Gunsmoke and Gold by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2018-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Sheriff Linwood told Matt and Sam to keep their butts in town and to stay the hell away from Lightning and Circle V range. If they didn’t, he promised, he’d put them both in jail and their reputations as fast guns be damned, he’d still get lead in them both.

The brothers believed him.

They returned to the sheriff’s office and sat with Dewey, drinking coffee and talking. Finally Sam stood up and walked out of the office, saying he was going to check on Victoria.

Juan and Anita were sitting in the doctor’s small waiting room. Anita’s eyes were red and puffy from crying and Juan’s face was stony hard, dark and terrible Spanish vengeance plain in his black eyes.

“They will be brought to justice, Juan,” Sam said, taking a seat.

“Sí.” the man replied. “One way or the other.”

“Have you spoken with the doctor?”

“Sí. Her physical wounds are not serious. But mentally. . . ?” He shook his head. “Those are terrible men to do something like this. I never dreamed I was capable of so much hate.”

“Cold hate is better, Juan. You cannot think during hot hate.”

The father cut his eyes and smiled at Sam. “Yes, I know. You perhaps have some Spanish blood in you as well, Sam?”

“My Cheyenne blood boils just the same as yours.”

Doctor Lemmon stepped into the room, drying his hands on a towel. “She’s sleeping now. I sedated her very heavily. She should sleep for hours. There is no need for any of you to stay. The ladies from the church are going to take turns staying with her during the night.”

Sam stood up. “Come on. I’ll walk with you back to the café.”

“The café will be closed for this night,” Juan said. “But the cantina will be open.”

They passed people on their way; all stopped to express their horror at what had been done, and to wish Victoria well. The outpouring of sympathy seemed to make the father and mother feel better, just knowing the majority of the townspeople were with them in their grief.

Matt joined Sam in the cantina part of the establishment and both of them had a beer. Juan came back in with a long-bladed knife and a honing stone. He took very small sips of tequila while he honed the wicked-looking blade. The brothers had a pretty good idea what he intended doing with it.

If Juan got hold of any of the rapists, they were going to be very uncomfortable sitting a saddle for a long, long time.

At dusk, Jack and Charlie entered the cantina and ordered a pitcher of beer. Jack threw his hat down on the table in disgust. Juan had honed his knife to razor sharpness and sheathed it, putting it away. He sat quietly, waiting for the sheriff to speak the words he already knew would come out of his mouth.

“They alibied for each other,” Jack said, after taking a big swallow of beer and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “The hands on both spreads all said the men had not left their sight all day.

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