Redemption's Edge (27 page)

The three Mayes and three Olin brothers had been robbing banks for close to two years, and up until Duff had been shot in the leg months before, no one had been injured. In fact, no one had gotten close to tracking them toward their ranch. The robbery in Red Gulch changed everything, leaving the youngest Mayes brother dead. The one difference between that robbery and the others was Hanes and the Pelletiers.

Whitey told Duff the Rangers didn’t give up like the others, even though the outlaws had set up numerous false trails to throw them off. Each time the gang believed they’d lost them, the lawmen would show up on their trail within hours. It had been the first time they’d been tracked by the three Rangers. Whitey believed the lawmen had gotten lucky. Duff thought not. He figured the brothers were more accomplished, with more skills than the lawmen they’d encountered in the past.

Whitey grabbed Duff’s arm, stopping him before he could enter his room. “We should get out of here tomorrow. Talk with the sheriff, then leave.” Whitey looked behind him, making certain they were alone. “Something’s not right. We’re being tracked. I can feel it.”

Duff pulled him inside and closed the door. “You’re imagining it. We’ve seen no one, no signs we’re being followed.”

“And there may not be any until it’s too late. I’m telling you, someone is hunting us the same way we’re hunting those Rangers.”

Duff threw his saddlebags on the bed and turned back to Whitey. “Don’t you think I know there are posters out on us? Anyone could pick one up and come after us. But we’ve seen no one. Besides, who’s going to follow us all the way north to Montana?”

“There are some men who would.”

“Few who’d give up other opportunities to track us all the way up here.” Duff sat on the bed and rubbed the leg, which had never healed, grimacing at the pain a day in the saddle caused. He knew his brother had good instincts, a skill he’d used to save them more than once. If his leg didn’t hurt so bad, Duff might have been more inclined to focus on Whitey’s comments. But he needed time for the pain to subside before climbing back on his horse.

“We’ll get out of here after I speak with the sheriff tomorrow, and not before. We’re a day’s ride from finding who we’re after, and nothing will change before then. I’m going to grab some food and a few drinks. You can come along or stay here. It makes no difference to me.”

Whitey looked out the window to the road below. Seeing nothing, he dropped the curtain and looked at his brother. “We’re making a mistake not getting this over with quick.”

“It’ll be done soon, but it will be done
my
way.”

Whitey watched Duff leave, knowing nothing good would come from continuing to put off the inevitable.

Splendor, Montana

“What are you drinking?” Al, the Wild Rose bartender, asked.

“Whiskey.” Luke leaned against the bar, eyes locked on the saloon girl who passed among the tables. He’d noticed her clothes and hair right off. She wore a simple calico dress and had pulled her golden brown hair into a bun with soft ringlets escaping to frame her face. He’d had drinks at the Rose several times since arriving in Splendor and had never seen her.

“Who’s the new girl?” Luke asked as Al set down his drink.

“Ginny. She arrived in town a few weeks ago with her little sister. They came in with the settlers and decided to stay.” Al chuckled when he noticed the look of appreciation on Luke’s face. “She’s a server a few nights a week. No upstairs business with her.”

Luke glanced at Al, then back at Ginny. “Guess I might want to introduce myself to your new server.” He grabbed his glass and found a seat, ignoring an empty chair at one of the card tables. She came by as he’d finished off the last of his drink.

“May I get you another?”

He tilted the chair, balancing on the back two legs, and let his gaze drift up to her. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Luke Pelletier.”

Her easy smile stalled at the wide grin he gave her. “Hello, Mr. Pelletier. I’m Ginny.”

“Ginny, it’s nice to meet you. Al says you’re new to Splendor.”

She worried her lower lip and looked at Al. His nod told her it would be all right to speak with him. “Yes. My sister and I have been here a few weeks. Can I get you a drink?”

Luke let his other questions wait, knowing there’d be plenty of time to get to know more about the pretty young woman. “A whiskey, please.”

He watched her avoid a couple of cowboys on her way to the bar. He thought she couldn’t be older than seventeen, and wondered about her sister, where they lived, and what happened to their parents.

“Here you are.” Ginny set down the glass. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will, Ginny. Thanks.” He wrapped fingers around the glass and studied the golden liquid before bringing it to his lips. His eyes wandered back to the pretty server standing at the bar, talking with Al. He wondered about her. Why did she have to support her younger sister? Where were their parents? What was she doing working in a saloon? Luke made the decision to find out more about the intriguing newcomer.

