Ride With Me (A Quaking Heart Novel - Book One)

  Chapter 35

  Once he had the fire blazing, Max eased back against the trunk of a pine, trying to relax the overused muscles from Clint's relentless pace. Pete snored next to him, his chin resting on his chest, while evening breezes swirled through his hair and the branches overhead.

  Max repositioned his rear-end for the third time. Night would soon be upon them and still no sign of Clint.

  Something rustled in the trees. Clint? Max squinted, trying to get a fix on what he'd heard. But, it was pitch black beyond the firelight. Pete had heard the sound too, since the snoring had stopped and his eyes were now locked on the same section of pines.

  "An animal?" Pete whispered.

  Max saw a glint of firelight off metal and grabbed for his rifle.

  "Hold it right there, Maximillian."

  Max knew that voice. Stomach acid burned up his throat. "So, we were right about you, huh, Brad? You've been stealing from us."

  "From you?" Brad barked a laugh. "A lowly cowhand? No." He stepped into the campfire's light. His hat was pulled so low Max could only see a shadowed portion of his face. "From that lout Harper, and his high-handed foreman. Get their weapons, Darrell."

  Darrell trod into the circle. His pockmarked skin glistened in the firelight. He spewed a stream of tobacco at Max's feet and then wrenched the rifle out of his hands. He plodded around Pete and snatched his rifle, too.

  "You won't get away with this, Brad. Everybody knows we're after you," Pete said.

  "Who's got the gun, huh, Mr. jokester? Tie 'em up, Randy, back-to-back. Seems to me they could have sent a little better team than you two." Brad's laughter rang out into the night.