Death Rides Alone by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online

White Fork, and not before.” The marshal grunted, and after a second Luke realized the sound was a laugh. “Looks like you’re gonna have to be takin’ a trip up north, Jensen, if you want to collect your blood money.”

CHAPTER 6
    This was an unexpected annoyance. Due to the fact that men on the run from the law often ran far and fast, Luke seldom delivered a prisoner to the jurisdiction in which the reward had been posted. Usually it was enough just to lock a captured fugitive in the nearest jail—or deliver his corpse to the handiest undertaker—and have the local authorities contact the law where the fugitive was wanted.
    That was what he had done here, and in the normal course of affairs, the sheriff in White Fork would have contacted the bank here in Bent Creek and authorized payment of the bounty.
    Clearly, that wasn’t going to happen.
    â€œDid the telegram say why that’s a condition of the reward?” Luke asked.
    Donovan shook his head and said, “Nope. Just that that’s the way it is.” The marshal rubbed his chin. “It’s hard to tell much from words printed on a telegraph blank, but I got the feelin’ Sheriff Axtell’s anxious to see Tyler locked up in his jail. The boy killed a young woman, right?”
    â€œThe daughter of one of the local ministers.”
    â€œThat’s a mighty raw thing to do,” Donovan said. “Fella like that sure deserves to hang. Bent Creek’s a peaceful town, but if word gets around about what Tyler’s done, folks are liable to start askin’ themselves why we don’t just go ahead and string him up here, since he’s got it comin’.”
    â€œI’m not going to lose my prisoner to a lynch mob,” Luke snapped.
    â€œDamn right you’re not. I never had a prisoner yet taken out and escorted to a necktie party, and we ain’t startin’ with Tyler. But I’d just as soon not tempt fate. I want you to get him out of there bright and early in the morning. You can be on the trail north at first light.”
    Mary had listened quietly to the conversation between Luke and Marshal Donovan, but now she said, “Isn’t that rushing things, Marshal?”
    â€œMaybe. But I don’t want any trouble in my town, so the easiest way to prevent it is to send it packin’.”
    â€œThat’s a shame,” Mary said as she looked at Luke.
    He read quite a bit in her warm gaze, so his voice held genuine regret as he agreed, “It certainly is.”
    â€œI reckon you’d best spend the night on the cot in my office,” Donovan went on. “That way you can keep an eye on Tyler, just in case anybody gets any ideas.”
    â€œI assumed that you—”
    Donovan held up a hand to stop Luke.
    â€œI told you, you could lock him up in my jail but I ain’t takin’ any responsibility for him. He’s Montana’s murderer, not mine. I plan to go home and get a good night’s sleep, and when I get to the office in the mornin’, I’d just as soon find that the two of you are gone.”
    Luke could see that like the bulldog he resembled, Donovan wasn’t going to let go of something once he had his jaws set in it. With a sigh, Luke said, “All right, Marshal. I’ll head over to the jail just as soon as I finish this excellent meal.”
    â€œMary does dish up some good grub,” Donovan said. “I reckon I can watch the prisoner for a little while so you can eat. Just don’t linger too long.”
    Donovan left the café. Luke shook his head gloomily and told Mary, “And here I was, looking forward to sharing some more stimulating conversation with you.”
    â€œSo was I,” she said with a sigh of her own. “You don’t know how much I was looking forward to it, Mr. Jensen.”
    * * *
    The rain had stopped completely by the time Luke walked up the street to the marshal’s