Read Online The Gunslinger by Lorraine Heath - Free Book Online

didn’t think he was going to answer. Finally he said, “Redemption.”
    A thousand questions spiraled through her mind. That he needed redeeming, she did not doubt. That helping her could provide—
    â€œWilder!”
    She spun around. A man stood in the middle of the street, his hands flexing over a pair of guns strapped on either side of his hips. Chance slowly turned to face the man, who began to fidget.
    â€œThey say you’re the best gun this side of the Rio Grande,” the man announced.
    Chance gave a long slow nod. “That’s what they say.”
    â€œI’m calling you out.”
    Chance released a low sigh as he reached into his pocket, pulled out a matchstick, and wedged it between his teeth. “Lady, you and the boy get inside.”
    Her heart leapt into her throat. “You can’t possibly—”
    â€œDo it now,” he snarled between clenched teeth.
    She grabbed Toby by the arm and pulled him into the sheriff’s office. With the door slamming in her wake, she scurried to the window and watched Chance saunter confidently into the middle of the street. Coming up behind her, the sheriff gazed over her shoulder. “You’ve got to stop them,” she told him.
    â€œCan’t. They ain’t broke no laws yet.”
    In anger, she snapped her head around so quickly she was dizzy. “Damn you! Wilder will kill him.”
    Sheriff Bergen shrugged easily, as though he carried no weight on those shoulders. “Probably, but Wilder always works within the law or he’d be wanted for murder.”
    â€œAs long as the person who wants the killing done makes the best offer.”
    The sheriff raised a thick brow but didn’t take his focus off the street. “Like that widow in Dripping Springs? Heard all he got from her was a pig. Besides, from what I hear, he’s never killed anyone who didn’t deserve to meet his Maker a little early. Take that fella who just called him out. He killed a sixteen-year-old boy in Sherman. Said he was cheating at cards. Hardly seems right to take a life over a jack of diamonds.”
    Gunshots cracked the air and unexpected terror ricocheted through Lillian as she swiveled her attention back to the street. Chance was walking stiffly back toward the sheriff’s office, and she knew him well enough now to know he’d been wounded. The other man was sprawled in the street, his blood pooling over the ground and soaking into the earth. Grabbing Toby’s hand, she rushed outside and off the boardwalk, catching up with Chance as he neared the horses, her gaze flicking wildly over him. “Where did you get shot?”
    â€œGet on your horse,” he said.
    â€œHow badly are you hurt?”
    He gripped her arm and gave her a small shake, his cold eyes holding hers. “Get on the goddamn horse now.” He shifted his gaze to Bergen, as the sheriff approached them. “I’ve got witnesses—”
    â€œAnd I’m one of them,” the sheriff said, stopping in front of Chance. “I saw that he drew first. His name—”
    â€œDon’t want to know his name,” Chance cut in as he dropped some coins in the sheriff’s palm. “See that he gets a decent burial.”
    Toby was already sitting astride his horse when Lillian mounted hers. She heard Chance groan low as he pulled himself into his saddle. She hoped they’d get home before he tumbled from his horse.
    C HANCE WINCED AS Lillian dabbed the alcohol on his wound. The bullet had creased his right arm. The advantage to being left-handed was that his opponents had a tendency to aim for his right out of habit.
    â€œYou have got to learn to draw faster,” Lillian scolded.
    A corner of his mouth curved up. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had shown an ounce of concern over his well-being. “Careful, lady,” he warned. “I might begin to think you care.”
    His stomach