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

will all be there. If I should outdraw him and kill him, I know they’d gun me down in the street.”
    Clint shook his head and put his cup down on the desk in front of him, then moved to the edge of his seat.
    â€œSee, this is what I don’t get,” he said. “I understand about being a man, and about doing what’s right and what’s expected of you. I also understand having a responsibility to something. What I don’t understand is why you’d step out onto the street knowing you were going to be killed.”
    â€œLook,” Taylor said. “I don’t have your reputation,” he said. “Maybe you can walk away from a fight, but I can’t. If I do that, I’ll never wear a badge again.”
    Clint sat back. This wasn’t his fight, so why was he even still in town, talking to this man, talking to Deering and Wentworth?
    Well, the answer to that was simple—Miriam Taylor. An extraordinary woman, yes, and a beauty. And another man’s wife. Clint didn’t make a habit of pursuing married women. If he stayed in Cedar City, there was all kinds of trouble on the horizon—not the least of which was twelve or more men with guns.
    â€œLook,” the lawman said, “never mind what my wife told you. This ain’t your fight.”
    Clint was surprised. It was as if the man was reading his mind. “I know it’s not,” Clint said. “The problem is I now know that you’re going to step into the street and, one way or another, you’re going to end up dead.”
    â€œProbably.”
    Clint shook his head. “I can’t just ride out of town knowing you’re going to do that.”
    â€œSo what does that mean?” Taylor asked.
    â€œIt means I’ll offer you my help,” Clint said, “if you still want it.”

SIXTEEN
    Clint refused to wear a deputy’s badge.
    â€œI’m not taking a job, Sheriff,” he said. “I’m just a civilian offering my help.”
    â€œOkay.” Taylor put the badge back in his desk’s top drawer.
    â€œAnd let’s get something else straight,” Clint added, “or we’re not going to be able to work together.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œI’m not after your wife,” Clint said. “I don’t make a habit of going after married women. And I’m not looking for a wife of my own. I don’t need a woman. . . .”
    â€œGo ahead, say it,” Taylor said. “You don’t need a woman who doesn’t know her place.”
    â€œThat’s not exactly what I was going to say,” Clint said.
    â€œLook, I’m embarrassed by the fact that she came to see you. If I’d known she was gonna do that—”
    â€œIt’s done, and it’s over,” Clint said. “Now we need to concentrate on Ned Pine and his men. We can’t just assume that he’s bringing a dozen men with him. We need to know how many, and who they are. Can we get that information?”
    â€œI’ve been working on that myself,” Taylor said. “Pine’s got one cousin who’s still in town. I was gonna go question him.”
    â€œGood, we can do that together.”
    â€œAnd you’ll come to the house for supper tonight,” Taylor said.
    â€œDo you think that’s wise?”
    â€œMiriam would insist, just to be a good hostess. Don’t worry, she’s not gonna be part of this. As far as I’m concerned she’s played her part already.”
    And played it well, Clint thought. But he was going to be glad if he didn’t have to deal with the strong-willed woman again beyond supper.
    â€œI hear you’ve been a lawman for a long time, and I don’t want to step on your toes, but—”
    â€œHey,” Taylor said, “I know your reputation, Adams. Just tell me what you want to do.”
    â€œFirst, I’d like to check out your