“You wanted to see me, boss?” Drake strolled into King Tolbert’s study, shut the door, then folded his arms and leaned against it. The ranch had been quiet since the shooting of the Pelletier ranch hand. He’d lived, but the wrath from Tolbert had been significant. Drake knew his boss believed there might be some truth to the Pelletiers’ accusation. Drake had ordered his men to stay out of King’s way and not create any trouble. Those who didn’t would answer to him.

King looked up, then set his pen down and stood. “I need to make changes. We’re going to cut some of the men loose. Most are from the group you brought in or hired.” He crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. “I’m keeping all the men I hired. I’ve prepared a list of the men I don’t need.” He turned to pick up a paper behind him, but didn’t offer it to Drake.

Drake had wondered when King would trim the number of ranch hands. He knew that when it happened, his men would be the first to go. There were a few he’d like to cut loose himself, but others needed to stay. They’d been with him since his departure from the Confederate Army. He owed them.

“I’d like to see it.”

“As long as you understand I’ll make all decisions on who leaves.” He held out the paper.

Drake scanned the list. All the men who’d ridden in from Big Pine were on it, as well as a few others, two of them he couldn’t lose. “Pruett and Swaggert need to stay.”

“Why’s that?”

“They’re more experienced than the others and hard working. They’ve been with me for years.”

King listened. He didn’t know the two well. They did whatever Drake ordered—no questions asked. That worried him. He understood loyalty, as well as the fact it could be taken too far.

“I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I’m letting the others go.” He walked back around to his chair and sat.

“When will you tell them?”

“Tonight. They’ll be paid through the month. I expect them to be off the ranch tomorrow morning.”

Drake kept his temper as he left the house and headed toward the barn. With each step, his unease grew. He’d learned about Tolbert from another soldier. The man had traveled west years before and worked for Tolbert, then moved back east to help his parents after the war broke out. He’d told Drake of Tolbert’s plans to expand, take over the neighboring ranches and control the cattle business in the growing territory of Montana. He’d said the man would need people like Drake to achieve his goals. The two of them, plus Pruett and Swaggert, had planned to leave together.

The solider died a few weeks later. The others had taken off in the middle of the night after a brutal battle, deciding their future didn’t exist in the South. They headed west, as far away as possible from those who knew them. He’d recruited others who’d fought for the South and lost everything, forming his own roving gang. It had taken them a year to cross the country, stealing what they needed and killing those who tried to stop them. All the while, Drake never let his focus stray from Tolbert, his Montana ranch, and a start at a new life away from anyone who knew of his desertion from the army. He never expected to see General Pelletier again, especially not in an isolated town like Splendor. He had to protect the secrets of his past, and that meant ridding the area of the Pelletier brothers.

Denver, Colorado

 “You’re certain these are the men who rode through here asking about the Pelletiers?”

“That’s the one who spoke to us.” The sheriff pointed to the wanted poster in Cash Coulter’s right hand, then pointed to the one in his left. “This one stayed outside with three others. Duff Mayes came inside, except he called himself Henry Johnson. He also said he and the Pelletiers are friends, known each other for years. He just wanted to catch up with them.”

Cash folded both posters and stuck them in his shirt pocket, knowing their journey had nothing to do with finding old friends. It had to do with locating and killing two Texas Rangers.

He’d started in Louisiana months before, searching for another band of outlaws who’d killed a family on their farm—Cash’s uncle, aunt, and two cousins. From what he’d learned, the gang had stopped for food, then taken the horses and killed his kin. A lone worker had survived, identifying the leader as Parnell Drake, ex-sergeant in the Confederacy, deserter, and murderer.

After following their trail for several weeks, Cash lost them near Austin, Texas. He’d learned of a man named Henry Johnson, who’d been looking for the brothers. Cash had spent time with their captain, finally matching a wanted poster of Duff Mayes to the man who called himself Henry Johnson. The real reason for their search became obvious—locate the two Texas Rangers who’d killed his brother and murder them. Now Cash tracked the gang who hunted men he’d known since childhood. He’d still go after Parnell Drake, hunt him down, and kill him. First, he had to warn his friends.