Black Horse Creek (9781101607466) by Charles G. West

Finished with nature’s call, he returned to unlock the smokehouse door. Before opening it, he cocked the rifle he was holding, so Billy could hear it in case he had any ideas about any sudden moves. He lifted the hasp and stepped back a few steps. “All right, Billy, come on out.” Squinting against the morning light, Billy came out and paused to look around him before moving in the direction Grayson pointed. He seemed docile enough as he walked down behind the hog pen.
    â€œJust so you know,” Grayson said, “I’d like to get off to a peaceful start this mornin’, but this rifle is aimed right between your shoulder blades. So get your business done quick and we’ll get some breakfast before we get back in the saddle.” Billy seemed inclined to cooperate. Ordinarily, Grayson would have started out right away and stopped for breakfast only when it was time to rest the horses. Since they were at a place where someone could fix them a good breakfast, with eggs as well as bacon, he decided to take advantage of it. Already he could smell the aroma of frying bacon on the crisp morning air.
    As he was walking Billy back up the slope from the hog pen, he noticed Earl’s young daughter standing in the half-open back door, watching them. Billy hung his head and began to limp a little.
Trying to look as pitiful as he can
, Grayson thought. He didn’t know why he bothered. He was quite surprised, however, that Billy remained docile and went back into his makeshift jail cell with no fuss. Before leaving him to go in the store, he took a good look at him to see if he looked all right. The complete lack of insults and threats set him to wondering if Billy had taken ill. “I’ll bring you some breakfast in a little while after I saddle the horses,” Grayson told him as the padlock clicked shut. “You can eat it in there, so both of us can have our hands free while we eat.”
    After breakfast was finished, Grayson settled up with Earl and they walked out in the yard to the smokehouse, where Grayson had tied the horses. Neither man noticed Cassie when she slipped out of the back door and walked casually over toward them. Grayson unlocked the padlock and handed the key to Earl. “Come on out Billy,” he said and stepped back. When Billy came out, Grayson told him to turn around, face the door, and put his hands behind him. Billy did as he was instructed, but turned only partially around. Grayson started to step closer to tie his hands behind his back, but at that moment, Cassie, who had moved up to stand at her father’s elbow, suddenly moved in closer to Billy. Quick as lightning, Billy spun back around with the butcher knife in his hand. Before she could react, he grabbed Cassie with his other hand and pulled her hard up in front of him, his forearm drawn tight across her neck and the butcher knife pressed against her throat.
    Earl blurted, “Cassie!” and started to go to his daughter.
    â€œStep back, old man,” Billy crowed, “or I’ll run this blade right through her pretty little neck.” He pressed the point just hard enough to draw a little blood, causing Cassie to cry out and stopping Earl in his tracks. “Now, by God,” Billy swore, “things are gonna change around here.” Cassie’s mother, alerted by the sounds, came running from the house, screaming her daughter’s name. “Tell her to shut up,” Billy said, “or I’ll cut clean through to her gizzard.”
    Frantic, Earl yelled for Mae to stay where she was, then turned back to Billy, who was almost choking Cassie in a stranglehold. “Please let her go,” he pleaded. “We’ll do anythin’ you say. Just don’t hurt her. What do you want us to do?”
    â€œFirst, I want that son of a bitchin’ bounty hunter to bring that rifle over here and prop it against the wall, then step back, or I swear I’ll kill her.