is to spend a few days with his men and see what I can see. Iâm not stupid enough to let him or any of the soldiers in his pocket get close to me.â
âYouâre stupid enough to sleep in his bunk house,â Abigail pointed out. âThat snake in the grass might just slit yer throat before you wake up.â
Clint shook his head and waited for another couple of Army men to pass by. Even though they didnât seem interested in what he was saying, Clint waited for the soldiers to pass. âWe butted heads, but Farelli came out of it smelling like a rose. Heâs got a promotion and he seems perfectly happy running this place into the ground. Heâs a pig in slop and the worst heâs probably got lined up for me is to throw me to some angry Indians that he doesnât realize are on good terms with me. Whether he knows it or not, Iâm suited for this job. If I couldâve arranged to meet with the Navajo to stop this bloodshed on my own, I wouldâve done it.â
âEven if Farelli had to be involved?â
âEven if he was to be involved,â Clint assured her. âHe doesnât even want to come along for this meeting, which fits perfectly with what I already know about the man.â
âSo you just want to try and do this job right whether the colonel wants it that way or not?â
âThatâs right.â
She shook her head, but then started to laugh uncomfortably. âYer a hell of a brave man or a damn stupid one,â she said. âAt least yer heartâs in the right place.â
âI appreciate thatâ¦I think. Whichever kind of man I am, I donât want you coming along with me for this job.â
âI wasnât about to ask,â she quickly replied. âIf I wanted to lock horns with every tribe this side of the Rockies, not even the great high and mighty Gunsmith could talk me out of it.â
Clint reached out to slide his hand around the back of her head so he could pull her close. No matter how much Abigail tried to strut and snarl like a fighter, she melted against him the moment she felt her lips touch his. Her face was dirty as always, but her skin was soft to the touch. After he let her go, Abigail needed a moment to rebuild her hardened exterior.
âTake care of yourself, Abigail. Donât get in over your head.â
âThe same goes for you, Adams,â she said as her hand drifted quickly between his legs. âAnd next time we cross paths, Iâll take care of you.â
SIXTEEN
Clint spent the rest of that day waiting for something to happen. He got situated in his bunk and waited for someone to approach him about the next dayâs events. He ate supper with the rest of the soldiers and had a beer at the small saloon that was set up in what appeared to have been an old blacksmithâs tent. He went to sleep expecting to be approached by Farelli or one of his assistants and he woke up wondering if heâd been forgotten somewhere along the line.
Not only was Clint left alone, but he was completely ignored. It seemed the rest of the men had plenty to do between their own duties and the daily affairs that were required to keep the fort running. When something actually did happen, Clint was almost startled enough to jump.
âMister Adams?â a young man in a privateâs uniform asked.
Clint was buckling up his saddlebag when the younger man approached his bunk. âThatâs me.â
âYouâre the one that supposed to ride out with Lieutenant McGurn?â
âWhereâs the lieutenant heading?â
The young soldier blinked and replied, âTo meet with those Indians, sir.â
âThen Iâm the one youâre looking for,â Clint replied.
Nodding as if he was on the wrong side of a bad joke, the private said, âIâm to show you to the stable, then. All of us are about to leave.â
âWhat about Colonel
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