Dead and Gone by Jack Patterson (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📕

Gary scrolled on his phone. “Keep going. Just ahead on the right. It’s a horse park.”

“Excellent!”

Cal looked through a trail of dust toward the former roadblock. He could only hope the FBI would come after them before something really bad happened.

CHAPTER 58

THE TRUCK SKIDDED to a stop and Bill and Gary hustled out of the truck. They pulled open the doors and yanked Cal and Jessica with them.

“We’ve gotta move,” Bill barked.

Bill stormed into the Western Corral Park’s office and brandished his firearm. “We need two horses now,” he said.

The woman behind the counter swallowed hard. “Okay. Follow me.”

“Don’t try to be a hero, lady,” Bill warned as they walked.

She led them outside to a stable with about twenty horses by Cal’s best estimate.

“Got any saddled and ready to go?” Bill asked.

“This way,” the woman said as she led them toward the end of the stable. A stable hand, listening to music through his ear buds, brushed one of the horses. When he looked up to see the two gunmen dragging a pair of hostages toward him, he dropped his brush and dashed away.

“Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” Bill said.

The lady nodded.

She approached one of the horses and handed the reins to Bill. He hoisted Jessica onto the horse first before jumping up behind her.

Gary shoved Cal up onto the horse before climbing up behind him as well.

The woman stared at them. “Now, I need to tell you a few things about these horses—”

“Save it, lady,” Bill said. “We’re not interested.” He looked around the stable. “Are these all your horses?”

She nodded.

“I want this entire stable opened up right now. I don’t want any of the feds coming after us on these horses. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

She didn’t move.

“Do it now!”

She scrambled down the stable, opening each gate to release the horses. In a matter of moments, Bill and Gary were at the reins of two horses ahead of a growing stampede.

Cal clung to Gary as the horses climbed the rocky terrain and headed deep into the park.

The two assailants rode along in silence. It seemed eerie to Cal, like they’d either done this before or were communicating some other way. It spooked Cal, whose stomach grew queasier with each passing minute.

After thirty minutes of traversing along the mountainside, Bill led them toward a dry gulch. With a patch of trees, it provided the most cover in an otherwise open terrain.

“You need a break?” Bill asked Gary.

“I’m good. Let’s keep movin’.”

Cal glanced around and noticed a rattlesnake coiled up just a few yards ahead on the right. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“Can we stop? I have to pee,” Cal said.

Bill stopped his horse and turned and glared at Cal before producing a dramatic eye roll.

“Did bitty bladder drink too much today?” Bill said. “I’m surprised you haven’t pooped your pants yet.”

“I’m serious,” Cal pleaded.

“Let’s keep moving.” Bill turned and continued along the gulch.

“No!” shouted Gary. “I’m not gonna have this dweeb takin’ a piss all over my back. Let the man go.” Gary halted his horse.

Bill stopped too. “Fine then. Make it quick.”

Cal climbed down off the horse and eyed the rattlesnake just a few feet away from Gary’s horse. He slowly walked in the direction of it.

“Will ya hurry it up?” Bill growled.

“Okay, okay,” Cal said as he increased his pace.

He took a deep breath and then kicked dirt in the direction of the snake. The snake rose up and headed toward him. Cal shuffled around, placing the horse between him and the snake. As Gary tried to figure out what was going on, he turned his horse around until it was facing the snake.

Gary’s horse then reared back, tossing him hard to the ground.

Bill watched slack-jawed. “What the—”

With his hands still tied, Cal scurried over to Gary, who wasn’t moving. He used the terrified horse, which was bucking about, as a shield from Bill. Cal snatched the gun off Gary and pulled a knife off his belt before he tiptoed away from his co-rider, who still lay motionless on the ground. Cal sawed discreetly at the ropes on his hands. He then began to slowly back away from Gary once he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The snake returned and slithered toward Gary.

“No!” Bill yelled, shooting at the snake.

He missed. The snake recoiled and bit Gary on the neck.

Bill leapt off his horse and started to run toward Gary. He didn’t even see the gun trained on him.

“That’s far enough,” Cal said, his hands shaking.

Cal walked sideways, keeping Bill in front of him. “You can tend to your friend, but you’re going to let us go.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Bill said, reaching for his gun.

“Keep your hands right there,” Cal said. “I know how to use this thing.”

“I doubt that,” Bill said.

With that, Bill’s hand darted toward his gun, but it never got there.

Bam! Bam!

Cal put two shots in Bill’s left leg. Bill staggered to his knees and then fell over on the ground.

However, he didn’t lie there for more than a second or two when he heard the clicking of the rattlesnake behind. Bill wobbled to his feet and limped away from the snake.

“Now put your gun down and kick it over here,” Cal said.

“Are you crazy? I’m gonna need this thing.”

Cal fired another round at Bill’s feet.

Bill put his hands up. “Okay, okay. Here.” He followed Cal’s orders and kicked the gun to him.

Cal kept his gun trained on Bill while he picked up the other one and jammed it into the back of his pants. He then backed toward Bill’s horse.

“Give me your hands,” Cal said to Jessica. He cut her free. She didn’t need any instructions to know she was to do the same to him.

Cal climbed onto the horse behind Jessica.

“Good luck, Bill,” Cal said as he grabbed the reins. “You’re gonna need it.”

Cal directed the horse out of the gulch and toward the hill