The Wrath of Iron Eyes (An Iron Eyes Western #5) by Rory Black Read Free Book Online Page B

swallow a mouthful of the fiery liquid. For a
moment it seemed that the fumes of the alcohol had lifted the man’s
spirits as he leaned back against the padded leather of his
chair.
    The sheriff took a sip of the brandy and
then proceeded to top up both their glasses before resting his hip
on the edge of the large desk.
    He watched the banker the way
that an eagle watches its chosen prey whilst floating on a high warm
thermal. He too was waiting for an opportunity when he might find
his friend composed enough to tell him what was wrong and why his
face was stained with the unmistakable marks of tears.
    ‘ Sorry about your window,
Jed,’ Hardin said as warm brandy trickled down his
throat.
    ‘ Window?’ Smith had another
sip of his drink.
    ‘ The one that Iron Eyes
shot out this morning,’ the sheriff reminded the confused
banker.
    Smith shrugged. ‘I’d forgotten all about
that. It seems like a million years ago.’
    Hardin had noticed the scrap of paper tucked
under the blotter near the banker’s elbow. He rested his hand on
the desk and tried to divert the attention of the man who seemed to
be guarding it from prying eyes.
    ‘ You ought to have that old
bureau checked out, Jed. Looks like there’s woodworm in
it.’
    Smith turned his head and stared blankly at
the tall bureau. He was about to speak when the lawman’s hand
grabbed at the note and pulled it from its hiding-place. Tom Hardin
unfolded it, then read it as he moved away from the desk. Before
Smith had reached his friend to retrieve the paper, Hardin had
already taken in its words.
    ‘ So that’s why you’re
spooked,’ the sheriff said as Smith’s shaking hands grabbed the
paper from him.
    Both men stood face to face in the centre of
the office. For what seemed an eternity nothing was said. Then the
banker’s shoulders began to shake as emotion overwhelmed him once
more.
    Hardin grabbed his friend’s shoulders and
pulled him to him.
    ‘ Don’t you worry, Jed. You
ain’t alone in this. Whoever has Rosie ain’t gonna know what hit
them.’
    Smith walked away from the law
officer, picked up his glass and downed the remainder of its
contents. He shuddered, then turned his head and stared at
Hardin.
    ‘ What do you
mean?’
    ‘ Iron Eyes!’The sheriff
said the name and smiled.
    ‘ That filthy bounty hunter?
What about him?’ the banker poured himself another glass of the
costly spirit. ‘Do you think that he’s behind this? Has Iron Eyes
taken my daughter?’
    Tom Hardin swallowed his brandy and placed
his glass on the silver tray. He toyed with the crystal
decanter.
    ‘ Iron Eyes has nothing to
do with kidnapping Rosie, Jed. I’d bet my pension on that. But I
got me an inkling that he could track down the bastards who did,
wherever they’re hiding.’
    For the first time since he had read the
note, Smith actually felt hope creeping back into his life
again.
    ‘ Would he?’
    ‘ I reckon so,
Jed.’
    ‘But why would this Iron Eyes
even want to help?’ Jed Smith’s face suddenly began to show signs
that he felt there just might be a chance of his seeing his
beautiful daughter again.
    ‘ Because Iron Eyes told me
that Rosie was the first gal to look at him without showing her
disgust.’ Hardin poured himself another brandy and swirled the
liquid around in the glass thoughtfully.
    Smith looked hard at the lawman. ‘Doesn’t he
know?’
    Hardin looked up into Smith’s face. Their
eyes met.
    ‘ Nope. He had no idea that
she’s blind, Jed. What stranger would? I didn’t have the heart to
tell him. When you look like Iron Eyes does, I reckon no female
looks at you for very long. Rosie did because she could not see his
scarred face.’
    Smith lowered his head.
    ‘ Where is he?’
    ‘ He told me that he was
headed for Sanora.’ Hardin finished his brandy and headed for the
office door. With his hand on its handle, he paused and
turned.
    ‘ Where you going,
Tom?’
    ‘ Sanora!’

Chapter
Fourteen
    The hideout of the ruthless