Colorado Kid by Dale Mike Rogers

Author:Dale Mike Rogers [Dale Mike Rogers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709098058
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

The night still had a long life ahead of it before the eventual return of the first rays of the sun announced the arrival of a new day. Frank McCready had ridden into many towns in his time but none as eerily silent as Silver Springs was this day. It just did not seem normal. He drew back on his reins and looked all around him for signs of life. Apart from the dim glow of candles behind lace-draped bedroom windows, it was as if the entire population had obediently heeded a curfew.

McCready could see the distant light of glowing street-lanterns leading towards the heart of the small, well-tended town and wondered whether perhaps that was where most of the residents might be. He spurred his black stallion and continued deeper into the town in which he knew his chosen target lived.

With every step of his mount, McCready wondered whether Ben Baker did know of his imminent arrival. Or had he allowed the discovery of the dead body, far behind him, to blur his usually deadly judgement?

The stallion walked slowly down the centre of the narrow side streets as its master continued to look all around him for any signs of a trap.

There seemed to be none.

Was this one of those curious towns that actually went to sleep at sundown?

McCready began to relax as he drew closer and closer to the brightly illuminated Main Street. He hauled back on his reins again and stood in his stirrups. His eyes scanned every store-front until he was satisfied that there were no bushwhackers hiding in their shadows. He could see the light shining in the telegraph office and the small man sleeping at his desk.

He spun the horse around until he spotted the saloon and its bartender standing on the boardwalk sucking on a pipe. Light cascaded out from its windows and doors in all directions.

Even though there appeared to be no signs of danger, the town was too quiet for his liking.

He jabbed his spurs into the flesh of his mount and galloped across to the saloon. He stopped his horse and looked down at the plump man with the troublesome pipe.

‘Where is everyone, barkeep?’

The man yawned and looked up as yet another match failed to light the tobacco in his pipe-bowl.

‘Gone on a moonlit ride by all accounts, stranger.’

McCready leaned over and looked into the saloon’s interior. It was empty. He straightened up and then pushed the brim of his Stetson up off his brow until it rested on the crown of his head.

‘Everyone?’

‘Not everyone,’ the man answered. He struck another match along the seat of his pants and raised it to the pipe, only to see its flame blown out by the gentle yet persistent breeze. ‘The bar girls have gone to bed alone. I’m talking about Baker and his boys. They rode off for the forest about a half hour back.’

McCready’s eyes brightened.

‘You talking about Ben Baker the lawyer?’

‘Yep.’ The man nodded.

‘How many men has he got nowadays?’

‘I ain’t never counted them, son.

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