Read Online Deadfall by Stephen Lodge - Free Book Online

already disappeared into the night. The sound of galloping hoofbeats faded into the distance.
    â€œA warning shot?” asked Charley.
    â€œA coward’s shot,” said Fuerte. “He was probably told to kill one or more of us if he could . . . but he either missed or lost his nerve at the final moment.”
    â€œWell,” said Charley, “at least they know we’re here now.”
    â€œI am sure they knew you would be coming after them before they attacked your family,” said Fuerte.
    â€œWould that mean they let Henry Ellis get away on purpose?”
    â€œNot necessarily, Señor Charley,” said Fuerte. “Perhaps they were going to send you a ransom note . . . but when the boy escaped, they knew he would go directly to you.”
    â€œAre you thinking they’re interested in me instead, and all this abduction stuff was just a ruse to get me off my ranch and down here to Mexico?” said Charley.
    â€œDon’t flatter yourself, mi amigo . They want you here in Mexico because it is easier to keep an eye on you if you are in Mexico. We both know we are all under surveillance as we speak.”
    â€œThe gunshot proved that, don’t you think?” said Charley.
    â€œ Sí ,” said Fuerte. “The gunshot proved someone knows you are here.”
    â€œDo ya think it’s still safe for us ta camp here for a few hours?” said Roscoe, who had moved in beside the two.
    â€œJust as safe as we were before that gunshot,” said Fuerte. “Wherever we go they will know where we are. We may as well bed down right here like we had planned to earlier. Just post another guard or two.”
    â€œBesides, we’ll be long gone before the sun rises,” said Charley.
    â€œWith that I must agree,” said Fuerte.
    â€œPennell, Roscoe, and Sergeant Stone’ll take first watch for an hour. Rod, Fuerte, Holliday,” said Charley, “you three are on second watch. After that, it’ll be time to get moving anyway.”
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    Henry Ellis slept uncomfortably during the first hour, knowing that his grandfather and his friends had been in Brownsville for only a short time before someone had taken a shot at them.
    The boy would later tell his grandfather it hadn’t been that long after the second watch had begun that he had first heard the noises.
    It sounds like an animal , was his first reaction, though by the next time, it sounded more like a human child whimpering to him.
    The boy slipped out of his bedroll and stood up. Everyone else appeared to be sleeping soundly, except for the three men on guard duty. That trio had taken up positions with two of them at the east end of the tiny camp while Holliday stood by the chuckwagon, facing south. Their backs were all to Henry Ellis.
    There it was—that whimpering again. Someone could really be hurt or dying , thought the boy. Maybe I ought to go and see if I can help.
    Henry Ellis cocked his head until he heard the soft whining one more time, then he turned and started off slowly into the darkness in search of whom, or whatever, it was making that sound.
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    Time had passed quickly yet Charley awoke from his deep sleep as if he had gotten a full eight hours. He checked his gold pocket watch, which he had placed on the portion of his bedroll he wasn’t using—the Roman numerals told him it was 3:47 in the morning. He sat up, then he nudged Roscoe who was sleeping beside him.
    When Roscoe was half-awake, Charley spoke to him in a rough whisper.
    â€œâ€™Bout time to put the coffee on, Roscoe,” said Charley. “I’ll wake the others as soon as I get my boots on.”

    Within fifteen minutes the entire outfit was dressed and ready. They were standing around complaining about the cold coffee left over from the night before. Those had been Charley’s orders—he’d asked Roscoe to find a well-hidden location between the empty cattle and passenger