Double The Bounty

Chapter XXXI

“So?” Brent asked. He used only the one word because he was too busy trying to catch his breath to use any others. He had a stitch in his side, and he thought he might be bleeding again.

“Still coming. We’re gonna have to keep moving, Brent.”

“So let’s move then.”

Brian cast a dubious look his brother’s way, then said, “All right.”

“Something’s wrong,” Brian said sometime later.

“What?”

“I can’t see them.”

“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.”