William W. Johnstone - Snake River Slaughter (Matt Jensen: The Last Mountain Man, Book 5)

Sweetwater County, Wyoming

The Baker brothers, Harry and Arnold, were outside by the barn when they saw Jules Pratt and his wife come out of the house. Scott and Lucy McDonald walked out onto the porch to tell the Pratts good-bye.

You have been most generous, Jules said as he climbed up into the surrey. Speaking on behalf of the laity of the church, I can tell you that every time we hear the beautiful music of the new organ, we will be thinking of, and thanking you.

It was our pleasure, Scott said. The church means a great deal to us, more than we can say. And we are more than happy to do anything we can to help out.

Well see you Sunday, Jules said, slapping the reins against the back of the team.

Lucy McDonald went back into the house but before Scott went back inside, he looked over toward the barn at the two brothers.

How are you two boys comin on the wagon? Scott called toward them.

Were workin on it, Harry called back.

Im goin to be needin it pretty soon now, so you let me know if you run into any trouble with it, McDonald replied, just as he went back inside.

Harry and Arnold Baker were not permanent employees of the MacDonalds. They had been hired the day before for the specific purpose of making repairs to the freight wagon.

Did you see that money box? Harry asked.

You mean when he give that other fella a donation for the organ? Yeah, I seen it, Arnold replied.

There has to be two, maybe three hunnert dollars in that box, Harry said.

How long would it take us to make that kind of money? Arnold asked.

Hell, it would take the better part of a year for us to make that much money, even if we was to put our earnings together, Harry said.

Yeah, thats what I thought, Arnold said. Harry, you want to know what Im thinkin?

If youre thinkin the same thing Im thinkin, I know what it is, Harry replied.

Lets go in there and get that money.

He aint goin to give up and just give it to us, