Sean Donovan (The Californians, Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

loneliness or grief, or seasons of joy and peacefulness. But no
matter what the weather in our hearts, Sean, we've got to keep
our eyes on God.
    Why Katie's words of long ago would come to Sean so
strongly at that instant was beyond him. He felt another
trickle of sweat run from his temple down into his beard,
but still he didn't move. How he had gotten himself into
such a mess, he couldn't for the moment remember. But
then he heard the low whistle-the signal-and there
was no more time for thought.
    As Sean rushed through the rear doorway of the bank,
he nearly stumbled over a body. Stopping dead in his
tracks, he felt a sudden jolt as Rico, the man behind, ran
into him.
    "What are you doing?" Rico sounded as breathless as
Sean felt, and Sean turned to find his features in the
darkness.

    "Nobody said anything about killing."
    "He's not dead you idiot, now get over here with those
sacks!"
    These words were ground out by Hartley from his
place by the safe, and the two young bank robbers rushed
forward to comply. Sean had never heard Hartley sound
so tense. Suddenly the enormity of what they were about
to do froze Sean in his tracks.
    "Get behind something, it's almost ready to blow."
    These words were enough to propel Sean into action.
He dove for cover just as the entire world seemed to
explode. The next minutes were a blur to Sean as he
choked on the smoke and tried to be in all six of the
places he was being commanded.
    He froze again when he heard shots outside, and felt
completely rattled as a vision of being shot raced through
his mind. Still stunned, he watched in fascination as his
companions ran out the back, their arms full of sacks
hastily stuffed with United States currency.
    "Donovan!"
    Not even the furious shouting of his name could compel his feet forward; by the time Sean reacted, it was too
late. He spun around as men with guns came pouring in
the front door. He turned and moved after Hartley and
Rico, but he hadn't gone two steps when another man
came through the back door with a gun. Sean listened in
stunned disbelief as the men yelled that Sean's partners
had escaped.
    Sean felt numb. He was barely aware of the man who
laid hands on him until he gave a cruel yank to Sean's
arms. Now painfully alert as his hands were being
cuffed behind his back, Sean started as a face suddenly
pressed close to his own and snarled in a voice full of
hate, "If he's dead, you'll hang."

    "He'll hang either way if I have anything to say about
it."
    Sean's confused mind barely registered this last comment as he was escorted to the door. He was surprised at
the number of people on the streets, but then remembered the deafening sound of the explosion and wondered how in the world they had believed they could get
away with such a robbery.
    The back wall of the jail cell was the only obstacle that
kept Sean from hitting the floor as he was pushed violently past the bars. The clanging of the door was like the
sound of a death knell in his ears.
    Squinting through the gloom of the small cell, Sean
saw a cot. He sat down with his hands still tied and
leaned slowly back against the wall. If they left his hands
tied until morning he was certain to be disgraced as the
need to relieve himself was pressing in stronger with
every passing moment. That, along with the receding
fear, caused Sean's anger to return. He was working
himself into a fine rage, telling himself he was going to
kill Hartley as soon as he was released, when he heard
voices in the outer room.
    "It's what he deserves I tell you! This waiting is utter
foolishness."
    "Yet we will wait for Judge Harrison, and I'm telling
you, you'll have to go past me to get to the prisoner."
    "Be reasonable, Duncan. Why wait two whole days
and have the trouble of feeding and watching him?"
    There was no reply to that question, and Sean realized
that every muscle in his body was as taut as a well-strung
bow. He waited in the dark