Gun Play at Cross Creek Read Online Free PDF

don’t know.”
    â€œYou come to the right place. I know Katie. You kin?”
    â€œNot exactly.”
    Milton shook his head, as if trying to dislodge something. “I can tell you how to get to her place. Nice little spread, up in the Laramie foothills. About a ten-mile ride, maybe twelve. I . . .” He stopped suddenly. The gnarled fingers snapped without a sound, except for the wrinkled, parchment-like skin of Milton’s right hand. “Atwater! That’s where I seen you before. In the newspapers. That’s your name, ain’t it? Morgan Atwater. I’ll be damned.” The old man cackled, and Atwater was wondering whether it was because the old man jogged his memory loose or for some other reason.
    The liveryman’s next words made it clear. “You best steer clear of Marshal Kinkaid, then. You surely should. He knows who you are, he’s damn sure gonna look to git his own ugly face in the papers. Course, it’ll just be a bad likeness. The paper here don’t do nothing fancy, except them pencil drawings. Not like them big city papers. But he’d like to see his name in big letters. I know that. You could be just the ticket he needs, if you see what I mean.”
    â€œNot if you don’t tell him who I am.”
    â€œWho, me? Shoot, I don’t tell him the time of day if he asks. I ain’t gonna tell him who you are. But somebody else will figure it out, you stay around long enough. And when they do, they will not be backward about sharing the news with some more of the empty heads live in this damn fool town. And, sooner or later, Kinkaid will know. When he does, you better be ready. The longer you stay, the more likely it is. You are gonna stay awhile, ain’t you?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œYou Katie’s brother?”
    Atwater shook his head. Milton didn’t take the hint though. Again, he snapped his ancient fingers. “That must be your boy. He does kinda favor you. Maybe that’s where I seen your face. On Katie’s boy.”
    Atwater stood up. “Look, Mr. Milton, I didn’t come here for trouble. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this between us.”
    â€œDon’t worry about that. I won’t say nothing to nobody. You want to know how to get to Katie’s, I reckon I can point you right enough. Come on.”
    Atwater followed him into the barn. Milton tugged the bay along in his wake, then on out the back door. Once outside, he handed the reins to Morgan. He climbed into the saddle and looked down at the old man, who looked rather solemn.
    â€œYou go on up the creek bottom about three miles. You come to a branch, and you follow it off to the left. Katie’s three valleys over. Lazy M, she calls it. You can’t miss it. There ain’t no road, but you’ll find it. The west fork runs right across her spread.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œYou comin’ back tonight?”
    â€œI expect. Why?”
    â€œYou and Katie ain’t seen each other in a spell. I figger you got a lot to talk about. You know what I mean?” He chuckled. Then, to make certain Atwater didn’t miss his meaning, he added, “That Katie’s a mighty fine-lookin’ woman. Even now.”
    â€œIt’s not like that,” Atwater said.
    â€œMaybe,” Milton answered. He was still chuckling when he disappeared back into the stable.

Chapter 5
    MORGAN ATWATER SAT on his horse for a long time, staring down at the small ranch below him. The place was neat and well cared for, almost perfect. It had a view of the Laramies behind it, lush grass for the livestock, and plenty of clear, cold water. It looked like the place he had dreamed of so many years ago, still slopping hogs on his father’s farm in Illinois. When he had left, it was nothing but a rude house in the wilderness, a small corral, and a shed. Now it was a real ranch. Katie’s ranch.
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