He was able to shoot, cocked the rifle and pick off three Comancheros. One thing about a McCutcheon was that their father took great pride in teaching them all how to shoot well. Even his sister Charity was a sharpshooter.
Two bullets whizzed by John’s head so close he felt a trail of heat. He hunkered lower behind the cargo and steeled his nerves. A third shot took the life of the driver, forcing the remaining guard to jump into the driver’s box and grab for the multiple reins before they were lost completely. The man scooped them up and slapped the leather across the backs of the charging horses, demanding more speed.
John paused to reload. He wasn’t ready to die, dammit! He’d worked his tail off to get into Harvard and get his medical degree. And now this? Angry at the turn of events, he unloaded his chambers, bringing down two more outlaws.
“Help me up,” a female voice shouted over the ruckus.
Lily Anthony dangled from the side of the stage, her white knuckles grasping the iron rod of the luggage rack to keep from falling under the steel-rimmed wheels. Her dress swished around her legs as she struggled to secure footing. John reached down and took a firm hold under her arms and pulled her up next to him. “What the hell are you doing?” he yelled over the sound of gun shots and galloping horses.
“Helping you,” she shouted back as she scanned the area. She picked up the abandoned Winchester, reloaded it from a bag of ammunition, and handed it over to John. He grunted his understanding, took aim and fired three times, sending more outlaws into the dirt.
As the coach slowed, the seven remaining desperados prepared to come aboard. John grabbed for his Colt and brought down the two closest. Taking aim on a third, he squeezed the trigger, only to have the chamber click empty. The rest of the ammunition was inside with Harriet. At this range the Winchester was nearly useless.
He swung to his left as a man leapt from his mount and began climbing up. With his empty gun, John bashed him in the face, knocking him off. Lily hefted the Winchester to her shoulder and fired, taking down a rider who was bringing up the rear.
Lily screamed and again grasped the luggage bar. One of the Comancheros had her by the ankle, pulling her toward the side of the rocking coach. John fought to keep his balance as he swung around. Grabbing the Winchester, he struck the outlaw’s face several times, but the man was mad with evil intent, and hung on relentlessly.
The coach lurched as the hind right wheel spun off the road. John scrambled to keep from being pitched off the top. The outlaw faltered. Quickly dropping the rifle, he grasped Lily’s upper body and heaved. She bucked and kicked, finding the outlaw with her boot, the kick glancing off his temple, but still he clung fast. Again the careening coach swayed violently, almost toppling all three.
A volley of shots sounded from within the coach and from the corner of his eye he saw one of the remaining two mounted riders fell. The final rider fired once, then pulled up and stopped, abandoning his companion who still rode the stage.
John yanked Lily behind him as the Comanchero stood and pulled out a knife. With the agility of a cat, the man slashed out and John dodged to the side. Emboldened, the outlaw sprung forward, catching John around the middle. The two fell to the roof, wrestling for the weapon. John reached for his empty Colt and brought it down on the man’s head, but not before a searing heat flashed down his face from temple to earlobe. Hefting the unconscious man up, John threw him off the cliff side of the rollicking coach then slumped down, pressing his palm to his face.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Epilogue
About the Author
TEXAS TWILIGHT