Free Bleeding Texas by William W. Johnstone Page A

for the past year. I’m tired of trying to ease them out of the way. It’s time to take more direct action.”
    Holland’s lean form practically trembled with anticipation as he said, “Are you talkin’ about a raid on the Star C? Because if you are, I can get enough good men together to wipe that bunch off the face of the earth. If we bring in Palmer’s bunch alone—”
    â€œDon’t be a damned fool,” Nick snapped. “That might have worked ten years ago, but if we tried something like that now we’d have the Rangers down on our necks. We’ve kept things quiet enough so far that we haven’t drawn their attention, and I’d just as soon keep it that way.”
    â€œThen what do you mean?”
    Nick flicked the butt of the quirley away from him in the darkness and said, “We’re going to let the law do all the hard work for us.”

CHAPTER 10
    After Lauralee patched up the wound in Bo’s side, Scratch stayed close to his old friend as they returned to the schoolhouse for the rest of the social. If anybody else made an attempt on Bo’s life, Scratch intended to be there to stop it.
    Now that the fight was over, the dancing continued. Bo wasn’t really up to it, but he insisted that Scratch and Lauralee get out there on the floor.
    Scratch knew Lauralee wouldn’t have any trouble finding dance partners, but he took her in his arms and led off in the waltz the musicians were playing. He said, “Since we’re spinnin’ around, we can take turns keepin’ an eye on Bo.”
    â€œDo you think he needs someone to keep an eye on him?”
    â€œHe’s come too blasted close to gettin’ killed a couple of times lately. I don’t see any of the Fontaine bunch around anymore, but I ain’t takin’ no chances. If I see anything that looks fishy, I’m gonna take a hand in a hurry.”
    â€œYes, I agree with you,” Lauralee said. “He won’t like having people watching out for him, though. He always thinks he can take care of himself.”
    â€œAnd most of the time he can. I got a bad feelin’ about the things goin’ on around here these days, though.”
    â€œI can’t argue with that. The Fontaines are really on the prod. Of course, Danny always is.”
    Scratch grunted. He and Bo had had a run-in with Danny Fontaine the same day they’d returned to Bear Creek several months earlier, and things hadn’t really changed since then.
    Somebody tapped on Scratch’s shoulder. He looked around to see one of Bo’s nephews standing there with a grin on his face. Scratch couldn’t recall the kid’s name right offhand. There were too many of them.
    â€œI’m cuttin’ in,” the youngster said.
    Scratch thought about telling the kid to go climb a stump, then thought better of it. Could be that Lauralee would enjoy dancing with somebody closer to her own age.
    â€œAll right,” he said as he stepped back. “As long as the lady don’t object, that is.”
    â€œThat’s fine,” Lauralee said with a smile. Her new partner took hold of her hands, and they spun away in the crowd of dancers.
    Scratch figured he would go and sit with Bo, but as he turned he found his path blocked by an attractive, yet formidable, barrier.
    â€œYou never came and had tea with me, Mr. Morton,” Mrs. Emmaline Ashley said with an accusing frown. “I thought we had agreed on that.”
    â€œWell, I, uh, that is . . .”
    This was a different sort of threat than the ones Scratch was accustomed to facing, and he didn’t quite know what to do.
    When in doubt, he told himself, fall back on the truth.
    â€œAfter what happened, I mean with me rushin’ outta the store like that, I didn’t figure you still wanted to have tea with me, ma’am,” he said.
    â€œDon’t you think you should have let me make that