Читать книгу Settling The Score - George McLane Wood - Страница 57

Chapter Twenty

Jeff was awake at dawn and kicked Ed with his boot. “Wake up, Ed, time to get moving.”

Ed stirred, sat up, stretched, and yawned. “Son of a gun, Jeff, I’m slowing down. My old bones can’t seem to take all these hours like I used to. I’m gonna have to put myself out to pasture purty soon, you know.”

“Ed,” said Jeff, “so far, I’ve enjoyed your company, and I haven’t needed you or your gun. I made you stay down there by the barn on purpose. That fellow we’re after is meaner than a stepped-on rattlesnake, and I’m right sure he already has another plan cooked up for me. I do know this. He really enjoys killing folks. He likes to make people suffer before they die. We better watch ourselves for sure from here on out. You stay with me now and help me finish this business, and when this is over, you got a job with me the rest of your days if you want it. Now if you don’t mind, go down and saddle us two horses plus a packhorse. I wanna be moving in no more than thirty minutes.”

“Yes, sir, Jeff, I’m on it.”

“Jeff?”

“Yeah, Ed?”

“Thanks.”

“I’m going down and check for any bodies in the house before we go,” said Jeff. “I’m pretty sure that was Murphy that got away.” While Ed was saddling the horses, Jeff walked over to the burned down house. Two coyotes who’d been feeding on Skinny were spooked by Jeff’s appearance, and they fled.

Circling the ranch house remains, Jeff saw nothing but ashes and a few smoking embers of furniture. Yeah, he thought, that yell had come from Jorn. Jeff remembered Jorn’s imitation of a rebel yell. Jeff carefully stepped into the ashes that had cooled enough to walk on. He poked here and there, looking for a body, but he saw none. He’d gamble the man who got away was indeed Jornett Murphy.