Chapter Twelve
Contents - Prev | Next
He had them right where he wanted them. Adam pressed back against the brick wall facing the street and quickly reloaded his gun. He was on the left side of the entrance to an alley that dead-ended* and he was feeling damned smug because he was certain he had all three of the bastards pinned inside.
His mood wasn't friendly. One of them had tried to ambush him behind the livery stable just as he had been dismounting* and if he hadn't thrown himself off his horse and to the ground in the nick of time* he would have taken a bullet in the back.
He wanted to get even* and though he fancied the notion of killing all of them* he knew he would have to settle for wounding one or two. It was his fervent hope that Ezekiel would become desperate enough to try to rush past him. There wasn't any other way out of the alley* and if Adam had to spend the rest of the day waiting to nab him* then that's what he would do.
He spotted a man running toward him from across the street. The stranger was wearing a badge* and
Adam assumed he was the third marshal he'd heard about. The lawman was tall* thick-shouldered* and had blond hair and blue eyes.
He seemed familiar* but Adam couldn't remember where he had seen him before. Adam nodded to him and was just turning away when he spotted a gold chain dangling from the marshal's vest pocket. What looked suspiciously like a gold compass case dangled from the end of the chain.
Recognition was immediate. "Son of a…" Adam whispered. The lawman was Daniel Ryan.
"Drop your gun*" Ryan roared.
Adam shook his head and went right on reloading.
The marshal aimed his gun at him and was repeating his command when a shot rang out. The bullet roared past Ryan's left shoulder. He dove for cover on the opposite side of the entrance* and like Adam* pressed his back against the wall.
His gaze was directed on Adam. "Who the hell are they?" he roared.
Adam quickly explained. When he was finished* Ryan asked him how many there were.
"Ezekiel was leading the way and his two hired guns were following him. When I turned the corner* I saw one of them run into the alley. I'm certain all three are there. They must have thought they could cut through* and now they're trapped. When they run out of bullets* they'll come out."
Ryan nodded. "I'll handle this. Just stay out of my way."
"No*" Adam answered. "You stay out of my way. You're Daniel Ryan* aren't you?"
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Adam Clayborne."
Ryan raised an eyebrow in surprise* and then a hint of a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "You're Rose's son."
"Yes*" Adam agreed. "Nice compass."
"Yes* it is."
"The compass belongs to my brother Cole."
"It sure does*" Ryan agreed.
Before Adam could demand that he hand it over* Ryan shouted to the men in the alley. "Drop your weapons and put your hands up* or you're going to die."
A hail of bullets whizzed past in response. Ryan leaned in* shot twice* and then jerked back.
"How's your mother doing?" he asked in a voice as mild as the afternoon breeze.
"She's fine*" Adam replied a scant second before he moved forward* took aim* and shot. One of the men let out a loud wail of distress.
The sound made Adam smile. He pressed back against the wall and grinned. "One down* two to go."
"Stay out of this."
"No way."
"What's Cole up to these days?"
"Ranching."
"You ready to give it up?" Ryan bellowed. "This is the last time I'm gonna ask you."
"Go to hell*" one of the men shouted.
Ryan let out a sigh. "Seems like they want to die*" he drawled out.
Adam nodded. "It seems so."
"Less paperwork involved*" Ryan remarked. "So I might as well accommodate them."
"Ezekiel Jones is mine. If anyone's going to shoot him* it's going to be me."
Ryan shrugged. "Does Rose like living in Montana?"
"Yes* she does. She speaks highly of you* and she seems to think you're going to bring the compass you borrowed back to her*" he added* deliberately stressing the word "borrowed."
Ryan laughed. "I didn't borrow it. I took it."
"Give it back."
"I will when I'm ready. I've got some business to discuss with Cole* and as soon as I've finished up here* I'm coming to Rosehill."
"You'd better come armed then. You've made Cole angry enough to shoot you on sight."
Ryan smiled. "He doesn't have a problem killing* does he?"
"No* none at all."
"Good. That's what I heard. He's just the man I need."
"Need? What do you need him for? You can't possibly think he'd go to work for you."
"That's exactly what I think. I can be real persuasive."
The conversation was interrupted by gunshots from the alley. Ryan and Adam returned the fire. The sound was deafening. Both men fell back against the wall and reloaded.
"What exactly do you want Cole to do for you?"
"Kill some vermin."
Before Adam could question him further* one of Ezekiel's men shouted at them.
"We're coming out. Don't shoot."
"Drop your weapons and put your hands up*" Ryan shouted.
After giving the order* he motioned for Adam to stay where he was* and then Ryan moved back at an angle into the street.
Herman came strutting out of the alley first. He was closely followed by Lewis* who was limping. The two men had just reached the entrance when Lewis* using Herman as his shield* fired at Ryan and missed. The marshal shot the gun out of his hand a scant second before Adam slammed the butt of his gun up against the side of his head. Lewis crumpled to the ground.
In one fluid motion Herman dove for the ground and reached behind his back for his weapon. He was swinging his arm up with a gun in his hand before he hit the ground.
Ryan shot to kill. The bullet sliced through Herman's chest* propelling him backward. He died before his head struck the edge of the boardwalk.
Adam moved into the alley to search for Ezekiel. The bastard wasn't there. Muttering curses under his breath* he reholstered his gun and turned around. Ryan had moved to the center of the street and was staring at something in front of him. He looked as though he was ready for a shoot-out. His legs were braced apart* his back was rigid* and his hand hovered just above the hilt of his gun.