Black Horse Creek (9781101607466) Read Online Free

Grayson to resign his job as a deputy marshal. Since that time, Grayson had operated more or less as a bounty hunter, seemingly whenever it suited him to do so.
    â€œI lost Tom Malone a couple of weeks ago,” Council said, “my best deputy, a man I can’t afford to lose, shot down in a dingy little trading post on the Canadian River.”
    â€œI heard,” Grayson said. “Tom was a good man.”
    â€œThe best,” Council replied, “and I’m sorely gonna miss him, because I don’t have anybody else with his experience.” He paused to cast a wry smile at Grayson. “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in going back to work in the service.”
    â€œReckon not,” Grayson said.
    â€œI didn’t think so, but you might be interested in doing a little job for me. Tom was gunned down while attempting to arrest Billy Blanchard on a murder charge.”
    â€œI heard that, too,” Grayson deadpanned. “He let Billy get the jump on him, was the way I heard it.”
    â€œWell, I guess you could say that,” Council conceded, reluctant to believe that a deputy with Tom Malone’s experience could have been less than careful. “I sent Bob Aaron over there to check it out, but that fellow that owns the trading post where it happened suddenly lost his memory. He said he ain’t even sure it was Billy that fired the shots, that he thought it mighta been a stranger just passing through.”
    â€œEd Lenta,” Grayson remarked. “I’m not surprised.”
    â€œYeah, that’s the man,” Council continued. “Anyway, Lenta said he didn’t know which way Billy went when he left his store, and he didn’t notice which direction the stranger was heading, either. Bob looked around the place, but he couldn’t turn up anything to help, so he came on back.”
    â€œMight as well forget about the stranger,” Grayson said. “I doubt he exists. Billy was the one done the killin’.”
    â€œWell, that’s what I figure, too,” Council was quick to say. “But like I said, Bob didn’t have any idea which way he ran.”
    It was not difficult to figure out why Council had sent for him, so Grayson got down to business. “Billy’s most likely gone home to his daddy’s place up on the Cimarron, and since that’s over the line in Kansas, you don’t want to send a deputy out of The Nations to look for him.” He paused, but Council said nothing. Grayson continued. “So you want me to go up there and find Billy for you.” He paused again before asking, “How much is it worth?”
    â€œMy superiors want justice to be served on this one for sure,” Council emphasized. “You know, yourself, how many deputies have been killed in this territory in the last ten years. My boss wants to set an example with Tom Malone’s death and show these murdering outlaws that they’re not going to get away with killing a U.S. deputy marshal. He wants to have a public hanging with all the newspapers covering it.” He paused to make sure his next statement had the desired effect. “My superiors have authorized me to offer a one-thousand-dollar reward for the capture of Billy Blanchard.” He nodded to confirm it when he saw Grayson’s surprised look. It was a lot of money for a low-life piece of trash like Billy Blanchard, so Council went on to justify the amount. “Like I said, we want Billy brought back alive to stand trial for the murder before we hang him.”
    â€œThings don’t always work out that way,” Grayson said. “You know that.”
    â€œIf at all possible, we want him alive to stand up before the judge. But if there’s no way to avoid killing him, I can’t take your word that he’s dead. Judge Parker wants proof in the form of Billy’s body. So if you have to kill him, you’re gonna have to produce