Name On The Bullet - Edge Series 6 Read Online Free PDF Page A

the lawman pointed: across a broad, lushly grassed natural clearing in the timber to the left of the trail. Where two bay geldings were hitched to a clump of brush, the tethers long enough to allow the animals to graze over a wide area. Both were still saddled, but only one was burdened with a bedroll.
    ‘They look to me like the same – ‘ O’Brian began, tense with nervous anticipation that added a croak to his voice. He spat tobacco juice to the side.
    Mann drew his revolver slowly, tugged on his reins to turn his mount to face across the clearing and interrupted the blacksmith in much the same tone: ‘Where’d you figure they went to?’
    Edge dismounted first, next Hooper, the lawman sliding a Winchester from out of the boot. He pumped the action as he moved cautiously away from his horse and set his feet down lightly as he started across the open ground.
    ‘Gene, this could be a sneaky trap!’ Costigan warned and snapped his head from side to side: screwed up his small eyes as he tried to penetrate the barrier of tree trunks and high brush beyond the tethered horses.
    ‘What do you think, Edge?’ O’Brian licked his thick lips and seemed stuck fast in his saddle.
    ‘I can read sign sometimes, feller: never other people’s minds. But Costigan’s right, marshal. There’s no sense in taking risks you don’t need to.’
    He slid the rifle out of the boot and led his own and the lawman’s mount to a clump of brush to the right of the clearing. Hitched the animals and started to skirt the open space so he was always close to some kind of cover if violence erupted from within the timber. Costigan did the same as Edge but when O’Brian and Mann made to do likewise, Edge signalled for them to circle around the other side of the clearing. The booted feet of the five men made little noise and the entire expanse of timber on all sides was totally silent except for the tearing sounds made by the horses as they grazed contentedly on the grass. Then a dry twig snapped: some distance off in the trees. Ahead of where the men came to an abrupt halt and fixed their attention upon the area of impenetrable undergrowth from which the isolated sound originated. Nobody moved for stretched seconds while the horses continued to forage undisturbed by the sound that had startled the men. Then, as they all moved cautiously forward again, levelled revolvers and rifles gripped in palms that were greasy with sweat despite the chill air, a woman laughed. And they froze.
    ‘What the – ‘ O’Brian began thickly and the wad of tobacco was ejected forcefully from the side of his mouth.
    Edge rasped: ‘Wait and watch.’
    Now a man laughed, close to where the woman had signalled her position. And another, more substantial twig cracked under the foot of one of the couple. Then a moment later the man yelled in high excitement:
    ‘YIPPPEEE!’
    The woman responded with a giggle, then exclaimed: ‘Well, Vic, it sure sounds like you had yourself a real good time back there and no mistake!’
    ‘It wasn’t no mistake, Hannie. Best way there is of celebrating what we got to celebrate in my opinion. You can bet your sweet ass on that!’
    ‘No chance,’ she countered and giggled. ‘My ass ain’t fit to be put to any kind of use for quite awhile after what it’s been through, honey.’
    The couple, each with a long black coat caped over their shoulders, stepped out into the clearing, arms about each other and joined at the lips in a kiss. Hooper commanded: ‘Freeze, you pair of lousy, no account killers!’
    They were abruptly rooted to the spot, still locked in the embrace after they tore their mouths apart. And snapped their heads around to stare in horror at the line of five grimfaced men who aimed rifles and revolvers at them, fingers curled to the triggers and thumbs hooked to hammers.
    ‘Fun’s over,’ Costigan snarled.
    ‘Same as your lives are!’ O’Brian threatened, his voice tremulous with suppressed high