Death Came Calling E-Book

Adam Smith

• Herausgeber: Robert Hale
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Sheriff Ray Cairney is sure something untoward is going on in Bristow and that Curtis Waring - bank manager and town council leader - is behind it. The arrival of two gunslingers and the subsequent turn of events convince Cairney his hunch was right - but how to prove it? The men involved are rich and powerful and he is just one man. That, however, won't stop the sheriff. The murder of an entire family gives Cairney the evidence he will need to bring justice to Bristow, but it will be a long, hard journey.

Leseprobe

Death Came Calling

Sheriff Ray Cairney is sure something untoward is going on in Bristow and that Curtis Waring – bank manager and town council leader – is behind it.

The arrival of two gunslingers and the subsequent turn of events convince Cairney his hunch was right – but how to prove it? The men involved are rich and powerful and he is just one man. That, however, won’t stop the sheriff.

The murder of an entire family gives Cairney the evidence he will need to bring justice to Bristow, but it will be a long, hard journey.

By the same author

Stolen Fortunes

Money Thicker Than Blood

Death Came Calling

as Will Black

Avenger from Hell

Tombstone Scarlet

The Legend of Broken Saddle

Death Comes Easy

as Del R. Doyle

Showdown at Ghost Creek

Blood at Ghost Creek

Rustler’s at Ghost Creek

Ghost Creek Renegades

as D.D. Lang

Woebegone

Last Stop Liberty

Death Storm

Burnout!

Deadly Venom

Blood Money

as Ben Ray

Yellow Streak

Gunslingers

The Plains Killers

A Rolling Stone

Badge of Office

Black Smith

as Jay D. West

Sharper

Sharper: Avenging Gun

Angel of Death: Sharper

Sharper’s Revenge

Hell Riders

Sharper’s Quest

Death Came Calling

Adam Smith

© Adam Smith 2016

First published in Great Britain 2016

ISBN 978-0-7198-2114-1

The Crowood Press

The Stable Block

Crowood Lane

Ramsbury

Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2016

Robert Hale is an imprint of

The Crowood Press

The right of Adam Smith to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

To Ray Wright and Paul Cairney, Both sorely missed.

CHAPTER ONE

Sheriff Ray Cairney was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the way the town was going.

The newly-formed town council was led by the most influential man Bristow could muster, Curtis Waring. He was also the banker and someone you didn’t want to get on the wrong side of, if you valued your business or homestead.

The whole town just reeked of corruption. Not that Ray could put his finger on anything specific – yet.

Taxes were being raised almost monthly because, the town council said Bristow needed to expand and attract investors.

Curtis had heard a rumour emanating in Tucson, that the railroad was planning a spur that would link Bristow to the major cattle markets – as well as Tucson and neighbouring towns.

Land prices would soar if word got out, and Curtis Waring was going to make sure it didn’t.

Council meetings were being held in camera, and the sheriff was not invited, no matter how hard he pushed.

The town council consisted of only four people: Curtis Waring, the banker, as chairman; Ambrose Lowe, rancher; Clint Jenkins, rancher; and Will Lancaster, saloon and hotel owner. All were sworn to secrecy.

Try as he might, Ray couldn’t get any information from any of the council members, and this was making him angry. Very angry.

Ray wondered how he was supposed to do his job if he didn’t know what was going on.

His anger turned to deep concern when he saw two strangers ride into town.

Under normal circumstances, Ray would have approached the strangers and asked their business, but on this occasion he had a bad feeling about them.

Both were dressed in black with low slung holsters tied to their thighs by leather thongs; a dead giveaway that they were gunnies to be sure.

The two rode to the Silver Dollar saloon, dismounted, tied their mounts to the hitch rail and entered.

Sure would like to be a fly on the wall right now, Ray thought as he ambled across the street towards the saloon.

He didn’t enter; he walked slowly past looking through each of the six small windows, three set either side of the batwings which gave him a good view of the interior.

The strangers were at the far end of the bar and, as Ray reached the last window, he saw Will Lancaster coming out of his private office and heading towards the two men.

