Day of Independence by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page A

and in the distance a pair of hunting coyotes yipped back and forth.
    Cannan, his voice no louder than a whisper, said, “Who is this Hacker feller, and what’s he doing in Last Chance?”
    â€œHe came looking for gold and didn’t find any,” Roxie said.
    â€œThen why is he still here?”
    â€œNobody knows.”
    â€œIs Mickey Pauleen working for Hacker?”
    â€œYeah, him and a bunch of other Texas draw fighters,” Roxie said. “They act real big in the saloons, and spend big, too.”
    â€œWhy did...” Cannan’s voice failed him and he coughed painfully, then tried again. “Why did Pauleen kill your town marshal?”
    This time Dr. Krueger answered. “Marshal Isaac Dixon was nearly eighty years old. The town gave him the job because he won a medal in the war and was wounded at Gettysburg.”
    â€œFor the South?” Cannan said.
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œSo what happened?”
    Krueger’s face was empty. “The story is that Isaac knew Pauleen from somewhere before and ordered him out of town. Witnesses said that the marshal drew down on him and Pauleen killed him.”
    â€œWho were the witnesses?”
    â€œHacker’s boys. The shooting took place at the livery stable and nobody else saw it.”
    Cannan was silent for a few moments, then said, “I’d guess the old man was lured to the stable, then murdered.”
    â€œThat’s not how Hacker’s men tell it,” the doctor said.
    â€œWhat about the townspeople?” Cannan said. “Didn’t they do something?”
    â€œWhat could they do? It was an open-and-shut case of self-defense. And the folks around here are not much inclined to lynch a man.”
    Cannan was again quiet for a spell.
    Then he said, “Why does he want to take Last Chance away from the people who founded it and still live here?”
    â€œWhere did you hear such a thing?” Roxie said. “I think that’s enough for tonight, Ranger Cannan. You’re starting to imagine things. Dr. Krueger, can you give him something to help him sleep?”
    â€œI don’t need anything,” Cannan said. “I reckon I’ll sleep real good on my own.”
    Krueger rose, snapped his bag shut and said, “By the way, your gambler friend has taken a room next to yours. He says he’ll make sure you don’t get your damned fool head blown off.”
    â€œDoctor!” Roxie said. “I’ve never heard you cuss before.”
    The physician smiled. “I’m only repeating what he said.”
    â€œBaptiste Dupoix is no friend of mine,” Cannan said. “I should have strung him up years ago.”
    â€œWell, he still seems to like you,” Krueger said. He smiled. “I’ll drop by again in the morning, Ranger Cannan.”
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    After Roxie and the doctor left, sleep would not come to the exhausted Hank Cannan. Baptiste Dupoix’s words still haunted him...
    â€œWe’re going to take it all away from them.”
    The pain from his wounds tormented Cannan, but worse a torment was the growing certainty that Abe Hacker planned to destroy Last Chance, with its fields and orchards, ranches, and the dreams of its people.
    But why?
    And how?
    And when?
    Cannon had no answers.
    But he did know this: When the hard times came down, he was in no shape to fight them. He was stove up and weak as a kitten. Hell, he could barely get out of bed.
    Despair hung heavy on Hank Cannan. He was a helpless cripple at a time when the people of Last Chance needed a fighting lawman with no backup in him.
    A Texas Ranger...
    But one who could stand on his own two feet.

CHAPTER NINE
    Abe Hacker, wearing a red robe and slippers of the same color, padded along the hotel hallway, his flabby face intent.
    The grandfather clock in the lobby struck two as the fat man reached the door of Room 11.
    Hacker stood for a while and listened to the soft groans