The noises came closer, and he was able to identify them positively now as hoofbeats. The mysterious tracker seemed to be trying to be quiet, but he wasn't very good at it. Longarm waited patiently.
The rider came into view, wearing a sheepskin jacket and a flat-crowned hat. Longarm caught only a glimpse of him before he started around the big rock on which Longarm crouched. The lawman twisted around and drew his Colt. If the rider kept moving--and there was no reason to think that he wouldn't--in a moment or two he would emerge so that once more Longarm could cover him.
That was what happened. Longarm straightened as the rider rounded the upthrust rock. The sound of a shot would echo far up the mountain, so Longarm didn't want to use the Colt unless he had to. Instead, he slid down the rock face a short distance and used his momentum to launch himself into space.
His dive carried him across the open space between himself and his mysterious follower. Longarm crashed heavily into the man, knocking him out of the saddle. They both fell, and Longarm grunted in pain as the impact of landing on the hard, rocky ground sent flashes of pain through his injured back. He didn't feel any wetness against his skin, however, so he thought the gash across his back hadn't opened up and started bleeding again.
The fellow he had jumped seemed to be stunned. Longarm scrambled up, still holding the gun, and used his free hand to grab the man's shoulder. As he rolled the follower over, the man's hat came loose.
And long red spilled out from under it.
Longarm bit back a curse. He was looking down into the face of Molly Kinsman.
He should have expected that, Longarm told himself as he stood up. Molly moved her head back and forth a little and moaned. She was stunned, all right, but she was coming around. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she looked up at Longarm in confusion.
'What... what happened?'
He sighed and reached down to give her a hand as she struggled to sit up. 'Reckon I could ask you the same thing,' he said. 'What are you doing here, Molly? How'd you come to be following me?'
Slowly, she got to her feet. 'Joe told me what you were doing today,' she said. 'He even told me where I was likely to find you. I took a few shortcuts.'
'Blast it! I told Traywick I didn't want him blabbing to anybody about what we had planned.'
Molly smiled. 'Oh. Well, that was a waste of time, Custis. Joe's never been able to keep a secret from me.'
Longarm grunted. He could just imagine. Molly probably had Traywick wrapped completely around her little finger. Likely she hadn't even had to try very hard to worm Longarm's destination out of him.
'Joe said you shouldn't have started up here by yourself,' Molly went on, 'and since I've ridden over every foot of this mountain a dozen times since I was a little girl, I thought I'd come lend a hand.' She gestured toward the upper end of the coulee. 'There's a little valley up there, just like you asked Joe about. Men could stay there, and they could hide stolen cattle there too. And that's not the only place. I know several more spots that might make good hideouts for somebody.'
Longarm shook his head. 'I want you to get right back on that horse and head back down to the ranch,' he told her sternly. 'Hunting outlaws and hired guns is no place for you.'
'That's not fair,' she protested, once again sounding like a little kid. 'I can help you, Custis.'
'Don't want your help,' he said flatly. He might have to offend her in order to get her to leave, but it would be worth it.
Molly's face hardened as she looked at him. 'You don't seem to want any of the things I've offered you,' she said slowly. 'I practically throw myself at you over and over again, and you keep shooing me away like I'm nothing more than a bratty little pest!'
Longarm shrugged eloquently.
'Oh! So that is what you think of me! Well, I'll show you, Mr. High and Mighty U.S. Marshal!' Her hands went to the collar of her flannel shirt under the open sheepskin jacket, and a quick, hard tug popped several of the buttons as she ripped the shirt open. 'There! Does that look like I'm a kid?'
She had bared her breasts, small, firm, pear-shaped cones that were lightly dusted with freckles. They were tipped with pale brown nipples that puckered from the chilly air, or arousal, or both. Longarm had to admit that as breasts went, they were a mighty pert and appealing pair.
Still, he didn't think it would be wise--not to mention comfortable--to lay her down on the floor of this rocky coulee and take his pleasure with her. 'Molly,' he began, 'I know I made you a promise-'
'Yes, you did,' she broke in, 'and it's time you kept it! You make love to me, here and now, and... and, well, I'll go back to the ranch like you want me to.'
'And if I don't?' Longarm asked ominously.
Calmly, Molly replied, 'Then I start screaming. And sound carries a long way up here, Custis. If the men you're looking for are really up there higher on the mountain, they're liable to hear me, and then you won't be able to sneak up on them.'
Longarm stared at her for a long moment, his eyes narrowing in anger at being blackmailed like this. Then, abruptly, a chuckle came from him. He couldn't help but admire somebody with as much gall as Molly Kinsman seemed to possess.
As if sensing that he was weakening, she added quickly, 'Anyway, up here you don't have to worry about anybody seeing us. No one will ever have to know.'
'All right,' said Longarm. 'But not right here. Too damn many rocks. Is there any grass in that little valley you mentioned?'
Molly nodded eagerly. 'Sure. Grass and trees. It's one of the nicest spots you'll ever see, Custis.'
'Let's go take a look then. If there aren't any outlaws hiding there, I reckon we can see about getting what we both want. Just close up that shirt until then, all right?'
