Page 88 of Native Hawk
Then they got close enough to the jailer to brush past him and lunge toward him in quick succession, finally frightening the poor man so much that he dropped his gun and, with a shriek, ran back in the direction of the jail.
It was then Drew started to feel the burning. When he lifted his fingers to the place he’d been struck, they came back bloody.
Ling-miwhxiy.Son of a bitch.
His brother hadn’t hit him with a rock.
He’d been shot.
He tensed his jaw. Damn it all. What could he do now?
He didn’t want Chase to worry about him. Chase was a wanted man. He needed to get out of Paradise.
So when Chase came up with a companionable chuckle, Drew kept to the shadows and forced a weak smile to his lips. “Remember the last time we played that?”
Chase grinned. “It was for those two young Yurok girls who were visiting.”
Drew’s stomach felt like a burning arrow was lodged in it. “Sure scared them,” he said tightly.
“Scared them enough to earn us a whipping from their father.”
Drew broke out in a cold sweat. He didn’t know how much longer he could stay on his feet. “He should have been grateful,” he joked, fighting to keep his voice steady. “One of those girls was tryin’ to get me to share her blanket.”
Chase laughed.
Drew staggered back a step and waved down the trail. “Go on now. Git. I don’t think the jailer’s gonna make trouble. Go grab your girl and skedaddle.”
Chase smiled. “What do you think of her?”
“Who?” He wiped his brow with the back of one shaky forearm. “Calamity?”
Drew should have known he couldn’t fool his twin for long.
Chase narrowed his eyes. “Are you all right?”
Drew smirked. “Sure. Right as rain.” He faltered forward. “I just…”
Then the world went black.
