Blood Trail Read Online Free

in this country do not understand.”
    Talbot turned to his daughter and said, “Perhaps this body will make them understand.”
    â€œPapa—”
    â€œI have to go, child,” he said. “You stay close to the wagon, do you hear?”
    â€œI hear you, Papa,” she said. “Please be careful.”
    â€œI will.”
    â€œI mean,” she said, “be careful of what you say to these men.”
    He put his hand on his daughter’s shoulders, then walked away with his horse.
    * * *
    Clint saw the man approaching them, leading a worn, old mare.
    â€œThat’s a horse?” Bullet said, aloud.
    Talbot heard him.
    â€œShe is a fine animal,” he said. “I have had her a long time.”
    â€œCan she keep up?” Bullet asked.
    Talbot mounted up.
    â€œDo not worry,” he said, “she will keep up.”
    â€œYou want me to come along, Sheriff?” Parker asked.
    â€œI think you’d better stay close to your people, Captain,” Bullet said. “Don’t worry, we’ll bring Mr. Talbot back to you.”
    Talbot’s daughter came and stood next to the captain. The older man put his arm around her, which did not please Talbot one bit.
    â€œSarah,” he said, “stay close to the wagon.”
    â€œYes, Papa.”
    He looked at Bullet and Clint.
    â€œShall we go?”

SEVEN
    Clint and Bullet led Frederick Talbot to the place where the body had been found. The blood had soaked into the ground. There was a clean space in the middle, where the body had been removed.
    â€œThere you go,” Bullet said. “Have a look.”
    Frederick Talbot dismounted and walked over to the spot. He crouched down, reached out with his hand, but didn’t actually touch the ground.
    â€œI see one boot print,” Talbot said.
    â€œYeah,” Bullet said, “we saw that. But why aren’t there more?”
    Talbot stood up, started to walk around.
    â€œHere!” he said.
    Clint and Bullet dismounted and walked over to where Talbot was standing.
    â€œWhere?” Bullet asked.
    â€œLook close.”
    Clint was looking for an imprint in the ground. But he saw what Talbot was pointing at. It was a footprint in blood. And it was from an animal.
    â€œI see it,” he said.
    â€œWhere?” Bullet asked anxiously.
    â€œThere,” Talbot said, crouching down and pointing. “Right there.”
    â€œWhat kind of track is that?” he asked, squinting. “A wolf?”
    â€œIf it is,” Clint said, “it’s a big one.”
    â€œA really big one,” Bullet said.
    Clint looked at Talbot.
    â€œWhat about it? A wolf?”
    â€œCould be,” Talbot said.
    Clint had the feeling the man was holding something back.
    â€œI’ll look for more,” Talbot said, and walked off.
    â€œWhat the hell—” Bullet said, staring at the print.
    â€œHe knows more than what he’s saying,” Clint commented.
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œThink he knows who the killer is?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Clint said. “It’s just . . . something.”
    â€œLet’s ask ’im,” Bullet said.
    â€œLet’s wait ’til he’s finished,” Clint said. “See what he tells us.”
    â€œOkay,” Bullet said, “but keep an eye on him.”
    * * *
    They watched and waited while Talbot studied the entire area in a twenty-foot radius. Finally, he came back to them.
    â€œI see two sets of tracks,” he said, “man and beast.”
    â€œSo there was a man,” Bullet said, “with the animal?”
    â€œThe man might have been your victim,” Talbot said. “I suggest you check the bottoms of his boots for blood.”
    â€œWhat else did you find?” Clint asked.
    â€œI have told you—”
    â€œNo,” Clint said, “there’s something