West Texas Kill by Johnny D. Boggs Read Free Book Online Page A

”
    Savage rose, the Merwin Hulbert in his left hand, which he switched to his right. He left the other revolver beside the coffee cups. “Let me ask my men over yonder.” We’ll see if we’re in agreement or not.”
    He crossed the room and stood at the table where Doc Shaw sat with Rangers Hamp Magruder and Wes Smith. “Lo Grande’s man is fetching that whore,” Savage said.
    â€œThat’s good,” Shaw said nervously.
    â€œWe’ve formed a little alliance.”
    Magruder pushed back his porkpie hat. “Figured that, Capt’n. After what happened on the Río Grande.”
    â€œYou didn’t tell us nothing about that, Captain Savage,” Wes Smith said.
    â€œI know it. Maybe I should have. But it’s spilt milk.”
    Magruder leaned forward. “You can’t trust a bandido like Lo Grande, Capt’n,” he whispered.
    â€œReckon I know that, too.” Savage stepped back and looked through the window.
    Leoncio was dragging a woman, screaming, fighting, and crying, from the hotel, pulling her by her hair. The Terlingua whore. She fell, but Leoncio never broke stride, dragging her in the dirt. Savage glanced at the livery, saw Demitrio and the others watching, wondering, but staying put. Doc Shaw turned, rose, and cursed, his hand dropping for the long-barreled Colt on the table beside his beer.
    â€œEasy, Doc,” Savage warned. “Let him bring her in.”
    Hamp Magruder also muttered a curse—aimed at Savage—but the Ranger captain ignored it. By that time, Leoncio had entered the saloon, and let go of the woman’s brown hair. She fell to the floor sobbing. Slowly lifting her head, her right hand pressed tight against her head, she bit back the pain. Her eyes drilled through the Ranger badge on Savage’s chest. Lips trembling, she started to rise.
    â€œStay put, ma’am,” Savage said. To his surprise, she obeyed.
    Savage glanced at the .44 in his hand. “Boys, we’ve been risking our necks for years now. Nothing to show for it. I kinda figure Texas owes us.”
    â€œCapt’n,” Magruder said, and pointed at the woman. “If this is part of your alliance with Lo Grande, I don’t want anything to do with it.”
    â€œYou helped kill those Rurales on the river,” Savage said.
    â€œThat’s true, Capt’n, but shootin’ Mezkins is one thing. You’re talkin’ ’bout something else.”
    â€œWe could make a fortune,” Savage said.
    â€œOr a trip to the gallows,” Wes Smith said.
    â€œThat why you led us here, Capt’n?” Magruder said. “To forge your bond with that son of a bitch?” He tilted his jaw at Lo Grande. “In blood.”
    Savage tilted his head toward the woman. “Figured to get her back, too.”
    Slowly Magruder rose. “Capt’n . . .” he began, but Savage had heard enough.
    He lifted the Merwin Hulbert and shot the Ranger in the chest. Turning quickly, thumbing back the hammer, he tried to find Wes Smith behind the pungent white smoke, but another shot left his ears ringing before he could line up the young Ranger. Smith slammed over backward, spilling his chair, blood spurting from a purple hole in the center of his forehead as the light slowly left his eyes.
    Doc Shaw stood, holding a Colt .45 in his right hand.
    The woman on the floor shrieked.
    Shaw gave Savage a quick glance before hurrying outside, raising his hands, one holding a smoking revolver. In a calming suggestion he yelled to the Rangers at the livery, “It’s all right! Everything’s all right!”
    The woman kept screaming.
    Savage looked at the two dead Rangers on the floor, considered Lo Grande a moment, then knelt by the whore. “Listen to me,” he said.
    She went right on with those damned howls.
    Savage holstered the revolver. Spoke again. She didn’t shut up, so he slapped her. Hard. The woman