Page 9 of Follow the Lonesome Trail
“Better underfoot than out of sight.” He grinned. “I was a boy once.” And he and O’Rourke had gotten into more than their share of mischief whenever left to their own devices. He felt a twinge of sympathy for their parents. “Besides, it’s their land, too.”
“I’m glad you see it that way.” Julia hooked her arm through his. “Let’s go tell them, shall we?”
“Yes, ma’am.” As he let her lead him inside, he checked behind him, his habit of watching his back trail too strong to resist.
Behind him lay, not empty land, but a town full of people with plans and hopes and dreams, the same as him. He’d never feel comfortable living among so many buildings, so many people, but on a ranch? One near enough to the mountains that he could ride up into them whenever the need came on him to visit wild places?
Yes, he could be happy on a ranch. And if, sooner or later, this woman was willing to work alongside him and share her life and her bundle of youngsters with him, Hansen figured he wouldn’t mind one bit.
Two For The Trail
Allison Tebo
The snorting of Kane’s horse faded into silence while Molly was still crawling forward to get a better look. Not good. She wanted Kane where she could see him. She had finally tracked down the infamous killer to this tiny ghost town on the edge of the Mexican border, and she was determined to have him this time.
Her hat thumped against her back as she dug her gloved fingers into the dirt and shinnied along under the house. She peered out into the street, breath coming in quick hard pants asher mind swirled. She figured Kane was here to meet one of the many robbers he coordinated with along the border.
If all went well today, Kane would never reach that meeting.
She flinched as the soft sound of fabric sliding on dirt reached her from somewhere to her right.
Someone was under the house with her.
She twisted her head to one side but couldn’t see past a bricked support beam. Pulse quickening, she fumbled for the shotgun lying by her side. She wanted to see Kane tried and hanged—but if she was forced to, she’d shoot him dead.
But it wasn’t Kane who was under the house.
“Molly?” a familiar voice hissed.
“Vaquero?” Molly whispered, disbelieving.
The scruffy, grinning face that appeared confirmed her worst suspicions.
It was that ding-dang, jackleg bounty hunter! The smirking sidewinder had been sabotaging Molly’s attempts to catch Kane for weeks. ‘Course, shehadpushed Vaquero into a ravine, but she had a right to spoil his efforts. Kane belonged toher.
“Well, well,” Vaquero remarked as he eyed her in surprise. “Hello again,niña.”
Molly bridled. She wasn’t a child: she was fifteen. She was old enough to sass this skunk good and proper.
“Get out of here or I’ll blast you out!” she snarled.
Vaquero wriggled closer. “First one to grab Kane gets to claim him, what do you say?”
“He’smine. Can’t you understand that?”
“Understand what?” Vaquero asked, raising a dismissive eyebrow. “That a kid like you is too young to be a bounty hunter?”
Molly shook her head, frustrated, then finally blurted out the truth through gritted teeth. “He killed my grandpa!”
There was a short, sharp pause as Molly leaned forward to glance down the street. Still empty.
She worked up the nerve to look at Vaquero, and found that the bounty hunter’s eyes had softened. “Now why didn’t you tell me that when we first met?” He tilted his head, studying her. “So it’s revenge you seek?”
“Revenge be hanged,” Molly snapped. “I want justice.” But it was more than that: she didn’t want some other girl to lose her grandpa. Kane brought misery everywhere he went and it had to stop.
Something that might have been kindness crossed Vaquero’s face, but it was such an unfamiliar expression for the scoundrel that Molly couldn’t be sure. “How’s this; I’ll help you and we split the reward. Agreed?”
Molly hesitated, and peeked out from under the building again. Down the long, hot street, she spotted Kane, standing in front of the stables—waiting for someone. Who knew how many bandits were spread out across this ghost town? And every one of them was an obstacle to capturing Kane. Still, Molly had made it this far alone…
