Double The Bounty

“Maybe we lost them.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Brian looked from left to right as far as he could. He kept looking until he found them.

“I see what they’ve done.”

“What?”

“They’ve gone wide instead of staying directly behind us. Whoever’s in charge is pretty smart.”

“Good, we’ll give him a damn medal when he catches us.”

Brian looked at his brother and asked, “Are you all right?”

“Stupid question,” Brent said through his teeth. “You expect me to say no?”

“Brent—”

“Come on, let’s keep moving. I’d rather bleed to death in the saddle than let some bounty hunter take me.”

They moved forward, Brian wondering if it was indeed a bounty hunter. Those bastards didn’t quit, especially if the money was good.

And after recent occurrences, Brian Foxx knew that the money on him was going to be very good.

“Now what?” Brent asked in annoyance. “You’re doing me more damage than the damned trail with this stop-and-go shit. What are you looking at?”

“Some of them have slowed down. It looks like one of them has really increased his pace.”

“One man?”

“Jesus,” Brian said, “he’s really coming like a bat out of goddamned hell. He’s gonna try and run us down.”

“Let him. We’ll take care of him and be on our way.”

“We’ll take care of him, all right,” Brian said, “but we’re going to have to find a place Tomake our stand.”

“Well then, let’s find it.”

Brian Foxx knew the area pretty well, having traveled it before.

“I think I know the place, Brent. Let’s go.”

“It’s about time. I thought we were going to put up a fuckin’ welcome banner.”

Less than and hour later Brian found what he was looking for, and the lone man on horseback was still coming, not even bothering to try and disguise his approach.

“What’s that?”

“An abandoned church. I remembered it being here. That’s where we’re gonna make our stand.”

“In a damned church?”

“You got any better ideas?”

“I ain’t been to church in years.”

“Well then,” Brian said, “you’re way overdue.”

Chapter XXXII

Decker knew all along that for his plan to work the terrain was going to have to be flat and empty for miles. If there was a place for the Foxx boys Tomake a stand, they’d take it, and that would make his job much harder.

He kept riding, knowing that he was probably easy to spot now, but not caring. When they spotted him, they’d have to start galloping their horses as well, and the wounded Foxx brother would not be able to take that for very long.

It would have worked if it hadn’t been for the damned church.

Decker spotted the large stone structure and slowed John Henry down. There was no doubt in his mind that the Foxx boys would be in there. One of them was probably up in the bell tower right now, watching him.

He decided that there was no longer any rush to get to where he was going. The Foxx boys would be there whenever he arrived.

He reined John Henry in and sat staring at the church, which was less than a hundred fifty yards away. Already he could see by their tracks that they had gone into the church.

He had two options.

He could wait for them to come out.

Or he could go in after them.

In waiting for them to come out, it would be a question of who had the most provisions, especially water. Since he was traveling light—the women were carrying whatever stores they still had left— he certainly wouldn’t be able to outlast them—but then he wouldn’t have to. He’d only have to last until Rebecca and Felicia caught up.

That, however, would tell the Foxxes that all he had with him was two women, and that wouldn’t do. They might then decide to try and ride him down, knowing that he was saddled with two women.

Waiting was out. It would only bring the women into range.

That meant going in after them.

It was a large church, and there should only be two of them. Surely he could find a way in once he got close enough.

Of course, the trick was getting close enough. A man in the bell tower with a rifle could hold off ten men, and he was only one.

He turned John Henry’s head and urged him forward at a slow walk. He proceeded to walk in a wide circle around the entire church. If nothing else, it would confuse the men inside until he could figure something out.

Chapter XXXIII

“What the hell is he doing?” Brent shouted up to Brian, who was in the bell tower. Brent could see the man from one of the ground-floor windows.

“He’s riding around in circles.”

The man rode out of Brent’s view, and he was trying to decide whether or not it was worth it to get up and walk to the other side of the church.

“Can you see him?” he called out.

“Yeah, I see him. Stay where you are.”

“What’s he doing now?”

“He’s just walking his horse all the way around the church.”

“What’s he doing that for?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s trying to rattle us.”

“Can you see anyone else?”

Brian took his eyes away from the man on the horse and looked around.

“Jesus,” he said suddenly.

“What? What is it?”

“There’s a whole crew of men riding toward us from the south.”

“How can you tell there are so many?”