Read Online Trail of the Hanged Man by Steve Hayes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steve Hayes
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or renegades might cross over and.…’ Lawless left the rest unsaid.
‘Ingrid and I have discussed that,’ Sven said. ‘Took some fancy talking on my part, but she finally agreed that if things got too tough she’d pack up and take Raven to her stepbrother, Reece, a well-to-do banker who lives in California.’
Lawless said no more. But, as they rode across the flatland and picked up the trail leading to the ranch house, he chided himself for the thoughts he was feeling for another man’s wife.
It was sprinkling when Lawless stopped the wagon in front of the ranch house. The thunder and lightning were now much closer, the threat of a bad storm imminent.
‘You take Joey inside,’ Lawless said to Sven, ‘while I unhitch the team.’
The big easy-going Norwegian nodded, seemingly content to be told what to do, and swung down from his horse.
‘I’ll go saddle up,’ Violet said, jumping off the wagon. ‘We shouldn’t have to ride too far to find Miguel and Rios. Most likely, seeing the storm coming, they’re already heading home. Joey,’ she added, ‘you’re to do exactly as Mr Lawless tells you, you hear?’ She ran off before he could argue.
The jolting ride had not been easy on Joey. He hadn’t complained about the pain, but it had taken most of the fire out of him and he offered no resistance as Sven climbed into the wagon and gently helped him up.
Meanwhile, Lawless unhitched the traces and led the two wethorses toward the barn. Ahead, Violet opened the big double doors and hurried inside.
Thunder boomed overhead. It startled the team and, placid as they were, the horses reared up almost tearing the reins from Lawless’ hands. ‘Whoa, whoa.…’ He fought to pull them down. ‘Easy now … easy.…’ It took a few seconds but finally the horses calmed and let Lawless lead them to the barn.
As he reached the big double doors a muffled scream came from inside. Dropping the reins Lawless ran into the barn.
Two men faced him, both wearing deputy stars, both holding cocked carbines.
A third man straddled Violet, pinning her to the ground with his knees. His hand was clamped over her mouth. Above it her gray-green eyes were wide with fear.
Lawless tensed, hand poised above his gun, ready to kill all three.
‘Don’t try it,’ one man warned. ‘We ain’t aiming to harm you or the girl, not unless you go for your iron.’
Tempted, Lawless decided he might not be able to gun them all down before one managed to kill, and not willing to risk her life he dropped his hand to his side. Hunkering down in front of her, he asked her if she was all right.
She nodded.
Lawless rose and faced the other two men. ‘Let her up, or I’ll make you use those shooters.’
They sensed he wasn’t bluffing. The man who’d spoken first, Cory Rivers, nodded to the man astride Violet. The man let Violet up but kept her covered with his six-gun.
‘Unbuckle your belt,’ Rivers told Lawless. ‘Kick it over here.’
Lawless obeyed without argument.
‘Outside,’ Rivers said.
Again, Lawless obeyed him. The three men, with Violet ahead of them, followed him out of the barn.
It was raining hard now. It came slashing down, driven sideways by gusts of wind, turning the ground into mud. Lawlesssplashed through the puddles, squinting against the slanting rain. Ahead, he saw three more men, armed with shotguns, standing outside the door of the log-house.
Was this the trouble his premonition had warned him about?
Inside the house Sheriff Tishman sat drinking coffee at the table. He was dry, indicating he’d been there a while, and looked relaxed except for the tension in his eyes. His regular deputy, Lonnie Davis, a skinny man with a few greasy hairs combed over his scalp and a bulging Adam’s apple, stood behind him holding a scattergun.
The lamp on the table was unlit. Due to the storm very little light came through the curtained window and the room was dim at best. A shadowy figure guarding the door
‘Ingrid and I have discussed that,’ Sven said. ‘Took some fancy talking on my part, but she finally agreed that if things got too tough she’d pack up and take Raven to her stepbrother, Reece, a well-to-do banker who lives in California.’
Lawless said no more. But, as they rode across the flatland and picked up the trail leading to the ranch house, he chided himself for the thoughts he was feeling for another man’s wife.
It was sprinkling when Lawless stopped the wagon in front of the ranch house. The thunder and lightning were now much closer, the threat of a bad storm imminent.
‘You take Joey inside,’ Lawless said to Sven, ‘while I unhitch the team.’
The big easy-going Norwegian nodded, seemingly content to be told what to do, and swung down from his horse.
‘I’ll go saddle up,’ Violet said, jumping off the wagon. ‘We shouldn’t have to ride too far to find Miguel and Rios. Most likely, seeing the storm coming, they’re already heading home. Joey,’ she added, ‘you’re to do exactly as Mr Lawless tells you, you hear?’ She ran off before he could argue.
The jolting ride had not been easy on Joey. He hadn’t complained about the pain, but it had taken most of the fire out of him and he offered no resistance as Sven climbed into the wagon and gently helped him up.
Meanwhile, Lawless unhitched the traces and led the two wethorses toward the barn. Ahead, Violet opened the big double doors and hurried inside.
Thunder boomed overhead. It startled the team and, placid as they were, the horses reared up almost tearing the reins from Lawless’ hands. ‘Whoa, whoa.…’ He fought to pull them down. ‘Easy now … easy.…’ It took a few seconds but finally the horses calmed and let Lawless lead them to the barn.
As he reached the big double doors a muffled scream came from inside. Dropping the reins Lawless ran into the barn.
Two men faced him, both wearing deputy stars, both holding cocked carbines.
A third man straddled Violet, pinning her to the ground with his knees. His hand was clamped over her mouth. Above it her gray-green eyes were wide with fear.
Lawless tensed, hand poised above his gun, ready to kill all three.
‘Don’t try it,’ one man warned. ‘We ain’t aiming to harm you or the girl, not unless you go for your iron.’
Tempted, Lawless decided he might not be able to gun them all down before one managed to kill, and not willing to risk her life he dropped his hand to his side. Hunkering down in front of her, he asked her if she was all right.
She nodded.
Lawless rose and faced the other two men. ‘Let her up, or I’ll make you use those shooters.’
They sensed he wasn’t bluffing. The man who’d spoken first, Cory Rivers, nodded to the man astride Violet. The man let Violet up but kept her covered with his six-gun.
‘Unbuckle your belt,’ Rivers told Lawless. ‘Kick it over here.’
Lawless obeyed without argument.
‘Outside,’ Rivers said.
Again, Lawless obeyed him. The three men, with Violet ahead of them, followed him out of the barn.
It was raining hard now. It came slashing down, driven sideways by gusts of wind, turning the ground into mud. Lawlesssplashed through the puddles, squinting against the slanting rain. Ahead, he saw three more men, armed with shotguns, standing outside the door of the log-house.
Was this the trouble his premonition had warned him about?
Inside the house Sheriff Tishman sat drinking coffee at the table. He was dry, indicating he’d been there a while, and looked relaxed except for the tension in his eyes. His regular deputy, Lonnie Davis, a skinny man with a few greasy hairs combed over his scalp and a bulging Adam’s apple, stood behind him holding a scattergun.
The lamp on the table was unlit. Due to the storm very little light came through the curtained window and the room was dim at best. A shadowy figure guarding the door
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