Read Ride for Rule Cordell for Free Online

for, at least, Dimitry and Moore.”
    At the jail, Bartlett watched his friend dismount. Asusual, Checker’s face was unreadable. Bartlett knew his friend was hurting from the wound. Had to be. Checker had struggled with himself about dealing with evil; something within him wanted the evil to go away and leave him with a normal family. And it wouldn’t. Evil had a way of transforming everything.
    Bartlett unlashed the ropes connecting the riders and began ordering them to dismount, one by one. He liked the precision of the order.
    Across the street, a small gathering of townspeople had stopped to watch, uncertain of what had transpired. A well-dressed man in a charcoal-gray suit and a slightly tilted, short-brimmed hat announced they should go over and arrest the two strangers, certainly the town didn’t need their kind around, that Jaudon worked for Lady Holt and was a fine, upstanding citizen.
    Murmurs of agreement followed, interspersed with brash comments, but no one moved. Especially not the well-dressed man. A frail-looking woman with snow-white hair harrumphed and crossed the street to ask what was happening. Her face went as white as her hair when Checker informed her of the situation. Her chin rose in defiance and she spun to return to the group and relate the details.
    The tall Ranger wasn’t sure if he should be pleased or concerned.
    As she retreated, the sound of peeing reached Checker’s ears. In the alley between the jail and a saloon, a silhouette weaved as he attempted to relieve himself. The tall Ranger returned his attention to the arrested men. His leg was throbbing and forcing pain throughout his body. Reacting to it would have to wait; sleep would have to wait. Until Jaudon and his men were safely behind bars. He barely heard the sheriff say they would have to cram the gunmen into the five cells, but Jaudon would have one by himself.
    “We’re not through, Checker,” Tapan Moore yelled, and flashed a wide, toothy smile.
    “Another time. Another time.”
    Standing next to him, the half-breed Dimitry made a slicing motion across his neck with his hand.

Chapter Five
    Above them in an apartment over the town bank, a green-eyed woman faced the scene in the street. She didn’t like being in town that much, but she wanted to be close when Jaudon brought the news of Gardner’s death, trying to escape. She was also looking forward to some special time with Tapan Moore. The sound of horses had awakened her immediately and she watched from the small window, dressed only in her nightgown of deep emerald.
    Anger brought her skin to contrast her gown. It was obvious the night had not gone as planned. At first she thought Jaudon had brought Emmett Gardner in for the law to deal with. That wasn’t her instruction, but it was all right. A closer look told a different story: Jaudon and his men were bound. Tapan was among them; she grimaced and wanted to blow him a kiss. She recognized one of the dead gunmen draped over a horse as working for her. Two strangers had apparently brought them in. Who could they be?
    Moira Holt, or Lady Holt as she insisted being called, told herself to be calm. This was not a time for her well-known temper. She must first learn of the situation. It appearedJaudon and his men had been surprised at the Gardner Ranch. Surprised by two men she didn’t know. Even from here, she could tell the two were well armed; it looked as though the taller one had been wounded in the leg. She didn’t see Emmett Gardner or any of his sons, so either they remained at their ranch or Jaudon’s men were successful before these two arrived. She doubted it was the latter.
    As she spun away from the window with its green curtains, her mind was whirling with questions that needed answers. The best way to do that was to meet these two strangers. As soon as she had bathed.
    Her long red hair cascaded along her shoulders as she walked across the green-walled apartment, dropping her night garments as she