Outlaw Lawman Read Online Free PDF Page A

bothered to tell the victims.
    “No,” she said while she put on her shoes. “If Farris were out, he would have just killed me. He wouldn’t have drugged us and brought us here.”
    She was obviously basing that conclusion on his previous attack, when he’d tried to strangle her. Something that turned Harlan’s stomach. But Farris could have taken a new direction in his criminal activity, so Harlan wasn’t going to rule him out. No. Just the opposite.
    Farris—or the person he’d hired—was at the top of his list.
    Harlan tugged on his boots and looped his shirt over his arm, since there was no way he could put it on. Caitlyn, however, ripped the right side and sleeve of her top so she could cover herself. Probably for the best. Her bra and what was beneath it were just plain distracting.
    Too many memories.
    Harlan headed back to the front door, but he took a moment to rifle through the nightstand drawer to find something—anything—he could use to pick the lock on the handcuffs. But there wasn’t a stray paper clip. That meant going outside without being able to give Farris, or whoever had done this, a full fight.
    There was a local telephone directory in the bottom drawer. Not thick or big enough. While it wouldn’t stop a bullet, he grabbed it and rolled it so that it formed a nightstick of sorts. Hardly his weapon of choice when they didn’t know what they were up against, but maybe he could avoid a showdown until he was in a better position to kick somebody’s butt for doing this to Caitlyn and him.
    “Stay behind me,” Harlan warned Caitlyn, and he eased open the door and looked outside.
    It was early morning, maybe seven or so, and there was no one in the parking lot, but a car did go by on the street in front of the motel. It didn’t stop, and Harlan didn’t call out to the driver.
    That was because he had a bad feeling they were being watched.
    After all, why would someone go to all the trouble of using a Taser on them, drugging them and bringing them to this place only to let them easily escape?
    Harlan kept close to the building and headed for the office sign at the front. Right by the road. Once inside he could call his brothers, who were no doubt wondering where the heck he was. It was a workday, and he should have already been at the marshals’ office in Maverick Springs.
    He and Caitlyn were still a good twenty yards from the office when a dark blue truck turned into the parking lot. But it didn’t just turn. The tires squealed as the driver whipped into the lot, and Harlan automatically pulled Caitlyn to the ground in front of one of the parked cars, an older-model red four-door sedan.
    The truck slowed once it was in the lot, and the driver inched around, pausing in front of each door. Maybe checking the numbers? Maybe looking for any sign of them.
    Or witnesses.
    That was a strong possibility, since there appeared to be other guests staying at the motel. The driver finally came to a stop in the parking spot directly in front of the room they’d just escaped from.
    Harlan stayed low, pulling Caitlyn as far behind him as he could manage. He watched. And held his breath. He didn’t want to fight like this. Not where Caitlyn could be in the line of fire and also in his way. He wouldn’t be able to fight while handcuffed to her.
    It didn’t take long, just a few seconds, before the truck door flew open and the driver stepped out. A man wearing dark clothes. He kept his back to Harlan, so he couldn’t see his face, and he didn’t recognize the man’s gait. However, he thought he might recognize the gun he held next to his right leg. It looked exactly like Harlan’s standard-issue Glock.
    Harlan tried to take in as many details of the man as he could, including the number of his license plate and the way he practically kicked down the door of the motel room. Whoever this guy was, he was riled to the core, and that meant there’d be no showdown between Harlan and him. Not at this