Slocum and the Diamond City Affair (9781101612118) by Jake Logan Read Free Book Online

near Rosa’s age, who didn’t deserve to be raped. The Cowboys were hard-hearted, but they needed their balls cut out for doing that to a young woman like her.
    â€œYou have some names of the ones who attacked you?”
    â€œGorman, Valdez, and Bach were the ones who kidnapped me.”
    â€œWhat do you remember, and what can you tell me about them?”
    â€œGorman has a scar above his right eye. A thick one. He’s a short and fat gringo. There are scars on his belly from knife fights. He was shot sometime in the left shoulder—you can see the powder burns around that scar.”
    â€œHow old?”
    â€œMaybe thirty-five or forty. His hair is wavy and has some gray.”
    Slocum nodded. “Who else?”
    â€œValdez has blue eyes. He is mostly Mexican. He lost the bottom two fingers on his right hand. Short, he was maybe in his midtwenties.”
    â€œThe third man?”
    â€œAdolph Bach was German. He talked like one. Maybe five foot eight. Big black beard, steel gray eyes. A very ruthless, mean man.” Her shoulders shuddered under her blouse, obviously from the bitter recall of her horrible experiences with the men.
    â€œIf I ever find them, I’ll even the score for you.”
    She nodded without a word.
    â€œI have the food ready,” Rosa said.
    â€œFeed Grandmama and then you can feed him where he sits.” Nana laughed and took another hard stare at her subject before making more marks on the canvas. “I am coming along fine.”
    â€œGood. Slocum, your face may be as famous as the
Mona Lisa
in Paris after this,” Rosa teased him.
    â€œOr keep the ravens out of her garden in place of a scarecrow.”
    The girls snickered.
    Rosa fed him the tortilla-wrapped beans and meat.
    â€œThat’s good food,” Slocum said, chewing on his bite, and winked at Rosa.
    After Slocum finished his meal, Nana wound up her drawing and brought the canvas over to show her progress.
    â€œIs that all right?” she asked, showing him the sketch.
    â€œSure, that’s me.” He winked at her. “Nice job.”
    â€œI’ll get our horses,” Rosa said.
    â€œYes. Grandmama, we are going to leave you.” He strode over to stand in front of her.
    â€œYou are a nice man. I will burn some candles for your safety while you are looking for those horses.”
    He hugged her gently and patted her back. “Be good.”
    â€œOh, I have to be, my big man.”
    They laughed and he kissed Nana on the cheek. “I will find your attackers.”
    She nodded silently.
    Slocum and Rosa went on. She knew where the man Pico that the bartender mentioned was located. They rode across a narrow mountain pass and down the western slope. The place they found was snuggled in a valley.
    â€œYou want to stay up here while I ride down there and see him?”
    She shook her head. “I am not afraid when I am with you.”
    â€œIt could be dangerous if we find those horses up here.”
    â€œLet’s go. I have been thinking ever since we left Grandmama and Nana. I did not know anything about Nana being raped.” She looked sad riding beside him.
    Slocum nodded. “Those Clanton men are brutal bastards.”
    She agreed.
    He led the way and rode in through the front gate of the ranch. Some stock dogs began to bark down by the jacal. A woman in her thirties came outside and frowned at them. Hands on her ample hips, the buxom woman shouted something that Slocum couldn’t hear. He watched for any threat she might call up.
    â€œWhat’s his name again?” Slocum asked Rosa as they approached the screaming woman.
    â€œPico. I don’t know her.” She shook her head with a serious frown about what the woman in charge was doing down by the casa.
    â€œI’m watching her,” Slocum said under his breath.
    â€œIs she calling for some gunmen?”
    â€œI see some men coming from those buildings over