The Gunslinger Who Came to Bury His Past — Then the Town Gave Him a Reason to Draw Again
CHAPTER 5
Gabriel found the map beneath the floorboards of the abandoned Monroe house.
Ada had insisted on helping.
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Gabriel told her.
“Probably.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“Being ignorant bothers me more.”
He almost smiled.
Inside the old house, they found boxes of documents.
Land deeds.
Railroad contracts.
Bank records.
And finally, a map.
The entire valley had been marked in red.
Gabriel recognized his father’s handwriting.
Ada whispered:
“What does it mean?”
Gabriel traced one line.
“This wasn’t a railroad survey.”
“What was it?”
“A list.”
“Of what?”
“Families.”
Names filled the margins.
Farmers.
Shopkeepers.
Widows.
Anyone who owned land the railroad wanted.
Some names had crosses beside them.
Ada’s face went pale.
“They were being removed.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Not robbed.”
“Erased.”
A sound came from upstairs.
Gabriel drew his gun.
Ada reached for his arm.
“Someone’s here.”
They waited.
Footsteps.
Then silence.
Gabriel climbed the stairs.
Nobody.
But on the floor lay a single black spur.
A warning.
Ada looked at it.
“What does that mean?”
Gabriel picked it up.
“It means Boone knows where we are.”
A gunshot shattered the window.
Gabriel pushed Ada down.
Another bullet tore through the wall.
They crawled behind a table.
“How many?”
“At least four.”
“Can we get out?”
Gabriel looked toward the back door.
“Yes.”
“How?”
He pointed toward the cellar.
Ada stared.
“You’re joking.”
“I wish.”
They escaped through the cellar and emerged behind the church.
But someone was waiting.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Gabriel recognized him.
Marshal Reed.
Alive.
And holding a gun.
Ada whispered:
“Why is he pointing that at us?”
Reed’s eyes filled with regret.
“Because they have my daughter.”
