Slocum and the Rich Man's Son by Jake Logan

Author:Jake Logan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

10

Slocum rode along, chuckling to himself about how he had turned the tables on Greer. The shanghaiing captain deserved his fate. Slocum wasn’t sure if Longbow would recognize Greer and let him go or if Greer’s pleas would fall on deaf ears. If Longbow felt too threatened by his new crew member, he was likely to chuck Greer overboard in the middle of the ocean.

“Good riddance,” Slocum said, smiling. He could not shanghai everyone gunning for him, but he felt Greer was gone for good, one way or the other. And Ralston was long behind him in San Francisco. The banker would have moved on to other grudges, sought other schemes to recoup his losses, found other men to hate.

With Ralston came thoughts of Michael Porges, Nathan Porges, Amelia Forges—and Julia.

Especially Julia. Slocum missed her, but it wasn’t quite a longing for her warmth next to him in bed as it was curiosity about how she had done with her father and stepmother. Not that he would have kicked her out if he had found her curled up next to him. The send-off she had given him from San Francisco would be a cherished memory for quite a while, but Slocum felt as if he had abandoned her in the middle of a difficult situation.

He finally decided she would be all right. She had brains and looks and even wealth, if her stepmother didn’t steal it all first, to make a success of whatever she tried.

The heat of the northern California summer sun beat down on Slocum’s face, first his leathery right cheek and then as the day wore on, pounded his left. He basked in the sunlight like a lizard sunning itself, but as he rode he felt the hairs rising on the back of his neck.

He had gotten rid of Greer and outlegged the men in San Francisco gunning for him, but George Stuart remained at liberty. Somewhere. Would the stagecoach agent carry a grudge for all that had happened to his nephews? Slocum wished he had gotten a description of the man from the sheriff, but he hadn’t. Now and again, Slocum glanced at his back trail hoping to catch sight of a rider.

It probably wouldn’t be Stuart, but seeing another traveler would put his mind to rest. His sense of being watched would be vindicated. As it was, the longer he rode, the more troubled Slocum became. No one trailed him, but he felt down deep in his gut that someone did. He wasn’t easily spooked and had learned to trust his instincts.

Evidence said he was alone, riding along the coast toward Point Arena. He had seen the light from the light-house the night before and had thought it only a day’s ride off. He had misjudged the distance and was taking longer. Slocum looked around, then headed inland again, over the mountains toward Ukiah. He might lose whoever tracked him.

Or he might lose the sensation he was being followed by phantoms.

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