Clearwater Justice by Scott Connor

Author:Scott Connor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Culbin Press
Published: 2023-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Jim lowered his head, taking deep breaths to regain his composure, and then hurried outside. The main drag was still and there was no sign of where the kidnapper had taken Tyler. Still groggy, he hunkered down beside the comatose Newell and slapped his face.

He couldn’t rouse him, so he dashed to his horse. He raised a foot to mount his steed, but then lowered it. He had intended to hurry out of town and alert Sheriff Hopeman, but for a reason he couldn’t fathom, he was reluctant to do that.

Jim reckoned he had only been unconscious for a few minutes, yet the kidnapper had melted into nowhere. Sneaking into town quietly and freeing Tyler didn’t seem like Luther’s tactics.

Knocking out himself and Newell didn’t seem the sort of activity Luther would do either. Riding into town, hollering his arrival and firing in all directions seemed to be Luther’s approach.

That suggested the kidnapper wasn’t following Luther’s orders, and that maybe he hadn’t left town either. So Jim walked out onto the hardpan, searching for likely hiding-places.

The door to Monty’s store was open. That wasn’t unusual – after Max had ransacked the place there was nothing to steal and Armstrong had been using it as his base, but when he’d completed his patrol earlier the door had been closed.

He headed to the store. On the boardwalk, he raised his Peacemaker and entered the building. His eyes were already accustomed to the gloom and within moments he picked out the hunched form in the far corner of the store.

He narrowed his eyes as he walked toward it and, after two more paces, resolved the form as being the bound and gagged Tyler. In the corner, Tyler’s eyes were small embers in the dark.

With his Peacemaker held beside his cheek, Jim crossed the room, walking sideways until he reached Tyler. As he reached out to remove Tyler’s gag, a firm footfall sounded behind him.

“Stop right there,” a voice said.

Jim flinched, but on recognizing Armstrong’s voice, he withdrew his hand and stood tall.

“It’s me, Jim.”

“I know, but if you don’t leave Tyler you’ll make me do something I don’t want to do,” Armstrong said, his tone harsh.

Jim walked around on the spot to confront Armstrong, who stood before the door, the light from outside framing his bulky form. Armstrong’s gun was held low with the barrel aimed at his stomach and glinting in a stray beam of light, but Jim kept his hands high and his voice light.

“We both know you won’t hurt me.”

With a shrug Armstrong holstered his gun. “You’re right, but damn it, Jim, I’m just doing what you’ve thought about doing for the last few hours. So just walk away and let me help you.”

Jim cocked his head to the side. “I can’t do that. I’m a lawman and I won’t break the law to . . . to get information. So stand aside and let me return Tyler to his cell.”

Armstrong beckoned for Jim to join him. Jim sighed and then followed Armstrong out on to the boardwalk.

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