They spent the entire day trying to blend in with the townsfolk while searching for Liam Reed. The possibility that he had moved and was no longer living in Stanley weighed heavily on Blade, but as the sunset arrived, they caught a glimpse of him. Blade saw him from the corner of his eye as they were walking down the main road and came to a sudden stop.
“Over there,” he whispered, turning to look at Liam’s retreating figure.
Dakota followed his line of sight. “Which one?”
“Come on,” Blade instructed as he started walking, staying on the opposite side of the road. “The one with the dark hair, beard, and light blue shirt.”
They didn’t speak further as they followed him, keeping a good distance so he wouldn’t notice them. Liam was on foot while they were on horseback, so they had to walk pretty slowly. It didn’t take long before they discovered his destination. Like many men, he made his way into the saloon.
“What now?” Dakota asked as they brought their horses to a stop.
“We prepare ourselves and wait.”
After scouting the area, they decided to wait for Liam behind the building across from the saloon. It was getting dark, and most of the people had headed home, leaving the streets empty. The only noise came from the saloon, and the men visiting the establishment only had drinking, relaxing, and probably women on their minds.
Blade and Dakota watched the saloon impatiently. There was a narrow alley between the two buildings across from the saloon that offered a great view of the door.
“We should put our masks on,” Blade suggested. They had been waiting for a long time, and he wanted to be ready when Liam finally left the saloon.
Dakota nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”
With their masks on and their weapons in place, they waited. Liam took his time, but eventually, he left the saloon and started down the road. He was on foot, so catching him wouldn’t be difficult, but Blade and Dakota had to be clever. The idea was to leave his body where it would be found, but at the same time, they wanted to avoid causing too much chaos, if possible.
From the way Liam stumbled as he walked, it was clear that he was intoxicated. It was impossible to know exactly how drunk he was, so Blade and Dakota kept a safe distance just in case. Killing him right there on the main road would make a big statement, but there were men outside the saloon who would see, and that could lead to the law showing up.
Blade had no problem with getting into a gunfight, but at the same time, it was best to avoid it if possible.
Liam didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry, but eventually, he turned onto a narrow, dark road.
“Let’s do it,” Blade said, glancing at Dakota. With the light of the moon shining down on them, he could just make out the nervous expression on her face.
She nodded. “I’m ready.”
With her confirmation, Blade sped up. They closed in on Liam quickly, and he turned to see where the sound was coming from. They were galloping down the middle of the road, and he stepped out of the way, almost tripping over his own feet, attempting to give them space to pass.
When they were close enough, Blade brought Africa to a sudden stop.
“Whoa!” Liam yelled as he took another step back, clearly realizing that they weren’t simply passing by.
Dakota stopped next to Blade as he reached for his Colt and pointed it at Liam.
“What do—” Liam reached into his pants pocket. “I don’t have much.”
“Hands where we can see them,” Dakota demanded.
A couple of coins spilled from Liam’s pocket as he raised his arms. “You can have all my money,” he offered with slurred words.
Blade shook his head. “We don’t want your money. We want revenge.”
“Revenge?” Liam asked, confusion washing over his face. “For what?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” Blade pulled down his neckerchief, allowing Liam to see his face. He was sure that Liam wouldn’t recognize him, but he could hope.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Liam took a step back. “I don’t know you. I haven’t done anything.”
Blade chuckled. “What about all the families you killed?”
“Our families,” Dakota added.
