Outlaw's Reckoning by J. R. Roberts

you be waiting here?”
    Matt shrugged and took a slow look around. “Because I ain’t about to duck what’s headed my way no more. If the law’s gonna get me, then they’re gonna get me. Fighting only prolongs the running in between.”
    â€œThat’s very enlightened.”
    â€œI don’t know what that means, as such, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”
    Clint couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath. Out of all the things he’d been expecting, sharing a few easy jokes with the admitted outlaw wasn’t one of them.
    â€œThat widow did get her money, right?” Matt asked.
    â€œShe sure did.”
    â€œAnd you think she’ll do the right thing with it this time?”
    Clint nodded. “She didn’t do anything wrong the first time. Her only mistake was letting Henry know where she kept it.”
    Shaking his head, Matt grumbled, “Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to let her keep it. All it takes is one slip and she’s in for a world of trouble.”
    â€œThere’s more good to be done with her keeping the money than in her being without it. Besides, she seems like a smart woman. She’ll do just fine.”
    Matt was still shaking his head as he nervously put the town behind him.
    â€œYou did a good thing back there,” Clint said.
    â€œYeah, well I tried. I got a long ways to go before I’m done.”
    â€œIn that case, do you think you could use a partner?”
    Matt looked over at Clint and waited as if he expected Clint to laugh or take back his offer. When neither of those things happened, Matt shifted so he was facing forward in his saddle and flicked the reins. He didn’t say a word either way when Eclipse fell into step beside him.

EIGHTEEN
    Clint’s first reason for wanting to go along with Matt was to make certain he didn’t double back and make a try for the money he’d left behind. Then, as he settled into the easy rhythm of Eclipse’s steps and the cool night air washed over his face, Clint realized the error in that assumption.
    If Matt had wanted the money so badly, he wouldn’t have handed it over to Kay Hasselman. The look on Kay’s face, along with the question she’d started to ask back at her house, told Clint that she’d recognized something about Matt’s face despite the bandanna he’d been wearing. That chipped away at what little doubt there was in Clint’s mind that Matt had been the one to give her the money.
    Once that fact had settled inside him, Clint was left with plenty more to think about. Fortunately, it seemed the ride in the night air had had its soothing effect on Matt as well.
    â€œWhere’d all that money come from, Matt?” Clint asked.
    Matt nodded to himself and replied, “I was wondering when you’d get back around to that.”
    Clint kept his eyes right where they’d been when he’d asked the question and didn’t bother repeating it.
    After a few more seconds, Matt said, “I’ve collected plenty of money over the years. Damn near all of it’s got blood on it.”
    â€œAnd you decided to give some of it back?”
    â€œNo. I decided to give all of it back.”
    At first, Clint thought he’d misunderstood. Then, he looked for any sign that Matt might be lying. Even though there wasn’t much light, Clint could see enough of Matt’s face to spot the casual expression and the calm way he held himself under scrutiny. Most guilty men couldn’t pull that off so well.
    â€œWhy would you give it back?” Clint asked.
    â€œI’d think you’d know the answer to that.”
    â€œI know how I’d answer it, but I’m not the sort who’d collect a fortune in blood money, either.”
    â€œFair enough,” Matt said with a shrug. “I been breakin’ the law since before I ever knew what a law was. It came easy to me. Plenty of things came