Killers Never Sleep by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2023-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Mahaffey kept Brandt by his side as the outlaws walked their horses through the gnarled, raised roots that ran along the ground of the pine forest.

Brandt said, “Guess I ought to thank you for cutting my hands free, but I’m too low for gratitude at the moment.”

“Can’t say as I blame you,” Mahaffey said. “Seems like you and Rollins were close.”

“Not close, but I respected him, and I’d like to think he respected me, too.”

Mahaffey understood the sentiment. He imagined that just about summed up how he felt about Bob Washington. “If it’s any comfort, we always did our best to stay out of his way. That man hauled in a lot of good friends of ours. Came close to roping us a time or two.” That last part was a lie, but he thought it might make Brandt feel better.

“Lefty would’ve given you all a tough go of it if he’d been healthy back at that canyon,” Brandt said. “He wasn’t one to let a little thing like being outnumbered stop him. It’s just a shame he died the way he did.”

Mahaffey might not be mourning the loss of Marcum, but he would not apologize for his actions, either. He had shot Rollins in order to protect the group. “I only wish he’d been finished off clean. It would’ve saved the old boy a lot of needless suffering. You, too, considering how we were just about to let you go.” He was curious about something. “Would you have really gone back to Laramie or Cheyenne like you’d promised?”

“I might not have if you let me leave with some bullets,” Brandt admitted, “but without them, I wouldn’t have stood a chance against you boys. I’d have no choice but to head straight for civilization.”

Mahaffey certainly could not expect Brandt to forget about all that had happened since the gang had grabbed him on the road to Laramie. But a lot had happened since then. Two good men were dead with the promise of more before this was over. And his bid to free Ben Washington was as far from a certainty now as it had been at the beginning.

“I guess you blame me for Rollins getting killed.”

“I should,” Brandt admitted, “but you didn’t pull the trigger. Marcum did and now he’s dead because Rollins killed him. I’d say that just about makes them even. You had a hand in it, but you’re not entirely to blame.”

Mahaffey appreciated the deputy’s honesty. “Nothing’s going to change if I keep you here, is it? You don’t think Trammel will bend.”

“Men like you and Trammel don’t bend,” Brandt said. “They don’t run, and they don’t give up. They fight their way out of trouble because that’s the only way they know how to win. There’s no middle ground to be had here, George. The situation just doesn’t allow for it. You want Ben free. Trammel won’t give you that and you can’t accept anything less. I’m just caught in the middle of it. As for which one of you will win, I have no idea.

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