Outlaw's Reckoning Read Online Free Page B

the second.”
    Still holding his hands out, Henry nodded. Once Clint’s words sank in, Henry retracted his hands and glanced about nervously. Sure enough, there were plenty of dirty-faced drunks eyeing him. “I think I should get out of here.”
    â€œNow you’re using your head,” Clint told him. Feeling the uneasiness coming from beside him, Clint looked over to Shelly and added, “And he won’t be going alone. I’ll make sure the boy gets back home in one piece.”
    Shelly smiled and said, “That’s very kind of you.” Leaning forward, she gave Clint a kiss on the cheek and whispered, “Kindness does have some mighty good rewards, you know.” After that, she walked away from Clint and let her fingers trace along the back of Henry’s neck as she went by.
    â€œCome on, boy,” Clint said. “You stay here and you’re on your own.”
    Despite the thoughts going through the fourteen-year-old’s mind, Henry stayed close to Clint as they put the Whitecap Saloon behind them.

SIX
    It was a cold night and the winds were blowing in from the nearby mountains. Although they weren’t at the base of any rock walls, the mountains in Montana never seemed more than a stone’s throw away. With winter on its way, the sun dropped below the horizon as if it was weighted down, and the shadows already seemed twice as thick now than the last time Clint and Henry had left the Whitecap.
    Clint stepped to the street and looked over to Henry. The kid wasn’t much more than a foot shorter than him, but he looked up at Clint as if he was squinting at the top of one of the nearby mountains.
    â€œWhich way do you live?” Clint finally asked.
    The kid turned on his heels to the right, stuffed his hands into his pockets and started walking.
    Clint followed his lead and turned the collar up on his jacket. “So your name’s Henry?”
    â€œHenry Hasselman, yes, sir.”
    â€œThat’s a name that rolls off the tongue.”
    â€œIt’s from my father.”
    Clint nodded and kept walking. “Where’s your father?”
    Henry drove his hands a bit deeper into his pockets and stared down at his feet as if he needed to silently command them to move. Even in the darkness, the sadness could be seen creeping in on the edges of the kid’s face.
    â€œHow long’s your father been gone?” Clint asked, unsure whether or not the condition was permanent.
    After a few more steps, Henry replied, “He’s been dead for years. I barely remember his face anymore.”
    â€œThat’s all right. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, since you’ve been so busy and all.”
    Henry looked over at Clint with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. That didn’t last long, however, and was soon wiped away by a grumble from the back of his throat. “You don’t know that.”
    Clint laughed and said, “If tonight’s any indication, I’d say you’ve been busier than anyone ought to be.”
    That caused Henry to laugh a bit as well, even though he struggled to keep from doing so. From there, his steps were a bit lighter as he led the way toward the edge of town.
    Looking ahead a ways, Clint saw the streets open onto wider roads. Most of those roads appeared to end after less than a quarter of a mile, with one road turning into a trail that led out of town. Situated alongside the shorter, branching roads were several houses arranged in small clusters.
    There were lights in the windows and some folks on their porches. A few people ran back and forth between the houses, making the area seem like a little town of its own. A few of those people looked in Clint’s direction, but were put at ease when they saw Henry walking with him.
    â€œAre you going to tell me, Henry?” Clint asked.
    â€œTell you what?”
    â€œCome to think of it, I’d like to know how you got your hands on that much