Stories
Stories

“Think You Can Handle All Three of Us?” the Three Sisters Asked the Cowboy in His Barn — What Happened Before Dawn Changed the Whole County

Chapter 7

Theme:
Font Size:
24px
Then he thought of his father, who had worked this soil until his heart gave out, defending their eighty acres against dry spells, land cattle barons, and corrupt range bosses. He thought of his mother, who had spent twenty years counting every copper penny to make sure the mortgage on this dirt was paid in full.He thought of men like Silas Harrow, who believed that strength gave them the right to own everything they could see, and that smaller men were born merely to be crushed beneath their boots."No," Ethan said softly. "I don't want to make it my problem."Rourke’s mouth curled back into a satisfied sneer. "Good. Stand aside and let us search the barn."Ethan continued, his voice steady as iron: "I don't want it to be my problem. But you just stepped onto my land, Rourke. And you're not walking into my barn."

The silence that followed was so absolute that the sound of rain falling on dry brush seemed deafening.Cal Rourke’s face hardened into a mask of pure, murderous rage. His fingers twitched over his holster."You're making a fatal mistake, Cole," Rourke growled, his voice dropping an octave. "There are seven of us. You're standing out in the open with a hand in your pocket.""And you're standing five feet from a man who knows every rock and gully within twenty miles," Ethan replied, his tone chillingly calm. "You might take me down, Rourke. But I promise you, you won't be alive to see the sunrise."For three terrifying seconds, nobody moved. The air was charged with electric tension, every rider waiting for Rourke to make the signal to draw.Then, from the direction of the cottonwood grove, a sharp rifle shot echoed through the canyon!CRACK!A lead slug slammed into the fence post six inches from Rourke’s left knee, spraying sharp wooden splinters into his horse's flank. The black gelding reared up violently, whinnying in terror as Rourke scrambled to maintain his balance."Sniper!" one of the Copper Ridge riders screamed, pulling his horse around.Before Rourke’s men could react, a second shot rang out from the eastern ridge!CRACK!This bullet struck the dirt right between the hooves of the lead horses, showering the riders with mud and gravel.Panic broke through the line of riders. They didn't know how many men Ethan had hidden in the trees, nor did they know if the local homesteaders had formed a defense posse.Rourke wrestled his rearing horse back under control, his face flushed red with fury. He glared at Ethan through the mist, pointing a leather-gloved finger directly at his chest."This isn't over, Cole!" Rourke roared over the noise of the skittish horses. "You hear me? You're a dead man! Copper Ridge will burn this damn valley to the ground before we let those women walk!"
PREV NEXT

News in the same category

“Think You Can Handle All Three of Us?” the Three Sisters Asked the Cowboy in His Barn — What Happened Before Dawn Changed the Whole County

15 Part