Blood Trail Read Online Free Page A

else.”
    Talbot studied the two of them, then said, “All right. Come with me.”
    They followed him until they were about twenty-five feet away.
    â€œThere.” He pointed.
    â€œWhat the hell—” Clint said.
    â€œWhat is it?” Bullet asked. “Why can’t I see what you fellas see?”
    Clint leaned over and pointed, saying, “There.”
    Bullet saw another footprint, that of a man, in blood. Only this one was . . . a bare foot.

EIGHT
    They rode back to town, taking Frederick Talbot with them. First they stopped at the undertaker’s.
    â€œMore questions?” Zeke Taylor asked.
    â€œWe just need to look at the soles of the victim’s boots,” Bullet said, “and his feet.”
    â€œFeet?”
    â€œBare feet,” Clint said.
    â€œAll right,” Taylor said. “He and his clothes are still where they were before.”
    They went into the back, taking Talbot with them. While they examined the boots, and the bottoms of the man’s feet, Talbot studied the body.
    â€œBlood on his boots,” Bullet said.
    â€œBut none on his bare feet,” Clint said. “Plus, the bare footprint we saw was larger than his foot.”
    Clint and Bullet turned to Talbot.
    â€œWhat do you see, Mr. Talbot?” Clint asked. “Have you seen anything like this before?”
    Talbot turned to them and stared. For a moment Clint thought he wasn’t going to answer.
    â€œI have seen this,” Talbot said, “in my country.”
    â€œWhat country is that?” Clint asked.
    â€œRomania.”
    â€œOkay,” Bullet said, “let’s go to my office and talk.”
    * * *
    At the sheriff’s office, Bullet made coffee, and when they all had a cup, they sat down to talk.
    â€œAll right, Mr. Talbot,” Bullet said. “When you saw this in your country . . . what were the circumstances?”
    Talbot didn’t answer right away.
    â€œWhat did this?” Clint asked. “In your country, I mean.”
    â€œIt was . . . a wolf.”
    â€œA wolf?” Clint asked. “With a print that big?”
    â€œIt was not . . . a normal wolf.”
    â€œYou have abnormal wolves in your country?” Bullet asked.
    â€œYes,” Talbot said. “Bigger. Different.”
    â€œWell,” Bullet said, “that may be, but we don’t have those kinds of wolves in this country.”
    Talbot shrugged and said, “I am only telling you what I saw.”
    Clint and Bullet exchanged a glance, and then Clint asked, “Tell me something, Mr. Talbot.”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œCan you track this thing?”
    â€œThe animal?” Talbot asked. “Or the man?”
    â€œBoth,” Bullet said.
    â€œI could,” the man said, “but . . .”
    â€œBut what?”
    â€œI must travel with the others,” Talbot said. “My daughter . . .”
    â€œDon’t worry,” Clint said. “After you track it, and we catch it, we can get you back to the wagons. Back to your daughter.”
    â€œYou do not understand,” Talbot said. “I cannot leave my daughter there alone. She needs me to be there to protect her.”
    â€œBut she’s not alone,” the sheriff said. “There are other people there. And the captain.”
    Talbot shook his head and said, “The captain is in charge there . . . and he is the one I need to protect my daughter from.”

NINE
    Sarah saw the flap of her wagon open and then Captain Sean Parker stuck his head inside.
    â€œYou gonna stay in there all night?” he asked.
    â€œI promised my father,” she said, “I would stay with the wagon until he returned.”
    â€œWell,” the older man said, “okay. I could come in there with you.”
    â€œNo!” Sarah said. “That will not be necessary. I—I will be fine.”
    â€œAw,