He Came to Redstone to Forget His Past — Then a Dying Sheriff Whispered His Father’s Name
CHAPTER 1
Redstone had no shortage of graves.
It had plenty of churches.
What it didn’t have was law.
Caleb Mercer knew that the moment he rode into town.
A dead man lay in the street outside the Silver Star Saloon.
Nobody was helping him.
Nobody was surprised.
Caleb dismounted.
“Who did this?”
A bartender shook his head.
“Black Spurs.”
Caleb looked around.
Men watched from windows.
Women hurried their children indoors.
Nobody wanted to speak.
His younger brother Tom rode up behind him.
“We came here for peace.”
Caleb stared at the corpse.
“I know.”
A shot echoed from the saloon.
Everyone ducked.
Caleb’s hand moved instinctively toward his revolver.
Then he stopped.
He had promised himself he was done.
Across the street, an elderly sheriff stepped outside.
“Mercer?”
Caleb turned.
The sheriff recognized him immediately.
“You’ve got the wrong town.”
Caleb frowned.
“Why?”
The sheriff glanced toward the saloon.
“Because this town doesn’t have room for men who still believe in law.”
Before Caleb could answer, a rider appeared at the end of the street.
Black coat.
Silver pistol.
Cold smile.
Silas Crowe.
The outlaw leader rode straight through the middle of town.
He looked at Caleb.
Then at Tom.
“You new?”
Caleb nodded.
Crowe smiled.
“Then learn something quickly.”
He pointed toward the dead man.
“Redstone belongs to whoever is strong enough to keep it.”
He rode away.
Tom looked at his brother.
“We should leave.”
Caleb stared after Crowe.
“Yes.”
That night, the sheriff came to their room.
He was bleeding.
“I’ve got three days.”
Caleb frowned.
“Three days for what?”
“Until Crowe kills me.”
The sheriff placed a badge on the table.
“Your family has a history with this town.”
Caleb stared at the badge.
“My father?”
The sheriff nodded.
“He found something here twenty years ago.”
“What?”
The sheriff whispered:
“Who really owns Redstone.”
Then someone fired through the window.
The sheriff fell.
Caleb reached for his gun.
And the quiet life he had wanted ended before sunrise.
