to rise as he screamed a mouthful of obscenities. They were cut off when Bodie’s rifle fired, sending a volley of shots that cut Thad’s legs from under him. Bloody gouts erupted from Thad’s limbs as he crashed to the street. His pistols thundered and sent slugs into the ground. Thad twisted in agony, letting go of his guns and clutching at his shattered legs.
The powerful figure of Nathanial Monk burst from the barn, his pistol firing as he showed himself, anger distorting his face.
The second shot he fired burned a line across Bodie’s right side.
His hammer was going back for a third shot.
The Greener in Harry Conway’s hands boomed. The searing blast of shot caught Monk in the high chest, tearing a bloody hole. The impact threw him backwards. He hit the barn door, rebounding and falling face down in the dirt. He rolled onto his back and lay staring up into the dawn sky, one side of his face a mask of sprayed blood.
And as quickly as it had started the gunfight was over.
Brand walked out of the barn. He glanced at the bodies on the ground. Put away his gun and crossed to where Bodie stood, noticing the spreading blood patch on the man’s shirt.
‘That hurt?’
Bodie inclined his head as he stared at the wound.
‘Like hell,’ he said. He glanced around at the hesitant figures of Wishbone townsfolk emerging from doorways. ‘You think the rest of the day will turn out quieter?’
‘Don’t want to appear inhospitable,’ Conway said, ‘but I hope you two don’t make a habit of visiting Wishbone too often.’
Brand touched his fingers to the bullet burn on his cheek.
‘Amen to that,’ he said.
Over Conway’s shoulder he saw Adam walking down the street in their direction. He moved out to intercept his son.
‘You’re hurt,’ Adam said, staring at the blood on Brand’s face and shirt.
‘Looks worse than it is.’
‘Is this what happens every time you ride out?’
‘Comes with the job, Adam. It’s what I do.’
‘You ever figure that’s the problem?’
Brand couldn’t argue with that.
‘How’s Rankin?’
‘Doc says he’ll pull through. He’s stitching up the wound right now. Says it’s going to take some time for Hec to recover. Joanne’ saying she’s going to stay in town with him.’
‘That figures. I think that young woman has taken a shine to Rankin.’
‘At least one good thing came out of this then.’
Brand managed a weary smile. ‘More’n one I’d say.’
‘Doc in this town is going to be making a profit,’ Bodie said as he walked by.
‘Adam, go see the telegraph man. Find out when he’ll have the line repaired.
‘All right, pa.’
As Adam made his way along the street Conway said, ‘That look on your face tells me you ain’t got used to him calling you that yet.’
‘I might never get used to it,’ Brand said, but if he was truthful it was already starting to become familiar.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The telegraph manager turned out to be well organized. He sent out a repair crew to search for the break in the line. They located it a few miles out of town and set to repairing it. By midday the work was completed and the telegrapher was able to transmit Brand’s messages. He sent one to McCord, a second to the US Marshal’s office in Santa Fe. He also sent a third message—to New York. By the time replies came in Brand and Bodie were emerging from Wishbone’s hotel after baths, shaves, and climbing into the new clothes purchased from the handiest dry goods store. Adam was wearing a fresh set of clothing and a clean bandage over the wound in his head.
McCord’s telegraph response had been brief, to the point, and despite a degree of reluctance, he agreed to the leave of absence Brand requested. He added a line telling Brand not to be away for too long. The US Marshal office advised that a team would be sent to Wishbone to follow up on the matter of the Monks and their involvement in the death of Joseph Calvin and the wounding of Hec Rankin. An investigation would be launched into the suspected kidnappings and deaths of the forced mine workers.
It had been a busy time in town. Canby had arranged for the local undertaker to deal with the dead. Doctor Kasner tended to Thad Monk’s leg wounds before he was locked up in the jail, filled with enough morphine to dull the pain. Bodie would transport him to stand trial when Kasner pronounced him fit to travel.
Bodie called in at the jail where Canby was dealing with an increased paper load. He found Brand already there.
‘You fellers have made me a lot of work,’ Canby said.
‘Comes with the job,’ Brand said. ‘I’m trying not to think of the reports I’ll have to fill out when I get back to Washington.’
Bodie smiled. ‘I ain’t got a single form to fill in. That reminds, Canby, you got my reward claim filled out?’
