Ride the Hammer Down by Terrence McCauley & Ralph Compton

Author:Terrence McCauley & Ralph Compton [McCauley, Terrence & Compton, Ralph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

While their new partners enjoyed their whiskey at the bar, Bram and Lem were huddled at the back table of the saloon across the street. One of the men was sitting at the window. He had Pearson’s Winchester in his hand. Bram was glad the big man had not bothered to bring the rifle with him. It would have been a waste of a good firearm just when they would need it most.

Lem looked at the five wagonmen and teamsters at the bar. “You sure this is a good idea, Bram?”

“They’re not the bunch I want, but they’re what we’ve got.” Bram looked at the last member of the Brickhouse Gang he had left. “You’ve picked a hell of a time to grow a brain, Lem.”

“I think pretty good,” Lem told him, “especially when it’s my backside that might stop a bullet on account of one of them.”

Bram was not interested in Lem’s thoughts on any subject, much less on who he brought into the gang. He was in charge for a reason. Lem was a vicious, mean man whose gaunt appearance flat-out rattled some folks. Bram kept him around because he didn’t think much and was apt to simply do whatever he was told without question.

Pearson’s size was enough to make him an asset in any gang. The fact he could shoot and ride better than most men had not hurt his value any.

Steve had been his brother and had won his spot on that basis alone. Bram knew that he was largely a mimic of him, but he could have picked worse people to imitate in this line of work. He did not want to think about his brother dead out in the desert but had no choice but to believe that was the case. Death would have been the only reason why he had not returned.

Laredo was, well, Laredo. He did just about everything well. Bram had been surprised the Mexican bandit had not formed his own gang. He had half expected Laredo to challenge him for control of the Brickhouse Gang one day, but he had not done so. Now he had ridden off somewhere, leaving Bram in one hell of a lurch.

Bram looked over at his new recruits and did not see much. They were drawn to the whiskey bottle like bees to honey. He did not begrudge a man a drink, especially after a long stretch of time spent out on the trail. But these men were hitting it pretty hard, especially considering Bram had just shot their friend Holly in front of the saloon.

“They’re not much,” Bram allowed. “I’ll give you that.” He normally did not confide in anyone but Steve, but as he wasn’t around for him to speak to, he decided to break his own rule. “I don’t figure they’ll stand when the lead flies. I don’t think they’ll be much use except to absorb some bullets. But we need them, Lem. We don’t have a choice, especially since Pearson went and got himself killed.

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