McClary merely shrugged.“You’ll be condemning yourself.”
“You condemned me to hell a long time ago.”
McClary laughed.“You didn’t object.And I didn’t see you turning down the money.”
“No,” Randall said, fighting down his self-revulsion.“I thought it would buy me back my wife.I was a fool.”
“You still are.A yellow-bellied fool,” McClary said contemptuously.
“No more.”Randall realized that his plan was not going to work.McClary was not going to leave, not on his own.That left only one alternative: to tell the truth and accept the consequences.As devastating as the prospect was, he knew he could no longer allow McClary to continue killing, or risk his doing something to further endanger his daughter.
It was as if McClary suddenly understood something had changed.His eyes narrowed.
“Don’t be an idiot.You’ll hang.”
“I could go to prison.I’ll accept that.But I haven’t killed anyone.”
“No?”McClary said.“You knew what I was doing.You were a part of that robbery in Kansas.”His mouth twisted.“I’ll have them believing you planned everything.”
“I won’t let you kill anymore.”
“Hell you won’t,” McClary said.Lazily, he moved his hand to the glass of whiskey.
Randall’s anger conquered his fear.Meaning to scare McClary, he went for his gun.In a smooth movement McClary dropped the glass and swept his gun from the holster around his hip.
Randall felt the impact of the bullet.Pain swallowed him like a red tide, and he felt himself fall.He desperately tried to reach for his gun again, but his arm didn’t obey.And then his brain exploded into nothingness.
McClary watched as Randall fell to the floor, his head hitting the corner of the fireplace.Blood was spreading over his chest and the side of his head where it had hit stone.
Had anyone heard the shot?
He looked out and saw Jack’s horse.No other.
He went through Randall’s pockets, looking for money.Jack was bleeding profusely.He wouldn’t live long, and McClary needed to make this look like a robbery.He forced open a locked drawer in the desk and was rifling through it when he heard the sound of riders.
Dammit all to hell.
He looked at Randall and thought about putting another bullet in him, but the riders would hear it and stop his only avenue of escape.He had one chance, getting away before anyone discovered Randall’s unconscious body.He hoped Randall bled to death.
He slipped out of the office, closing the door behind him, and went to the front window of the ranch house.Damn.Clint and two other hands, too many to take.He would wait until they disappeared into the barn, then grab Randall’s horse.
He watched as the last man went inside to unsaddle and rub down the horses.Then he slipped out the door and took Randall’s horse, leading him around in back before mounting and ruthlessly spurring the tired horse into a gallop.
Wearily, Clint emerged from the barn and looked toward the ranch house.Randall’s horse had been there minutes before; now it was gone.“What happened to Jack’s horse?”
One of the men shrugged, too tired to care.
Clint looked at the ranch house.Something was odd.Coming in from the pasture, he had met an outgoing hand, who’d said Randall had just returned.Surely, he wouldn’t have left again on an exhausted horse, nor allowed anyone else to do so.Randall was particular about his horses.
“I think I’ll check with Mr.Randall,” he said, and walked over to the ranch house.
His knock went unanswered.He stepped inside.The main room was empty, but the door to Randall’s office was ajar.He knocked, hesitated when he heard nothing, then pulled the door open, and saw Randall’s body sprawled across the floor.His heart stopped beating a moment; his breath caught in his throat.
Clint moved to the body and knelt next to it.Two wounds, a gash alongside the head, a bullet in the shoulder, just an inch higher than the heart.Blood was everywhere.
He felt Randall’s neck.There was a slight movement.He put his hand to the man’s mouth.There was some breath.He leaned over, his hand touching Randall’s right side.“Mr.Randall.”
Randall’s eyes opened, fogged with pain.He tried to move and then groaned.“Sara.My daughter …” And then his eyes closed again.
