Two guns. One bounty. And a man who had been hunting the wrong enemy for fifteen years.
CHAPTER 4
Scott didn’t sleep that night.
Clay watched him sit beside the fire until dawn.
Finally, Scott spoke.
“Fifteen years ago, I was ordered to escort a military payroll through Red Creek.”
Clay listened.
“We were ambushed.”
“By Thomas?”
“That’s what I was told.”
Scott stared at the flames.
“Thirty-seven soldiers died.”
“And your family?”
“They were traveling with us.”
“My wife.”
“My son.”
“My younger daughter.”
Clay said nothing.
Scott continued.
“Thomas was found near the bodies.”
“So everyone assumed he did it.”
“Yes.”
“And you believed it.”
“For fifteen years.”
Scott looked at the black book.
“This changes everything.”
Clay opened it.
Inside were names.
Payments.
Dates.
Military officers.
Judges.
Sheriffs.
At the bottom of the final page was a name.
General William Harrow.
Clay recognized it.
“Your commander.”
Scott nodded.
“Yes.”
Harrow had been the officer who ordered Scott to take the route that day.
Harrow had also been the man who testified against Thomas.
Clay looked at Scott.
“Thomas knows.”
Scott’s voice became bitter.
“That’s why he stayed alive.”
A gunshot struck the church wall.
Clay grabbed Scott and pulled him down.
More shots followed.
They crawled behind the altar.
Scott looked through a broken window.
“Six riders.”
Clay loaded his revolver.
“Seven.”
Scott looked at him.
Clay pointed toward the rear door.
“One’s behind us.”
The door exploded inward.
Clay fired.
The attacker fell.
Scott rushed outside.
The gunfight lasted less than a minute.
When it ended, four men were dead.
Two had escaped.
Clay walked toward one of the bodies.
He found a military insignia.
Scott stared at it.
“General Harrow.”
Clay looked at him.
“You recognize it?”
Scott nodded.
“They’re his men.”
Scott slowly raised his revolver.
“Then this isn’t about Thomas anymore.”
Clay looked toward the horizon.
“No.”
He tightened his grip.
“Now it’s about who is afraid of the truth.”
