Trail of the Hanged Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

twenty miles from the Mexican border and a hard hour’s ride west of Borega Springs. A thousand acres of open scrubland in an arid valley surrounded by canyons and steep rocky hills, its north-east property line bordered the little town of Santa Rosa while the south-east corner was occupied by a single level log-walled house, plank barn, bunkhouse, and several log-fenced corrals containing horses. There was a vegetable garden beside the house, fenced to keep out peccaries and wild deer. Beyond that was an old weathered wind-pump that towered above a stone-ledged well.
    Lawless studied the ranch from a nearby rise. A herd of shorthorns grazed on the open scrubland. Mixed in with the cattle were several giant horses. Eighteen hands high, they were all bays with white stockings and distinct white feathering around their hoofs. Lawless recognized them as Clydesdales, a breed originating in Scotland, and wondered what they were doing in New Mexico. His gaze drifted to the east. In the distance, across seemingly endless miles of sun-scorched desert, Massacre Peakloomed up on the flat horizon.
    Returning his attention to the house, Lawless glimpsed a flash of sunlight glinting off steel behind the nearest corral fence. Instantly, he dived from the saddle. As he hit the ground he heard a rifle shot. The grullo reared up with a shrill whinny, staggered forward on buckling legs and collapsed.
    Lawless crawled to his horse. It breathed its last breath as he reached it. Silently cursing, he peered over the saddle and saw the same glint of steel momentarily appear then disappear behind the corral fence.
    Easing his Winchester out of its scabbard, he leaned the barrel on the saddle, aimed at where he’d last seen the steel and waited. Shortly, the steely glint reappeared and after a few moments, a figure took its place.
    Lawless squeezed the trigger. There was a painful cry and the figure pitched on its face. Lawless waited a few moments to see if anyone else appeared. When no one did he rose and hurried toward the corral. He had almost reached the gate when the door of the house opened and Violet came busting out. She leveled a 10-gauge shotgun at him.
    ‘Hold it right there!’
    Lawless stopped and raised his hands. ‘Easy, ma’am.’
    ‘Drop your gun,’ she said.
    ‘Your hand fired first. Shot my horse right out from under me.’
    ‘You don’t drop that rifle I swear I’ll kill you.’ She cocked both hammers.
    Lawless dropped his Winchester. Without lowering his hands he thumbed in the direction of the body.
    ‘Your man’s over there. If you check his rifle, you’ll find the barrel still warm.’
    ‘You’re wasting your breath,’ Violet said. ‘It can’t be one of my men. They’re off rounding up strays. There’s just my brother and me—’ She broke off, horrified, as the truth dawned on her.
    Running to the body, she saw who it was and gasped.
    Lawless quickly joined her.
    It was Joey all right – Joey with blood pumping from a hole in his chest.
    Sobbing, Violet knelt and cradled her brother against her.
    Lawless went cold. ‘God help me,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know it was him.’
    ‘Liar!’
    ‘I’m telling you the—’
    ‘You gutless, murdering.…’ She grabbed the shotgun and swung it toward Lawless.
    He knocked the barrel aside just as she pulled both triggers. The shotgun went off with an ear-shattering roar. Buckshot discharged inches from Lawless’s head. Deafened, ears ringing, he tore the shotgun from her hands and tossed it aside.
    She attacked him, fighting and scratching, pummeling him with her fists. He grabbed her wrists and held her, helpless. At the same time he spoke soothingly to her, trying to calm her. When that failed, he gripped her wrists with one hand and clipped her on the jaw. She slumped in his arms.
    Lawless gently lowered her to the hot sand and turned to Joey.
    The boy’s eyes fluttered and Lawless realized he wasn’t dead.
    Yet.
    Picking him up, Lawless quickly