Read Online Slocum and the Hellfire Harem (9781101613382) by Jake Logan - Free Book Online

We been working on that axle for a day now and we need to get heading on!” To him, she said, “Walk with me toward the corner of the house.”
    They moved together. “Kind of like we’re dancing,” she said, her soft breath in his face, her breasts pushed against him more forcefully than was necessary, not that he minded. Before he could stop her, she snaked a hand over and grabbed her rifle from where he had leaned it.
    He tensed, brought the Colt up, ready to drop her if she tried to position the rifle to shoot him. Instead she smiled at him and held the rifle out, away from them, but definitely gripped tight. She wasn’t about to lose it to him a second time.
    â€œGet on back there,” she said, a smile flicking on her mouth.
    â€œThis is all well and good, Ruth, but how do I trust you or them? You’re all bristling with weapons.” He looked over her shoulder at the corner of the house they’d just slipped around, and the posse of kids were staring at them. “And children.”
    Ruth narrowed her eyes at them, but smiled. “You young’uns, get over here and help me show Mr. Slocum that wagon.”
    The other women clumped on through the ruin of the house and appeared out back, in much the same configuration as before. He didn’t holster his Colt and neither did they ease off on the hammers of their respective weapons.
    â€œLooks like we’ll have to take you up on your kind offer . . .
sir
.”
    â€œNo need to call me that . . .
ma’am
. John or Slocum or both or neither is fine with me.” Still he stood watching them.
    â€œOh, land’s sake, Mama, put down them guns. Mary, Angel, you, too, and Judith? Holster them pistols before you shoot off your feet.”
    When they’d all eased off their respective weapons, Slocum looked around the rear of the place. There was a grassed paddock behind the house, and inside the paddock, four horses grazed, two riding horses and two bulkier workhorses, for pulling and, he suspected, farm chores. No wonder Tinker was so irate. They took not only themselves from his life, but also some of the tools he needed to make a go of farming.
    It took Slocum a few moments to figure out just what had happened to the wagon. It was a damaged hub that had ended up breaking a number of spokes as the wheel wobbled its way off. They were lucky enough to break down near this place, and to be able to snub their two workhorses tight to the wagon and get it wheeled around back. But their spare wheel, another thing Slocum was relieved to see they had on hand, was not impressive. It was roughly the same diameter as the others, but the hub needed work.
    It wasn’t a cracked axle, for which he was grateful, because they weren’t very well equipped with tools. But he’d still need to do a whole lot of carving and shaping to the hub. This shot all to hell his plans for catching up with Tunk Mueller. But he knew he’d never forgive himself if he left these women fending for themselves. Though he had to admit that they seem to be more than capable of taking matters into their own hands.
    A half hour later, after wrestling with the thing, he had axle grease smeared on his hands and he knew that any second he was going to slip and the foul gunk would get all over his shirt, vest, and denims.
    â€œRuth?” he said as he peeled off his shirt. “I don’t want to sound like I’m prying for information here, but—”
    â€œThen don’t.” The old woman stood by the back steps to the little house, a ladle in one hand and sweat glistening on her brow. “And keep your clothes on.”
    Close by her mother stood the sullen young girl with the six-shooters. She kept her eye on Slocum and a sneer on her lips.
    He lowered his voice and said, “Your mother and sisters don’t seem any too pleased to have me helping out. I’m more than happy to ride on out of