Ray turned and walked back past the saloon. As he did, he saw Lancaster shake the hands of the two men and usher them into his office.

Well, well, Ray thought. What the hell’s going on? Why has Lancaster sent for two hard cases?

Ray walked back across the street and rolled himself a cigarette. There was a rocking chair outside the general store which was opposite the saloon. He sat down and lit up, waiting to see what, if anything, developed.

He didn’t have to wait long.

Swampy, the general dogsbody of the saloon, came running through the batwings and headed uptown.

Just as he finished his smoke, Curtis Waring appeared and walked straight into the saloon.

No sooner had Waring gone in than Clint Jenkins arrived, quickly followed by Ambrose Lowe.

Swampy was the last to arrive and he seemed out of breath as he ambled along the sidewalk.

So it’s not just Lancaster, Ray thought, the town council have hired them – or are trying to!

Ray’s brain was buzzing. Something was going down, of that he was certain. But what? He’d get no help from the town council – that was for sure!

For the life of him, Sheriff Ray Cairney could think of no reason for gunslingers to be in Bristow.

Apart for the usual drunken brawls on Saturday nights, there’d been no gunplay for as long as Ray could remember. No robberies. No land disputes that he was aware of. Nothing. Bristow was a most peaceful – and safe – place to live.

Thirty minutes after the town council members had entered the Silver Dollar, they began to leave. One at a time at five minute intervals.

Obviously, they didn’t want to raise suspicion, Ray thought. But what were they hatching?

Ray decided he’d get himself a beer, and maybe buy one for Swampy, too.

‘’Evenin’, Sheriff. What’ll it be?’ the barkeep asked.

‘Beer, Charlie. Make it two,’ Ray said.

‘Comin’ up, Sheriff.’

Swampy was doing what he always did: collecting glasses and, if he was lucky, draining the dregs of whatever was in the glass.

‘Beer here for you, Swampy,’ the sheriff called out.

Swampy’s face lit up like a baby that has found some candy.

Ray took the beers from the bar top and walked to a secluded table. He didn’t want his conversation overheard by the barman who was a renowned gossip.

Ray sat at a table and watched Swampy shuffle across to join him. Already Swampy was licking his lips in anticipation of a fresh beer.

He flopped into a chair and, thanking the sheriff, without looking at him, Swampy stared at the beer.

‘Go ahead, Swampy, it’s yours,’ Ray said, a slight grin on his face.

Without taking his eyes off the beer pot, Swampy picked the glass up and drank. He drank in one go until the glass was empty.

Ray signalled the barkeep for another beer. ‘Busy day today, Swampy?’

‘No more’n usual,’ Swampy replied. ‘Appreciate the beer, Sheriff.’

‘Saw you scooting down the street earlier.’

‘Yeah, had to get some fellas to meet up with Mr Lancaster,’ Swampy replied, all the time looking at the barkeep, waiting for his beer.

‘Saw two fellas arrive earlier,’ Ray said, trying not to make it obvious he was fishing.

Swampy’s second beer arrived but, before he could pick it up, Ray put his hand over the glass.

‘Know who they are?’

‘Nope. But they sure look like mean critters to me,’ Swampy said, never taking his eyes off the glass of beer.

‘Tell you what,’ Ray said, ’you hear anythin’, an’ I mean anythin’, you let me know. There’ll be beer as a reward.’

Swampy’s face lit up. ‘Sure, Sheriff, I’ll do that!’

Ray took his hand off the beer glass and instantly, Swampy picked it up in case the sheriff changed his mind.

Ray drank half his beer and stood up. ‘Don’t forget now. You hear anything, no matter how small, you tell me, OK?’

‘I won’t forget, Sheriff, and mighty thanks for the beers.’

Ray left the saloon and headed back to his office.

CHAPTER TWO

The conversation between the sheriff and Swampy hadn’t gone unnoticed.

By chance, Will Lancaster came out of his office to check on the takings, but he stopped in the doorway, looking at the sheriff and Swampy.

He didn’t like what he saw, not one bit.

He couldn’t hear what was being said but no one ever bought Swampy a drink. No one. The sheriff was obviously fishing for information about the two strangers.