Moment of Vengeance by Elmore Leonard

Author:Elmore Leonard [Leonard, Elmore]
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2010-03-23T08:47:45.120000+00:00

’

Mitchell looked at Dyke again. “You said that holdup was day before yesterday. I can prove I was at Whipple then. I was just discharged yesterday.”

“What’s your proof?” Dyke asked.

“Ask anybody at Whipple!”

“Rady,” Hyatt said, “delaying it a few days ain’t going to help any, they’ll still hang you. Let’s get it over with.”

Mitchell’s expression changed suddenly and his hand went to his chest. “My discharge order! It’s dated yesterday!”

“Keep your hand out of that coat!” Dyke snapped. He nodded to one of the men near Mitchell. “Take a look.”

The man stepped in front of Mitchell. His hand went over the shirt, then to the inside coat pocket. “Nothing,” he said over his shoulder.

Mitchell’s hand came up. He felt the empty pocket, and the part of his shirt that was torn—

“Listen, while we were fighting my shirt was ripped. The paper fell out, that’s what happened. Look around there, right where you’re standing!”

Dyke continued to study Mitchell, but some of his men moved about, looking at the ground and scuffing the sand with their boots. A man said, “I don’t see nothin’,” and another said, “Not around here.” Watching them, the tension building and becoming unbearable. Mitchell suddenly tore himself from the men holding him. They started after him and Dyke called, “Let him go!”

Mitchell came on, his eyes searching the ground, then dropped to his hands and knees, his fingers brushing the sand, smoothing it, and carefully he covered the area where the fight had taken place. He came up slowly and sat back on his heels. “It’s not here,” he said wearily. Then: “Wait! When I was pulled off my horse—” He came to his feet quickly.

Dyke asked, “You ever on the stage?”

“I’m telling you the truth!” Mitchell screamed. “Can’t you see that!”

“I see a man fighting awful hard,” Dyke replied, “for a life he don’t deserve.”

“What do you expect me to do!” Mitchell paused then. He breathed in and out and said, more calmly, “I swear to Almighty God I had nothing to do with that holdup.”

“That’s what this Cliff said,” Dyke answered. “Before I broke his jaw.”

“Rady,” Hyatt spoke up, “you don’t want that to happen to you, do you?”

Mitchell ignored him. Still looking at Dyke he said, “Isn’t there a doubt in your mind?” Dyke didn’t answer and in the silence their eyes held.

Then, behind Mitchell, a man said, “Let’s have

’

some coffee first.” Dyke’s eyes lifted. He nodded and walked toward the fire, finished with Mitchell.

✯✯✯

Hyatt and the woman were moved over by the wagon. Then Mitchell was brought over. They tied Hyatt’s and Mitchell’s hands behind their backs and made them sit down, the woman between them.

There was nothing to be said. In silence they watched Dyke’s men build another fire close to the cottonwood tree they would use. Two men entered the clearing carrying riatas, uncoiling them as they crossed to the tree. Mitchell saw his sorrel and a bay brought in and the saddles were taken off both horses.

Now what do you do? he thought.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.