Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman

Author:Erin Bowman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

“Thank God you missed,” Kate says to me.

“Had it been trouble, missing ain’t an option.” The Rose Kid glances my way. “I’ll teach you the rifle come first light. You should know how to shoot it.”

We’re all sitting around the table, the lanterns lit now that we’ve established there is no threat. Jesse Colton clenches a cup of hot tea, but his eyes never leave Kate. They’re golden in color, a contrast to the rest of him. Dark hair is visible now that he’s removed his hat, frost from the cold clings to his equally dark beard, and his skin is still tanned from the summer months.

“You weren’t supposed to be back for weeks,” Kate says.

“Benny postponed the last job on account of the northern territories getting slammed. They ain’t seen a break in snow since November, and he told the buyer it was either get the beef to Colorado come spring or get the whole herd killed on the plains now.” Jesse takes a quick sip of the tea and looks back at Kate, serious. “I know I agreed to this plan ages ago, but when I cleared the rise and saw that noose swinging, I damn near fell from the saddle. I ain’t never been so scared in my whole life. The house was completely ransacked. Hoofprints everywhere out front, blood on the kitchen floor. I’m sorry I came creeping up in the night, but I thought maybe you were brought here ’gainst yer will. Or worse, you were already gone and they hung the noose to lead me into a trap. There was just so much blood, Kate. What the hell happened?”

“They found us,” she says, plain as day.

“How many?”

“Three. One got away. That’s why I had to leave. You weren’t followed?”

“Nah. I watched the house a bit before I went for a closer look. How the devil did they find us? We ain’t had a slip. We been doing the same thing for ten years.”

“’Parently Luther Rose’s been looking for his brother’s killer for ages, and Reece followed a rumor to me.”

“Reece?” He follows Kate’s gaze across the table. She’d forgone formal introductions in the panic, and Jesse now acknowledges our presence for the first time. He squints as he takes in the Rose Kid, and the moment he puts it all together, his eyes somehow manage to go even narrower.

Jesse lurches to his feet, drawing a Remington from his belt. The Rose Kid jumps up too, his chair toppling back as he draws his pistol.

“I know who you are,” Jesse Colton says, his eyes burning with hatred. “Yer the Rose Kid.”

“Jesse, can we talk for a minute?” Kate urges.

“Christ, Kate. Tell me you didn’t know this when you spared him.”

“In private,” she snarls.

“Tell me you didn’t—”

“Now!”

She steps around the table and moves between the guns. Jesse lowers his weapon immediately. The Rose Kid pulls his back too.

Kate pushes the door to the bedroom open, and Jesse, grumbling, stalks inside.

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