‘First thing I did.’
Canby found it and handed it over. Bodie folded it and put it away.
Leaving the marshal to his paperwork Brand and Bodie made their way to Doc Kasner’s surgery and climbed the stairs to the upper floor where a couple of rooms were fitted out for recuperating patients. They found Rankin, his shoulder heavily bandaged, being tended by Joanne. He was propped up on pillows, still pale and weak.
‘I owe you my life,’ he said. ‘Damned if I don’t.’
‘No bad language,’ Joanne chided him, though there was a smile on her face. ‘And I don’t want you two tiring him.’
There was a firm tone to her words that told Brand and Bodie who was in charge.
‘We won’t be staying,’ Bodie said.
‘Marshal’s office is sending a team out to look into the Monk affair,’ Brand said.
‘If they need any information,’ Joanne said, ‘I can help.’
‘Well I’m sure they will appreciate that.’
‘I got things to tell them too,’ Rankin said.
‘We both have,’ Joanne said, her eyes fixed on the lawman.
Brand couldn’t fail to notice the way the young woman made no attempt to hide her feelings for Rankin, or the way he responded to her ministrations.
‘Rest up,’ Bodie said. ‘We’ll leave you to it.’
‘Leaving Wishbone any time soon?’ Rankin asked.’
‘Take a day or two to sort things out,’ Brand said.
As they left the room Joanne followed them, closing the door behind her.
‘I never really got a chance to say thank you for what you did. But I will now. To both of you. I won’t forget what you did.’
‘You just look after Hec,’ Brand told her. ‘He’s a lucky man. Keep him safe.’
Joanne colored up, but nodded. ‘Oh, I intend to do just that.’
She turned and went back into the room.
Bodie stared at the close door. ‘Almost had me in tears there,’ he said. ‘You think they’ll ask us to the wedding?’
‘You’re a hard man, Bodie.’
‘It’s all show. Hope the next time we cross trails it’s a sight more peaceable.’
‘Have to say it’s been interesting,’ Brand said.
~*~
Two days later Brand and Adam were ready to leave Wishbone. The US Marshals had arrived in town, conducted their business and moved on to investigate the Monks. Bodie was preparing to escort his prisoner for trial, and Brand was eager to move on.
He shook hands with Bodie.
‘Boy, you heed what your pa tells you,’ Bodie said to Adam. ‘Sometimes he talks a deal of sense. Sometimes.’
After Brand and Adam had left the jail Bodie sat across the desk from Canby.
‘You got any fresh wanted flyers in amongst all that paperwork?’ he asked, figuring it was a good time to look to what he was going to do once he had handed over his prisoner and collected his reward. He saw no reason not to check things out while he had the chance. Never knew what might be on offer.
~*~
Brand and Adam rode the spur line all the way to Santa Fe where he had business to tie up before they caught the mainline train that would start them on their way to the east coast, New York, and a meeting with someone who, Brand hoped, could provide him with a solution to something that was heavy on his mind.
Brand hadn’t seen Virginia Maitland for some time. He knew she was still busily involved in restoring her company to its former level following the attempt to take it from her by the man who had been her legal advisor. It had been that affair, culminating in the frantic pursuit through the snowy Montana mountains, that had brought Brand and Virginia together. Their feelings, developed during that violent time, had grown stronger and it was only the nature of their ongoing business that kept them temporarily apart.
Now, Brand wanted to see her. Tell her about Adam, and hope she would be willing to help. The boy deserved a better chance at life than Brand could offer. He was going to ask Virginia if she could give his son that opportunity. He understood she might be reluctant to take on Adam, and he would understand if she said no. Yet despite his misgivings Brand had to make the attempt. He owed it to his son. He owed it to Lisa, Adam’s dead mother. They had parted on less than good terms and Brand had never had contact with her from that day. She had made it clear she didn’t approve of his drift towards a violent existence. He hadn’t understood at the time. Now he did. It might be too late for him. He was set in his life. But Adam was young enough to be steered away from it. As much as it might hurt Brand had to try. To guide his son along a clearer path.
It might not fully clear his conscience—but he had to at least make the attempt.
JASON BRAND will return in
THE KILLING DAYS
BODIE THE STALKER will return in
DESERT RUN
… coming soon from Piccadilly Publishing!
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