Silver Creek - G.L. Snodgrass Page 0,43

take him. Of course, because the place was made of adobe it’d be hard to burn him out, not without killing their brother. But that left eleven other options. A handful of cowboys quickly rushing the jail. A stand-off shooter taking him out from some second-story window. Maybe a trade for a hostage. There were so many ways that could get their brother free. It was just a matter of them picking a way.

No, he was alone for this. All he could hope for was the judge and the U.S. Marshall showing up early.

Strumph and Tuthill left him. He sat back and peered up at the ceiling as he tried to map out possibilities and traps. No, he’d have to take it a day at a time and play it as it came.

A cloying quietness settled over the room making it feel as if the walls were pushing in on him. How long would he have to sit here guarding his prisoner?

Pushing back, he walked to the front door and opened it without stepping outside. He could get a good look from this position. Two men across the way just outside of Helen’s restaurant. Cowboys with guns on their hips. Circle B men. Another two standing outside the livery station.

He moved to the side and looked north. If he wasn’t mistaken, there were three men at the far end of the street. Luke twisted around to see Bill Carver and another man step outside of the hotel and glance to the jail. His stomach fell. How many men were going to die over the next few days?

The thought of letting Felton go never really crossed his mind. Wrong was wrong no matter which way you looked out. He’d just have to muddle through.

He was just turning to go back inside when the doorframe next to his face exploded followed by the echo of a rifle shot rumbling from down the street.

Dropping, he pulled his gun and ducked inside before slamming the door.

Well, that answered that question. They were going to stand off and try and get him from a distance.

Using the barrel of his gun, he pushed a shutter aside and studied the street. The Circle B men had disappeared, maybe expecting him to come out shooting. Strumph stepped out from his forge and frowned as he looked up and down the street.

Luke let the shutter fall back into place and leaned back against the cool adobe walls giving a quiet thank you for the foot-thick walls. An anger flared inside of him as he wiped at the splinters in his cheek. This meant war, no holds barred and these idiots didn’t have the faintest clue what they’d started.

Chapter Seventeen

Rebecca continued to pace while she waited for Helen to finish preparing Luke’s steak. Her heart ached from the worry. They had shot at him only hours ago. Why didn’t someone do something? He was holed up in that place all alone. Treed like a cougar trapped by hounds

“Here you go,” Helen said as she held out two plates loaded with food. “I still think you should let me take them over.”

Rebecca shook her head. “They won’t shoot me. Not now. It wouldn’t get them their brother.”

“I don’t know,” Helen said with a doubting look.

“I’m taking them. He’s my responsibility.”

Helen’s eyebrows rose. “You sure? I mean, it’s only been a few days. You two?”

Rebecca laughed. “it’s been a lifetime. I was sure when I was eight-years-old.”

“Oh honey,” Helen said with a deep concern. “You don’t know how this is going to turn out. He’s put himself in a tight spot. He’s all alone. I don’t want you getting hurt. Not again.”

A gut-wrenching fear filled Rebecca once again, the thought was never far away that she might lose Luke. But she couldn’t change the way she felt. Shrugging, she left her friend and made her way across the street. As she walked, she glanced both ways to confirm that the sentries were still stationed outside the hotel and livery stations. Those at the far end of the road had disappeared though. Probably off to get something to eat.

Would it be like this for the next week?

When she reached the door of the jail, she started to open it then froze before going in. “Luke, it’s me,” she called out.

“All right,” he said from inside.

Rebecca took a deep breath and wished she had a hand free to check that her hair was still in place. Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself. The man