MacCallister: The Eagles Legacy: The Killing Read Online Free Page A

out at the exact moment when Percy’s arm was most extended. Putting one hand on Percy’s elbow, and the other on Percy’s wrist, he jerked the arm back, breaking it in the elbow.
    “Ahhh!” Percy screamed in pain.
    Duff heard the knife hit the ground and reaching down quickly, he picked it up, then tossed it into the river, hearing the little splash as it went in.
    “Percy!” the woman shouted.
    “He’s here,” Duff said.
    “Percy, what happened?”
    “The son of a bitch broke my arm!” Percy said, his voice strained with pain.
    “Aye, but ye should be glad ’twas your arm I broke, and not your neck,” Duff said.
    “You son of a bitch! You broke Percy’s arm!” the woman cried angrily.
    “Tch, tch, such language from a lady,” Duff said. “Sure now, Lass, an’ I’m beginnin’ to think ye were in nae danger at all, now, were ye?” Duff asked.
    “Kill him, Percy! Kill him!” the woman said, her voice rising in fear.
    “Kill him? I can barely move, you dumb bitch! How am I going to kill him?”
    “I would be for betting that I’m nae the first ye have invited down here by your ruse,” Duff said. “But ’tis thinking I am that I might be your last.”
    “I need a doctor,” Percy said. “M’ arm is about to fall off.”
    “Aye, if I were you, I would get that arm looked at,” Duff said. Stepping out from under the bridge, he climbed back up the embankment. Behind him, he could hear Percy and the woman arguing.
    “I got him down here for you. The rest was up to you, but you couldn’t handle it.”
    “He broke my arm,” Percy replied. “Can’t you understand that? He broke my arm. I need a doctor.”
    Their angry and accusing voices faded behind him as he walked through the night back toward the hotel.

    “Mr. MacCallister,” the hotel clerk called to him as he crossed the lobby.
    “Aye?”
    “You’ve a message, sir, from a Mr. Woodson.” The clerk handed a note to Duff.
    “Thank you,” Duff said.
    Duff took the message over to one of the sofas in the lobby and sat there as he unfolded it to read.

    The Kansas City Cattle Exchange can make all the arrangements to provide you with Black Angus cattle. Good luck with your enterprise.
    Woodson.
     

    Smiling, Duff put the note in his pocket. As soon as he got back to Wyoming, he would contact the Kansas City Cattle Exchange and make whatever arrangements might be necessary.

Chapter Three
     
    It was dark when Duff rode into Chugwater, returning home after an absence of nearly two months. Although there had been some discussion of it in a few of the town council meetings, Chugwater still did not have streetlights. The reason they had decided against them was that Chugwater had not yet been “electrified,” and it was felt that it would be a waste of money to put gas lamps in, only to have to convert them at a later date.
    As a result, the only light on First Street was that which spilled out in little golden squares through the windows of the lighted buildings. Because it was after dark most of the citizens of the town were inside somewhere so the street was nearly deserted. Duff could hear the hollow clopping sounds Sky’s hooves made as he moved down the street toward the Fiddler’s Green saloon. He could hear the tinkling of the piano and a burst of laughter as he drew closer.
    Passing by Meghan’s Ladies’ Emporium, he looked upstairs toward her apartment, which was over the store, to see if a light was burning. It was, and he asked himself if she would welcome a visit from him before he went back out to the ranch. He might call on her.
    Then, as he thought about it further, he realized that it would probably be best that he not call on her now, since it would be considered improper for a man to call upon a single lady after dark. And though he wanted to see her to let her know that he was back, he did not want to do anything that could, in any way, sully her reputation.
    Tying his horse off at the hitching post in front of