‘I guess.’ Fowler took his flask from his pocket and took a quick swig, passing it across to Hart who accepted and swallowed down a mouthful of the bourbon gratefully.
‘I ought to thank you for that,’ said Hart. ‘What you did back there.’
‘Okay,’ said Fowler with a growl. ‘So thank me.’
Hart grinned some more. ‘Thanks.’
‘That’s okay. Have another drink.’
‘Sure.’
They rode on towards Romero with the sun rising past the horizon a ball of bright orange, a band of almost white light stretching away from it in both directions.
‘How ‘bout the silver?’ asked Fowler after a while.
‘Kennedy’s dead. I guess it’s the girl’s.’
‘Yeah, I guess so.’
A few moments later he said, ‘There ain’t none for us?’
Hart gave it a little thought. ‘We already been paid once.’
‘That’s true,’ agreed Fowler with a shrug.
They went on in silence, the sky lightening around them. When the buildings of Romero were in sight, Fowler brought the horse he was riding to a halt. Hart stopped and turned.
‘How ’bout the girl?’
‘She’ll have to be taken to Denver, that’s for sure. The silver can go with her and then be deposited in the bank. She’ll be taken care of.’
Fowler nodded. ‘You takin’ her?’
Hart looked away towards the sun. He remembered Alice’s thin body, the large dark eyes and the front teeth that pushed down into her lip when she was angry. He remembered the way she’d reminded him of the child he’d never had - the child he and Kathy had never had.
‘Uh-uh. You take her. Here.’ He threw the saddlebag with half the silver in it over to Fowler. ‘Take that, too. Take care with both of ’em - especially the girl.’
Fowler shook his head. ‘You ain’t comin’ into town?’ he growled. ‘You ain’t even seein’ her to say goodbye?’
‘No.’ Hart moved his horse around. ‘You say it. You say it for me.’
He touched his spurs to Clay’s flanks and rode off towards the north-west, the sun slanting his shadow over the hard, dry ground. Fowler watched him go then took a drink from his flask and carried on towards the town. There he would wake the girl and tell her what had happened and when she’d stopped her tears he would get ready to take her north to Denver. That was the way it would be.
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If you’ve enjoyed this book , read the rest of the series:
Hart the Regualtor
1. Cherokee Outlet
2. Blood Trail
3. Tago
Hart the Regulator 4 Page 14