The Town’s Most Feared Gunslinger Risked His Life to Save a New Waitress From Outlaws — Until a Secret From Twelve Years Ago Revealed That Her Missing Father and His Missing Brother Had Vanished on the Same Night
Chapter 6
Elias fell.
Clara screamed.
But the bullet had struck his shoulder.
Before Mercer could fire again, someone attacked him from behind.
An old man emerged from the kitchen.
He hit Mercer with a wooden chair.
Mercer collapsed.
Crowe fled through the back door.
Clara stared at the old man.
She knew him.
He had been the mysterious stranger from the photograph.
“Who are you?”
The man looked at her.
“My name is Samuel.”
He looked toward Elias.
“And your father trusted me.”
Samuel helped them escape through an underground passage beneath the restaurant.
The tunnel led outside town.
They reached an abandoned house beneath a hill.
Inside, Clara found something impossible.
A man’s coat.
Hanging beside a bed.
On the wall was a photograph.
Thomas Bennett.
Older.
Alive.
Clara touched the photograph.
“No.”
Samuel looked away.
“Your father survived.”
Her knees almost gave out.
“Where is he?”
Samuel hesitated.
“He was here.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Clara turned.
“What?”
“He came back to Red Hollow.”
“Why didn’t he find us?”
“He was trying to protect you.”
“From Crowe?”
Samuel shook his head.
“From everyone.”
Clara’s face went pale.
“Everyone?”
Samuel looked at Elias.
“Because Crowe isn’t the only person who wants that ledger.”
Elias struggled to sit up.
“Who else?”
Samuel answered:
“The federal government.”
