Free Trailsman #377 : Bounty Hunt (9781101604007) by Jon Sharpe Page B

sight to behold. She was beside herself, her eyes flames of hate, her teeth bared like a rabid animal’s.
    Fargo was lucky in one respect. She had no skill at knife-fighting. Where a seasoned fighter would have gone for his vitals with quick stabs that would be hard to block or evade, she came at him like a windmill gone berserk. She slashed high, she slashed low. She tried to kick him in the knee to slow him.
    Fargo felt his back hit a wall. He twisted aside as the blade swept at his throat and heard it thunk into the wood. Diving, he grabbed hold of the small table by two of its legs. He turned as she did, and when she lunged, he whipped the table up and around.
    The crash was loud in the small room. It struck her on the head and the left shoulder.
    Tassy cried out and sprawled flat.
    Fargo sucked in deep breaths. He was breathing as if he had run a mile. Hunkering, he felt for a pulse. It was strong; she’d live but she had a nasty gash on her forehead, and she was bleeding.
    She still clenched the knife.
    Wresting it from her grasp, Fargo cuts strips from the bottom of her dress and bound her wrists and her ankles. He wedged the knife under his belt, moved to a pitcher on a counter, and filled a glass with water. He took a few swallows, then stood over Tassy and upended it onto her face.
    Sputtering and coughing, she opened her eyes. She tried to sit up, realized she was bound, and cursed him anew.
    Moving to a settee, Fargo sat and touched the scratch marks on his cheeks. They weren’t deep but they stung like hell.
    â€œServes you right,” Tassy growled. “Wish I’d blinded you.”
    â€œWas that your idea of lovemaking?”
    â€œYou bastard,” Tassy spat. “Did you think I’d let you get away with it?”
    â€œWith screwing you?”
    â€œWith killing Cord Blasingame!” Tassy wriggled toward him. “I’ll bite your neck open if I can reach you. So help me.”
    â€œDamn, woman,” Fargo said. She snapped at his leg and he kicked her in the side. “You mind explaining what this is all about?”
    â€œIsn’t it plain?” Tassy spat. “I won’t have you hurt Cord. It’s bad enough you’ve killed Clemens, Zeke and Barnes. They were good men.”
    â€œThey were outlaws.”
    â€œThey were good outlaws.”
    â€œAre you drunk?” Fargo asked, only half in jest, and had to jerk his legs to one side when she rammed her feet at him. “Do that once more and I’ll hit you with the table and not hold back.”
    â€œYou would, wouldn’t you? You’re the meanest son of a bitch I’ve ever met.”
    â€œSays the bitch who tried to cut me.”
    â€œHow many times do I have to say it? You had it coming. Riding into town like you’re God Almighty and killing my friends.”
    â€œAh,” Fargo said.
    â€œDon’t ‘ah’ me,” Tassy said. “You have no right. Especially Cord. He’s the nicest fella I know. And yes, I’m sweet on him.”
    â€œI never would have guessed,” Fargo said.
    â€œI hate you.”
    Fargo sat back. “So Cord Blasingame is the nicest man you know?”
    â€œMy exact words,” Tassy said with a nod, “and I stand by them.”
    â€œIs this the same Cord Blasingame who has a bounty on his head for killing and robbing?”
    â€œIt is.”
    â€œSure sounds like a nice gent to me.”
    â€œYou son of a bitch. What do you know?” Tassy closed her eyes and groaned. “Damn. You have me all worked up. And my head is pounding like hell.”
    â€œWhere’s a towel?” Fargo asked. “I’ll clean off the blood.”
    â€œDon’t do me no favors.”
    â€œI’ve already done you one,” Fargo said. “I let you live.”
    A scarlet drop trickled down Tassy’s nose to the very tip. “I can’t wait for one of the others to kill you. They’ll protect