Free Chaparral Range War (9781101619049) by Dusty Richards

expensive white Boss of the Plains Stetson. Clearing his throat, the man woke Guthrey, who had still been sleeping in the chair on Doc’s porch.
    â€œYou must be the gawdamn Texas Ranger that beat up my deputy Lamar Dawes.”
    Wide-awake in an instant, Guthrey narrowed his gaze at the man. The sheriff—no doubt. “I settled that last night with Judge Collier. Your deputy was drunk as a hooter. If he tries to arrest me again without a warrant, he may be a dead one.”
    â€œListen to me. I am the law in this county. You mess with me or my men and you will be pushing up daisies.”
    â€œA citizen has rights. If your campaign supporters keep running off and terrorizing small ranchers you’ll be in the jail with them.”
    Killion frowned at him. “What proof do you have of that?”
    â€œLet’s start with a calf that belongs to an 87T cow found bearing the Whitmore brand. They still lynch rustlers in the West and his neck can be stretched as well.”
    â€œYou better not be tied to any lynch party.”
    â€œNo one knows the identity of lynch mobs. You know that.” Guthrey stood up and began to fold his blanket. “Did that liar I had locked up tell you that Hampton hired them to wipe us out at the 87T Ranch?”
    Still straight-backed as a top rooster, Killion acted like he’d heard nothing of the sort.
    â€œI’ll bet when they send him to Yuma, he’ll talk his tongue off. Then everyone will know about your partnership with Whitmore, won’t they?”
    â€œYou’re pretty stupid. You keep alleging I’m part of some gang. You’ll never prove that.”
    â€œTell me how stupid I am when a grand jury finds how involved you are with Whitmore in his range-squeeze scheme.”
    â€œI catch you doing anything illegal, you’ll do time yourself.” Killion turned his horse and began to ride off to control his own temper. “You keep on, Texas, and you’ll never see freedom again.”
    â€œYou better ride on, you may miss counting a cow.”
    As he stepped inside the open door, Guthrey handed Cally the blanket.
    â€œYou shouldn’t agitate him like that,” she said in a soft voice. “Either he or one of his men’ll try to kill you again.”
    â€œI want them to try to do something. Then I can get them arrested.” He looked down the hall. “How’s Dan doing this morning?”
    â€œI don’t know; they have him heavily sedated. What if his pelvis is broken?”
    â€œI’ve worried about that too. But I’m not a doctor. He took a hard fall and was rolled over on by a large horse. That is not a good thing.” To him she looked deeply struck by it all. He wanted to hug her and assure her they’d do all they could for him. If they had to, they’d take him to a larger town like Tucson or El Paso. But how would it look if he hugged her right now? Hell with it. He reached out and pulled her against him.
    â€œWe’ll do whatever we have to do. There’s someone somewhere can straighten him out.”
    In his arms, Cally put her forehead against his chest. “Oh, Guthrey, I’m lost. I’m sorry.”
    â€œListen, my mother called me Phil. Why don’t you start calling me that?”
    She looked up at him. “I’ll call you Phil. Thanks.”
    â€œGood. I just don’t want to ruin your reputation. I find myself impulsive around you. I know hugging you might not be proper, but I knew you needed some shoring up.”
    She squeezed him tight. “I’m glad that you did.”
    They separated at the sound of someone coming down the stairs. It was the doctor.
    â€œDid I hear Sheriff Killion shouting at you out there?” Doc asked.
    â€œYes, sir. He was out there threatening me to quit bucking Whitmore, I guess.”
    The balding physician shook his head in a disgusted manner. “He’s not much of a sheriff.”
    With a