Read Wild for Free Online Page B

any trouble,” Jim said. “Though you boys sure are going to be in for a surprise when you meet up with Lee.”
    “Somehow, I doubt that old geezer can do anything I wouldn’t see coming,” Tom said.
    Jim stopped at the foot of the nearest hill. “It’s just over the top here. We have a camp in the valley.”
    “How many?” Matt asked.
    “Two,” Jim said. “Lee and Big Steve Harris.”
    “That sounds about right,” Tom said. “Me and James used to ride with them a while back. Still get together for the occasional job. You know, for money.” The outlaw cast a dirty look at Fancy Jim, who smirked and began climbing the hill.
    “Keep quiet,” Matt said. “We lose the element of surprise, I start shooting. I only need Oliver alive.”
    They stopped at the top of the hill. Matt pushed Jim flat against the ground and the rest followed suit. There were two tents in the valley, and a campfire between them. Two men sat around the fire, smoking and passing a bottle. Three horses were tied to a nearby tree.
    “You go first.” Matt prodded Jim with his gun. “Act normal, and like my partner said, no funny stuff.”
    “Hey,” Jim called as he started down into the valley. The two men looked up.
    “You’re back early,” one of them chuckled. The fire flickered across his gray, grizzled face. “Ol’ Janey took the starch out of you real quick, huh—” The chuckle died on his lips as he saw Matt, Tom and Juan clambering down the hill behind Jim, guns drawn. “What the fuck!” He jumped to his feet, dragging a shotgun from the dirt beside him.
    Matt shouted and dropped to his knees, firing on the way down. Blood spurted from the old man’s hand. He dropped the shotgun with a yell.
    “Don’t even think about it, Steve,” Tom called, rushing towards the other man. “Just mosey on over here and hit your knees.” The big man glowered at Tom, but did as he was told.
    “Now, come over here and chat with us a minute, Mister Oliver,” Matt said, sidling up to the old outlaw. The old man grasped his bleeding hand to his chest.
    “I’m gonna kill you, Jim,” he said.
    “I’m sorry, boss,” the dandy began, but Matt waved his free hand at him, and he fell silent.
    “I don’t care about your internal affairs, gents,” Matt said. “The three of you can have a shootout after we leave, for all I care. First, though; you’re going to tell me what you know about Colonel Waters and his boy.”
    “What’s it to you?” Lee said.
    “For starters, señor ,” Juan said, “I can treat that wound. I’m a doctor. You need those hands to make a living, and believe it or not, my friend is a good man.”
    “I don’t care none about good men or bad,” Lee said. “But you do have a good point. I took them fellas right out of their house a few nights ago.”
    “Where are they now?” Matt asked.
    “Damned if I know.” Lee shrugged and grinned, showing a large gap in his teeth.
    “I think I can put some of the pieces together,” Matt said. He pulled something from his pocket and held it out to the grizzled outlaw. It was the yellowed tooth he’d found in the fire. “You did a job for some folks and had a disagreement after the fact.”
    “Sure did,” Lee said. “Didn’t pay me my money. Took off with Waters and his kid strapped to a horse. Ain’t sayin’ nothin’ else.”
    “If you don’t, I’m going to put some more holes where they don’t belong,” Matt said, aiming his gun at Lee’s knee.
    “Fire away,” Lee said. His eyes darted from left to right, and beads of sweat shone on his brow. “All you can take is my life.”
    “You’re scared, aren’t you,” Tom said. “We already ran into those dead boys. Killed ‘em all off. Again. I think you have more to fear from my buddy here. And me, if you don’t have my money.”
    “I don’t have your money, my money, or anyone else’s,” Lee said. “Fucking wizard took everything.”
    “You mean a hechicero , señor ?” Juan