Kill Them All

CHAPTER NINE

Monday, 1:04 p.m.

Matt sat in the sheriff’s office, clumsily cleaning an old Taurus.357 the way the lawman had told him. Sally sat across from him, taking stock of the other weapons, laying the guns and ammo on a table.

Matt sighed, feeling overwhelmed. He was a fraud, but these people were desperate for a leader. The smart thing to do would be to run-and hope he could get the mercenaries to follow him and leave the town alone. But what if they wouldn’t follow? Worse, what if he got away and the town paid the price?

“I’m sorry I ever came here,” Matt said aloud.

“I’m not,” she said. “You saved a life, and then saved my bacon in the bar. In some strange way, you’ve inspired us to come together as a town.” She paused. “Are we all going to make it through this?”

“I certainly hope so.” He resumed cleaning the gun. “I guess it depends on who steps up when the time comes.”

“What do you mean?”

Matt fumbled with the three speed loaders and set them aside with the newly cleaned.357. “I don’t know most of the people in Dry Wells. Bert is okay. Hog and Zeke may come through, they seem to have had a real change of heart. Wally-he’s an alcoholic, but in some ways seems like the most genuine man in town other than Kyle. And that boy, Kyle? Well, he just loves you to death-you know that, right?”

Sally shrugged. “I’m all there is around here.”

“You’re underestimating him-and yourself.”

“What about Doc?”

“He’s scared, but he’ll do okay, too.”

“You spend a lot of time reading people, don’t you?”

Matt didn’t answer. He didn’t want to have to explain how or why. He collected the handguns and put them into cardboard boxes. “Sally, get a couple of the women to help you distribute these, okay?”

“That’s it, right?”

“I guess. We’re down to firing up the kerosene lanterns, shouting at each other, hand signals, and anything else we can think of.”

“Like it’s 1875 or something.”

“Pretty much. We’re as ready as we’re likely to be without any outside help. Remember, all we have to do is make it through the night.”

She kissed his cheek. The kiss drifted to the side, and for a long moment their passions leaked out. Her hands grabbed at his back, but Matt broke away and kissed her forehead instead.

“You’d best get moving.”

Sally sighed and hurried out.

When Sally was gone, Matt sat in his chair. He wondered whether there might still be some way to leave the citizens of Dry Wells out of the confrontation. The mercenaries needed his blood, not his corpse, so they’d have to be careful. As for Matt, he wasn’t willing to be taken alive again, because there would be no guarantee Sally and the others would be safe. If Mr. Dark was around, perhaps there was some other solution, a different deal to be struck…a way to save the others, if not himself.

If Scotty gave him a chance, they’d have to talk.