Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,35

and stepped back.

His eyes softened for just a moment, then instantly shifted hard again when he swung away and started up the street. He had gone but a few steps when he turned back to her. “I love you too, Becky. Words I thought the war had burned out of me.”

Then he was gone into the night. Gone to face a man who wanted to kill him. Every instinct told her to follow. To stop him. Or if not, to help him. To face this at his side. But she knew it must be this way. Instead, she would have to spend her time waiting. Alone, wondering if the man she loved would live through the night.

Chapter Fourteen

Luke smiled to himself. He might be going to a fight to the death. But there was a woman back there who loved him. A woman worth the world.

He hadn’t expected to kiss her. It hadn’t been in his plans. But something had grabbed ahold of him and refused to let go until he had kissed her.

If he was honest with himself. Ever since getting her letter. It had been in the back of his mind. Over the years she had always been in the back of his mind. The woman he knew he was meant to be with.

Of course, it would depend upon the next few minutes. Suddenly, he realized he had something to lose. A future worth living. The thought of Becky being left alone once again sent a shaft of fear straight through him. No. That couldn’t be allowed.

He came to a halt and turned to examine his surrounding. He was walking into a trap. It was obvious. Where before, he might have ignored it and stormed in, started cutting down with his gun, and let the chips fall. Not now. No, it was too important that he come out the other end in one piece.

Really, he should charge in there with a dozen men. Maybe a show of strength could get them to back down. But that weren’t the way things worked. No, the town had hired him to do its dirty work. This way they got to sleep at night with a clean conscience. And a family safe in their beds.

“Pap,” he said as he called the man over.

The old man hurried to him, his eyes big with expectation.

“Troy Cooper in there with him?”

“Yes,” Pap said. “But they’re the only ones from the Circle B.”

“You say that as if that’s enough.”

Pap shrugged, “It won’t be no surprise this time. They done already know how fast you are. They know you’re coming. Yeah, I’d say it’s enough.”

Luke nodded, he had to agree with the man. “You go in there and tell Felton I’m coming.”

The man frowned, “You want to give him a heads up?”

Luke nodded. “You just tell him I’m coming and if he doesn’t come out to the street then I’m going to come in there and drag him out by his ears.”

Pap tilted his head then shrugged. “I’ll tell him. But I wouldn’t hold my breath he’ll come. He’s better situated where he’s at.”

Nodding, Luke watched the man half run to the Red House, jumping up onto the boardwalk like a man half his age. He pulled up short just outside the door and called out. “It’s me, Pap, I’m coming in.” Pap hesitated for a moment until a faint voice said something from inside, only then did he step into the saloon.

Once he had disappeared, Luke hurried around the back. He needed Felton and Cooper focused on the front. Frost had said that they’d escaped out the back when Felton had shot the sheriff, so there had to be a back door.

When he reached the door, he held his breath as he pulled his gun. As always, that oh so familiar red haze threatened to descend over him. But he pushed it back. Not now. This called for finesse, not a wild melee.

He slowly pulled the hammer back until he got that satisfying click, then gently opened the door and peeked inside.

The place was almost empty. Frost stood behind the bar, rubbing a glass to within an inch of its life as he stared towards the front door. Felton and Cooper must be off to the side, in the corner, Luke realized. But everyone else had left, obviously not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

Hopefully, Pap wasn’t fool enough to stick around. This wasn’t one of them novels where a dozen people stood by as