Forty-Four Caliber Justice Read Online Free

eyes, set wide in a strong face, framed by her long brown hair. “Reckon not, Sarah. But thank you.”
    The moment passed. “Well, you must be hungry. Come in the house. I left some food from dinner for you. Tyler, put Blue up.” She turned to start back to the house.
    “I’ll put him up,” Clay said. “He’s had a hard morning, with all these hills. He needs a good rubdown.”
    “Let me do it, Clay. Blue likes me. He won’t mind,” Tyler said.
    “All right, Tyler, thanks. Make sure he gets some water.” Clay slid the Winchester out of the scabbard and untied the saddlebags, tossing them across his left shoulder. He joined Sarah, and they walked to the house.
    Hewitt had come onto the porch. “Afternoon, Clay. How’re you doing, Son?”
    “I’m doing okay. If it’s all right with you, could we get our business done? I don’t mean to be abrupt, sir, but I’d like to get it done and out of the way.”
    Hewitt stepped aside and motioned Clay inside. “Sure, I understand. Come on into the office.”
    Sarah glanced at Clay in surprise. It was obvious she had no idea what they were talking about.
    “Mr. Hewitt, if it’s all right with you, I’d kinda like Sarah to sit in on this. The boys are also welcome. I’d be a mite more comfortable if everyone knew what was going on.”
    “Sure, Clay. Toby’s out with Bo working cattle, but Tyler can come in when he’s finished with Blue. Shall we?” he asked as he pointed toward his office.
    Sarah walked in and sat in the second chair facing her father’s desk. Clay took the first chair and waited until Hewitt sat down.
    “Mr. Hewitt, I have an idea that may work for both of us,” Clay said as he sat. “You want the grazing and the water on the Frio, and I need to be relieved of the responsibility of the ranch, for now.”
    Hewitt looked at Clay, a puzzled look on his face. “I thought you were talking about selling the ranch.”
    “No, sir. Pa was teaching me about business and talked about this idea in passing. He was talking as if he and Ma might go back East for a few years, and he knew how much you liked our ranch. Anyway, I’m going to be gone, I just don’t know how long. I don’t know if I’ll even come back after I settle up with those killers. Right now, as much as I like the place, I can’t stand to be there.”
    Sarah was looking at Clay, her eyes large, astonishment across her face. Clay looked at her and then looked back to Hewitt. The hurt in her eyes was obvious.
    “Mr. Hewitt, what about me just turning the place over to you? You have all the grazing and water rights for as long as I’m gone. If—”
    “Clay, are you sure you don’t want to sell the land? You would be done with it, nothing to worry about. I’ll pay you a good sum for it.”
    “No, sir. I’m not interested in selling right now,” Clay said, his mind centered, for a moment, on the paper he’d found in the safe. “Pa taught me not to make a major decision when emotions are high.”
    Sarah was still focused on Clay. “Are you really leaving?”
    “I can’t stay, Sarah. There’s a bunch of killers running loose. I’ve got to find them.”
    “Clay,” Hewitt asked, “what kind of terms did you have in mind?”
    “Mr. Hewitt, I’ll give you a ten-year guarantee. After that, we can talk about renewing. I won’t take it back before then. You can figure what you should pay me for it. I trust you. You can make it monthly or once a year, I really don’t care. Just deposit it in the Uvalde bank.”
    Hewitt leaned back in his chair. “You’re awfully trusting, Clay. I could pay you nothing, based on your request.”
    “Yes, sir, you could. I just want the land looked after. I’d like you to take our cattle, those that are ready for market, on the drive. You figure what’s fair to charge me and deposit the rest after the sale. Pa, Slim, and I had about finished the gather. The cattle are holding along the Frio, south of the place.”
    “Son, you’ve got a