Love’s Sweet Revenge(16)

Jake fired again.

“You bastard!” one of the others swore. “He was wounded!”

“So am I! He should have stayed down!”

“The poor guy was confused from pain, you murderin’ sonofabitch!” the first man answered.

“I’ve been called worse!” Jake turned to Randy, still keeping his head down. “Keep your fingers away from that trigger,” he reminded her.

“I know.” Randy noticed the back of his jacket was soaked with blood. “Jake, you’re bleeding!”

“Doesn’t matter. I can’t let them get to you. Finish loading that thing and give it to me.”

Randy slammed the cylinder closed and handed him the gun, keeping the barrel pointed down and her fingers away from the trigger. One of the men behind them groaned.

“Jake, one of those men back there is still alive.”

“I doubt he’s in any shape to do us harm,” Jake answered, shoving his six-gun into its holster. “How about it, mister!” Jake yelled louder. “An even gunfight, me against the both of you!”

Randy realized he was using his only option at flushing them out once and for all.

“You’ll lose, Harkner, and then your woman will be all ours, or at least at the mercy of which one of us is left!”

“Hank, that’s Jake Harkner you’re talkin’ to,” the other man yelled. “You shouldn’t have threatened his wife. He’s taken on a lot more than just two men on his own. Let’s just get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving without taking that sonofabitch down,” the first man growled. “He killed Cal, and Cal was already wounded!”

“That’s the whole point! He don’t miss! You know his reputation! Let’s just go!”

“Too late, boys!” Jake shouted. “You get up on those horses, and you’re dead! I said you could ride off, but I’ve changed my mind. You shouldn’t have threatened my wife! Your only chance now is to face me down fair and square.”

There came a long silence. Randy noticed Jake grimace with pain, and perspiration began to bathe his face. “Jake, don’t do it! You’re hurt!”

“Not bad enough to let either one of those bastards get to you. Remember what I said about that shotgun!” He shimmied up to the crack in the rock to keep an eye on the men lying beyond in the grass. “Make up your minds!” he yelled. “Sure death—or a tiny chance at living!”

“This ain’t fair! You’re Jake Harkner.”

“And you made the decision to steal my cattle!”

“We didn’t know this was your spread.”

“Hank!” the second man shouted. “Somebody is riding toward us from the north. Let’s get out of here!”

“Harkner ain’t gonna let us leave.” The one called Hank dared to stand up, his hands in the air but six-gun still in hand. “I’m callin’ you, Harkner! Fair fight, but Billy here gets to be part of it, just like you said.”

“I ain’t drawin’ on no Jake Harkner!” Billy answered.

“We have no choice, Billy! Put your gun in its holster. Let’s get this over with!”

Jake slowly rose, holstering the gun Randy had loaded for him.

“Jake, don’t!” Randy begged.

“Stay put,” he told her. He walked from behind the boulder, noticing riders in the distance. He could tell it was Lloyd because of how his long hair flew out behind him in the wind.

The one called Billy slowly got to his feet. He carefully holstered his gun, as did Hank. They held their hands away from their holsters.

Jake staggered slightly.

“He’s hurt!” Hank sneered. “I told you. We’ve got a chance, Billy.”

“Then let’s get this over with. More men are comin’!” Billy answered. He went for his gun. Hank went for his at the same time, but before either of them could clear their holsters, Jake’s gun was blazing, and they both went down.

Randy started to rise, not noticing until then that the man left alive behind them had gotten to his feet. She grabbed up the shotgun and fired.

Jake whirled at the boom. Randy was sitting on the ground, still clinging to the shotgun.

“Jesus!” Jake holstered his guns and knelt beside her. “Randy?”

“I’m okay. The shotgun knocked me down.”

Jake helped her to her feet, pulling her close. He wrapped his arms around her. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” She glanced toward the man she’d shot at. “I think I missed. The shotgun kicked up when I fired it.”

Jake kissed her hair. “Stay put.” He walked over to check out the man. “He’s dead,” he called out, “but not from any buckshot.”