Vengeance Road Read Online Free Page B

brush.
    Eyes bolting open, I reach for my rifle, but it’s big, and tucked away beneath my blankets. Worried about making too much noise, I draw my pistol real quiet-like and strain my hearing. And there it is again, someone grunting or struggling, not more than a few dozen paces away. I push my hat up slow and let my eyes adjust.
    Silver and Libby are awake, both sets of ears sharper than spindles in the moonlight. I see the movement next—shaking brush at the far end of the ditch, right where the earth starts to steepen. Standing careful, I keep the pistol ready and my steps silent. Whoever it is hears me coming, though, ’cus the rustling quits.
    â€œI know yer in there,” I whisper. I reach out to pull back the branches. “Come out with—”
    A dark shape darts outta the brush and charges my legs, squealing. I get knocked down hard, tailbone throbbing, and then something bites my ankle.
    â€œSon of a . . .”
    I look up to see the javelina fleeing.
    â€œNo good wild hogs,” I says.
    The stout creature snorts at me and then rejoins his small herd in devouring a cactus.
    Thank goodness for my boots. If it weren’t for the tough leather protecting my ankles, I’d probably be bleeding right now. I heave to my feet, still cursing the creatures, and hobble back to camp. I have my guard so low, I nearly miss the worse threat still.
    â€œSee? I told you we’d find his camp.”
    I freeze, crouching low behind a shrub.
    â€œBut where’s the kid? Claude said he were headed this way.”
    â€œWhy in tarnation would I know? Let’s just scare his horses and take the gear.”
    â€œHow we gonna get the bounty if we don’t have a body?”
    â€œHe ain’t gonna head nowhere but back to town on foot, you imbecile. Then we kill him and collect. Now get those reins untied.”
    â€œHang on. There ain’t even a rose burned into these saddles. Ain’t that their mark?”
    â€œMaybe there’s no mark ’cus he’s trying to keep it hush. ’Cus he knows Rose’s head is worth a fortune and any of his riders’s a nice purse too.”
    â€œI’s got a bad feeling, Tom. Kid’s probably watching us right now, ready to shoot us dead.”
    I don’t wanna. Not if I don’t have to. My bullets are meant to avenge Pa, but I still squeeze my pistol’s grip.
    â€œGo stand watch, then,” Tom says to his partner.
    â€œStand watch? Watching ain’t gonna do much ’gainst a Rose Rider.” But he drifts up the ditch to where their horses wait and he can better survey my camp.
    Tom yanks Libby’s reins free of the tree. Just as fast, he draws his pistol and shoots a bullet into the ground behind her.
    She rears, then takes off north.
    Aw, hell.
    I reach down near my feet and feel round till I find a rock the size of my palm. Then I throw it toward the trail. Soon as Tom’s partner walks off to investigate the sound, I jump up from behind the shrub and sight Tom.
    â€œI wouldn’t do that,” I says to him, cocking my pistol.
    He lets go of Silver’s reins and raises his hands.
    â€œWalk back to yer horse and ride outta here,” I says, “and we can forget this happened.”
    â€œAnd let you continue on and slaughter Abe’s family?” he says. “I can’t do that, son.”
    â€œYer worried ’bout Abe? It don’t got nothing to do with a bounty?”
    â€œWell, you caught me. I guess it does.”
    He spins and draws his gun so quick, alls I can do is react. I pull my trigger. Tom goes flying into the mesquite tree and crumples still.
    Jesus, he’s dead.
    I did that.
    I didn’t even mean to or want to, but he woulda got me. If my gun hadn’t already been out, I know I’d be dead. My heart’s pounding frantic in my chest.
    â€œTom?” his partner calls. “Was that the second horse? Can we get outta here