He Was the Deadliest Gun in the Territory — Until a Child Gave Him Something Worth Fighting For
Chapter 10
Walter took Noah to an old barn.
Cole found them before sunrise.
Walter held a gun to the boy’s head.
“Drop yours.”
Cole slowly placed his revolver on the ground.
Walter smiled.
“Never thought I’d see the great Cole Tanner surrender.”
Cole stared at Noah.
“Are you hurt?”
Noah shook his head.
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
Walter laughed.
“You really did change.”
Cole looked at him.
“My father was killed by Crowe.”
Walter’s smile faded.
Cole continued.
“I never knew why.”
“Because Crowe took his land.”
Cole froze.
“What?”
“Your father refused to sign.”
Walter shrugged.
“Crowe had him killed.”
Suddenly everything made sense.
Cole hadn’t been running from his past.
He had been unknowingly running from the man who destroyed it.
Walter expected anger.
Instead, Cole calmly looked at him.
“Let Noah go.”
“Why?”
“Because this ends with Crowe.”
Walter hesitated.
Cole continued:
“You were never his friend.”
Walter lowered his gun slightly.
That was enough.
Cole moved.
The fight was brutal.
When it ended, Walter was unconscious.
Noah ran into Cole’s arms.
Cole held him tightly.
“I knew you’d come.”
Cole closed his eyes.
“Of course I did.”
For the first time in his life, he understood what the word family meant.
