Ambush Range
Page 14
“You pull your trigger now, Brannigan, and you’re dead,” he said. “There’s a gun on your back.”
But it was Kay Parry who was in the doorway, and she was not holding a gun. Merrill tensed, afraid for the girl’s safety, aware that she had come because of the shooting and the fact that she was concerned for his safety.
“Drop your gun, Brannigan, and do it quick,” Merrill rapped.
The gunman cursed and lifted his muzzle a fraction, and Merrill reacted instantly, aware that Brannigan was going to shoot it out. He fired, angling his gun to avoid Kay if his bullet should pass right through Brannigan. His bullet took the gunman in the forehead, and Brannigan spun around and fell heavily, his sixgun blasting a slug into the floor at his feet.
Merrill stood motionless, staring at Kay through drifting gunsmoke. He knew Brannigan was dead, and glanced at Maitland to ensure that the saloon man could not reach a weapon. Then he holstered his still smoking weapon and walked across to the door, where Kay was gazing in horror at the dead gunnie. He took her into his arms and kissed her gently, then turned her around and escorted her from the building. On the dark sidewalk, he kissed her again, then released her.
“Go on home, Kay,” he told her, giving her a little push in the right direction. “It’s all done with, and you can always remember that you helped me finish it off. I’ll be with you directly, and we’ve got a lot to talk about. Just let me tidy up around here and then I’ll be able to take off this star and forget the whole dirty business.”
He sighed as she nodded and departed, and while he watched her out of sight, he could feel the first pangs of welcome relief crawling into his mind, driving out the tension and the fear. But this was no time for emotion, and he stiffened as the rapid sounds of gunfire came to him from out of town. But then he relaxed and shook his head. It had nothing to do with him. The two cow outfits were fighting their bitter battle, but no one connected with the town would get hurt. The sheriff and his special deputies could handle it.
He turned and went back into the saloon to collect Frank Maitland, intent upon delivering the crooked saloon man to the jail, and there was thankfulness in his heart as he holstered his deadly sixgun. Now, he could pick up the pieces of his life once more and carry on living. The nightmare had ended.