The Devil's Badland by J.A. Johnstone

Author:J.A. Johnstone [Johnstone, J.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2014-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Whitfield reined in sharply and hipped around in the saddle. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?” he demanded.

Conrad twisted to look back, too, but he didn’t see anything behind them except a semi-arid wilderness.

“It’s just one man, as far as I can tell,” Trace said. “He’s stayin’ pretty far back, too. But he’s there. I’ve seen him a couple of times this afternoon.”

“Remember what we were just talking about, Whitfield,” Conrad said.

“One man don’t make a trap,” the rancher snapped.

“What’s this about a trap?” Trace asked. His right hand drifted toward his gun. “If you’ve double-crossed us, Browning . . .”

“Take it easy,” Conrad said. “I haven’t double-crossed anybody. Whitfield and I were just talking about how it seems like this trail has been pretty easy to follow.”

Trace’s eyes slitted with suspicion. “Yeah, you’re right about that. I reckon it could be a trap. Not much of one, though, if there’s only one hombre following us.”

“We don’t know what’s up ahead,” Conrad pointed out.

James said, “I don’t care. My sister’s up there somewhere, and I’m not stoppin’ until I have her back, safe and sound.”

Conrad hoped that was the way it turned out. He had worried ever since they picked up the trail that they might find Meggie MacTavish’s body lying used and broken in some gully. So far, that hadn’t happened.

He felt a twinge every time James blustered about saving Meggie. He had been full of the same confidence and resolve, back there in Carson City when Rebel was kidnapped.

Just because that situation had ended in tragedy, it didn’t mean this one had to, Conrad reminded himself.

“Why don’t the rest of you push on toward the mountains and find a place to camp?” he suggested. “I’ll split off from the group, circle back around, and see if I can jump whoever is following us. If I can get my hands on him, that might give us some answers.”

“How do we know you won’t just go runnin’ back to Val Verde?” Trace asked.

“I didn’t have to come with you, remember? I didn’t have to get mixed up in this mess at all. I’m here to help save Margaret, that’s all.”

“Unless you’re workin’ with whoever’s back there and the two of you are gonna ambush us once we make camp.”

Whitfield rasped his fingers over his beard-stubbled jaw and said, “Jack’s got a point there, Browning.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Conrad said. “I don’t know who’s back there any more than you do. It’s certainly not anyone I’m in cahoots with, because I don’t have any friends or partners in this part of the country.”

“Yeah, I reckon that makes sense . . . and your idea’s a good one. I’d like to know who’s trailin’ us, too. But I’d feel better about it if Jack went with you.”

An ugly grin spread across Trace’s face. “I reckon I could do that.”

Conrad was about to object when Whitfield moved his horse closer and reached into his saddlebag to pull out a Colt Peacemaker. Conrad recognized it as his gun.

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