Read Online Hard Ride to Wichita by Ralph Compton, Marcus Galloway - Free Book Online Page B

rifle, but the stranger had two guns. That man fired like it wasn’t any kind of burden to shoot a woman in the back or cut a man down in cold blood. Funny thing is, I didn’t hide.”
    â€œThere wouldn’t be no shame in it if you did,” Red told him.
    Luke shook his head. “I just stood there. I couldn’t do much of anything to help. Before the shooting started, and plenty of times before today, Kyle said I wasn’t much use to anyone. Today, when I was needed more than ever, he was right. I was useless.”
    â€œWhat were you supposed to do?” Red asked.
    â€œShoot that stranger.”
    â€œWith that Colt of yours?”
    â€œYes. Once I got a hold of myself . . . when it was too late to do my ma or Kyle a lick of good . . . that’s exactly what I did.”
    Red not only tipped the bottle back for a drink, but he nearly held it there until all the whiskey had been poured down his throat. He handed the bottle over to Luke, who took it and finished it off.
    â€œYou killed a man?” Red asked.
    â€œThat’s right. And I was still too late to save either of them.”
    â€œDid you tell the sheriff?”
    Luke shook his head. “Why would I do that? So I could get hung?”
    â€œHe wouldn’t have hung you. That stranger killed two people right in front of you! It was self-defense.”
    â€œMaybe so, but I didn’t want to tell him or anyone.” Glancing over to his friend, Luke added, “Until now.”
    â€œYeah, well, I ain’t exactly honored. You have to tell the sheriff what really happened.”
    â€œWhy?” Luke snapped as he jumped to his feet. “It’s over! It’s all over.
They’re
over! You think the sheriff needs to know so he can see justice is done? I’m the one that handed out justice, but it still wasn’t enough. I could never kill that bastard enough to have any real justice!”
    Red looked up at him silently. When Luke had finished talking, he climbed to his feet and said, “Justice don’t have anything to do with it. We both know there ain’t no such thing. If there was, your ma wouldn’t have been knocked around by a piece of trash like Kyle and my little sister wouldn’t have died after being thrown from a horse that she cared for since it was born.”
    â€œThat’s all just hardship,” Luke said.
    â€œThen I suppose I don’t know anything about justice. According to my daddy, there’s a lot I don’t know about.”
    â€œThat’s about to change.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Red asked.
    â€œBecause I decided I’m leaving this town and striking out on my own.”
    Red couldn’t help laughing. The more he tried to stop himself, the more it took him over. Fortunately his laughter spread to his friend, who cracked the first genuine smile he’d worn since his world had been turned onto its ear. “Striking out on your own?” Red said. “Is that why you brought Missy along with you? So you could just ride off and not look back?”
    â€œActually . . . yes.”
    Red looked over to the horse that was grazing nearby. He tried to laugh a bit more but found he no longer had it in him. “That’s crazy.”
    â€œStaying here would be crazy. I have to get away. Why would I want to stay after all that happened?”
    â€œBecause there’s matters to settle. Your family’s house is here. Kyle had some business dealings with the dry goods store. Outlaw or no, he had something worked out with the owner of that place.”
    â€œThe house will get sold,” Luke said. “Kyle’s business will get taken care of. There are plenty of people in town who can’t wait to divvy everything up, and I don’t want a part of it. I took what’s mine and that’s that.”
    â€œThat’s that, huh? Then why does it look like you’re busting at