Way with a Gun by J. R. Roberts Read Free Book Online

beer.
    â€œWhat can I tell you, Mr. Adams?”
    â€œWell . . . your nephew has threatened to kill the sheriff.”
    â€œThe man’s as good as dead,” Wentworth said with a wave of his hand.
    â€œReally? You’re that sure?”
    â€œBad seed, Mr. Adams,” Wentworth said. “The boy is a bad seed. He’d kill you as soon as look at you.”
    â€œI see.”
    â€œIf he says he’s going to kill Andy Taylor, then he’ll do it.”
    â€œWhat about the rest of them?”
    â€œHe’s got several cousins with him, and the rest are just trash.”
    â€œWhat will they do to the town if there’s no lawman?” Clint asked.
    â€œWhat trash does,” Wentworth said.
    â€œWhy not bring in federal help then?”
    â€œNot up to me,” Wentworth said. “I ain’t the mayor anymore. You better ask the present mayor—or better yet, ask the sheriff himself.”
    â€œI think I’ll do that, Mr. Wentworth.”
    He finished his bourbon and set the empty glass down on the table.
    â€œPour me another before you go, will you, son?” the old man asked.
    â€œSure,” Clint said, and obliged.
    As he was going down the steps from the porch, he turned and asked, “How did Ned become Ned Pine?”
    Wentworth laughed.
    â€œWho would be frightened of an outlaw named Ned Wentworth?”
    The man had a point.

FIFTEEN
    Clint knew he should just saddle Eclipse, mount up, and ride out of town. He knew this even as he was walking to the sheriff’s office. When he entered, the man looked up from his desk and did not look happy to see him.
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    Clint was taken aback by the man’s attitude. Wasn’t this the same lawman who just last night had been asking him for help?
    â€œYour wife came to see me this morning.”
    â€œSo I heard,” Taylor said. “Just so you know, I didn’t send her.”
    â€œI know that,” Clint said. “She told me she came on her own. She seems to be an extraordinary woman.”
    â€œReally? What else do you think about her? Is she beautiful?”
    â€œYou’re married to her,” Clint said. “You know the answer to that is yes.”
    â€œAnd did you tell her that?”
    Clint was puzzled. “No, I didn’t. We didn’t talk about her looks, Sheriff. We talked about you.”
    â€œYeah, well . . .”
    â€œWhat’s on your mind?”
    â€œShe told me you looked at her like she was a woman,” Taylor complained.
    â€œDon’t you look at her that way?”
    â€œWell . . . I thought I did.”
    â€œOh, I get it,” Clint said. “Your wife is feeling unappreciated, is that it?”
    â€œI suppose so.”
    â€œAnd she blames your job?” Clint asked. “And the badge?”
    â€œActually, yes.”
    â€œSheriff,” Clint said, “it sounds like you need to work on your marriage, but to do that you have to stay alive.”
    â€œSounds like you’re gonna tell me again to run.”
    â€œAs far and as fast as you can.”
    â€œI can’t do that.”
    â€œBelieve me, I understand,” Clint said. “Can I sit down?”
    â€œSure. You want some coffee?” He pointed. “Pot’s on the stove, cup hanging on the wall.”
    â€œThanks.”
    Clint walked to the potbelly stove, took a tin cup from a hook on the wall, and poured himself some coffee from the cast-iron pot. He took the cup with him and sat opposite the sheriff.
    â€œAs I understand it,” Clint said, “Ned Pine wants to face you in the street alone, you and him. That’s not what you told me.”
    â€œWho told you that? Miriam?”
    â€œI’ve talked to a few people in town,” Clint said.
    â€œWell, what Ned Pine says he’s gonna do and what he does are two different things. He may want to face me in the street, and that’s fine, but his boys