The Valley of the Wendigo Read Online Free PDF Page B

thighs—a big girl in every way, but not at all fat. She smelled good, too, and he took advantage of that, leaning in to sniff her hair. He knew the condition wouldn’t last long.
    â€œHey, what’re ya doin’?” she asked, leaning away.
    â€œJust smelling you.”
    â€œOh, yeah?” she leaned back in. “How about I smell you. How would you like that?”
    â€œI’d like that fine.”
    â€œOh, yeah? Next thing I know you’ll be wantin’ ta kiss me.”
    â€œWhen was the last time you were kissed, Dakota?”
    â€œLoonng time,” she said, thought about it, then nodded and said again, “Long time.”
    He turned her to face him and would have kissed her, but that was when the shooting started.

TEN
    Clint grabbed Dakota and took her down to the ground. He was surprised to find her gun in her hand by the time they hit the dirt. It impressed him. Even drunk, she thought to go for her gun.
    He didn’t know where the shots had come from, but when a third was fired and he saw the muzzle flash, he fired at it twice. Dakota saw where he was shooting and did the same.
    They heard glass break, but at least one chunk of lead must have hit home. Someone cried out, and then a man came staggering out of the darkness, gun dangling from his hand, into the center of the street, where he went sprawling face first.
    Clint and Dakota came up off the ground and walked over to where the man was lying. His gun was in the dirt next to him and Clint kicked it away. He then leaned over and turned the man over onto his back. He was young, early twenties, and Clint thought he had seen him before.
    â€œKnow him?” he asked Dakota.
    â€œNo,” she said. “Never saw him before. You?”
    â€œI think so . . . I don’t know him, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him.”
    They both looked up as they heard footsteps approaching. Some of the men came running from the saloon, but in front of the pack was Sheriff Dekker.
    â€œWhat the hell’s goin’ on?” he demanded.
    â€œDamned if we know, Sheriff,” Clint said. “We were just walking back to the hotel when this jasper opened fire on us from behind.”
    â€œYou kill him?” Dekker asked.
    â€œWe both returned fire, Sheriff,” Dakota said. “No way of knowing which one of us killed him.”
    â€œKnow ’im?”
    â€œNo,” she said.
    â€œI’ve seen him before,” Clint said, “since I came to town, but I don’t know where.”
    â€œAnybody know this kid?” Dekker asked the group of men behind him.
    Some men stepped forward to look and shook their heads. The others just stayed where they were.
    â€œOkay, Lenny, you and Zeke and a couple of others carry him over to the undertaker. I’ll check his pockets there.” He turned to Clint, who had replaced the spent shells in his gun and was holstering it. “Where were you goin’?”
    â€œBack to the hotel.”
    â€œYou both stayin’ at the same one?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œGo, then,” Dekker said. “I’ll talk to both of you tomorrow. The rest of ya get goin’. Ain’t nothin’ ta see here.”
    â€œSheriff?” Clint said.
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œWe’re both fine, thanks for asking.”
    Clint took Dakota’s arm, turned her, and they headed for the hotel.
    As the men started to file back in to the saloon, Denny Blaine reached out and grabbed one by the arm. He and Largent had not left their table.
    â€œWhat happened out there?”
    â€œSome fella tried to back-shoot the Gunsmith and the woman he was with,” the man said.
    â€œHow did he do?”
    â€œHe’s dead.”
    â€œToo bad,” Blaine said, releasing the man’s arm.
    â€œTold you he’d get himself killed,” Largent said.
    â€œYup. You want another beer?”
    â€œWell,” Dakota said, “nothin’