Blood & Dust (Lonesome Ridge Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

behind a few barrels.
    “That’s Ma,” she cried and fixed him with a look that almost tore his heart straight from his chest.
    The screams finally stopped. Connor risked his head and peeked around the post. The bodies in the middle of the barn were still. “Stop shooting,” he called down to the men on the other side. “For God’s sakes, stop shooting.” It took several more seconds, but the firing finally came to a halt. “I’m standing up,” Connor called again. “Don’t shoot me.”
    “Sorry, sheriff,” Nathan called from the other end. “Who was that?”
    “Trip. I’m gonna check if he’s dead.”
    The others were silent. They’d all lost more friends than they could count in the last week. This was just another wound that wouldn’t heal.
    Abby came up behind Connor. He almost told her to stay back, but decided she needed this. They walked side by side up the middle of the barn until they reached the two still bodies. Tripper was clearly dead. Not only had his throat been torn out, but several bullets had exploded in his head, leaving everything above his shoulders a mangled mess. He wouldn’t be coming back.
    Ma Crawford lay on the ground, face down. She didn’t move. Connor trained both of his guns on her and poked her with a boot. Nothing happened. Her body was riddled with holes, but her head appeared intact.
    “Abby,” he whispered and cocked his head toward her mother’s still form.
    The girl nodded and took a deep breath. She aimed the shotgun and tucked her foot under Ma’s stomach. She shoved. Ma didn’t roll over. Instead, she lurched to a crouch and threw herself at Abby. The shotgun went off before Connor had time to react and Ma and Abby crashed to the ground.
    “Abby!” Connor shouted as he shoved one gun into its holster and grabbed Ma Crawford’s hair with his free hand. It came away in chunks. Abby’s mother’s body rolled away from her. Abby was covered in blood and shaking so badly she almost couldn’t stand, but she managed to climb to her feet with a little assistance from Connor.
    He stowed his other gun and his hands buzzed over her body. “Are you bit? Did she bite you?”
    Abby slapped at his hands once, but let him finish his search. “I’m fine,” she whispered, but her voice betrayed her. He offered his arm for support and she leaned against him. “I’m fine,” she said again, this time with more conviction. She stared down at her mother’s still form. The shotgun had gone off right in the woman’s face. The woman Abby had once thought was the most beautiful person she had ever seen was now an image of mottled flesh and bone. She wouldn’t be moving again. Not ever. Abby stared at her for a count of ten, then she turned from Connor and walked back toward the way they’d come in. Her steps were a bit wobbly, but she held her head high and kept her mouth shut.
    They closed and barred the barn doors from the outside. They hadn’t finished clearing the barn, but with all the commotion, nothing else had reared its ugly head, so they felt safe enough locking whatever might still be inside in and keeping it there until they decided what to do with it. They found nothing but blood inside the house.
    “I need a few things,” Abby said as they all stood out on the dirt path that led up to the house they’d just vacated.
    Connor nodded. “Take Jasper with you.”
    She disappeared into the house with the deputy in tow.
    “Looks like rain,” one of the others said as they all watched the sun sink below the horizon.
    The sheriff glanced up at the clouds. “Yup. ‘Bout time. We haven’t had any in two weeks. We need it to wash all the damn blood away.”
    The others agreed silently. Abby came out of the house carrying a small pack on her shoulder. She walked up to Connor and stopped in front of him.
    “Burn it,” she said in hard tone.
    He didn’t expect that sort of response from her and was taken aback. “What?”
    “I want to burn it. All of it.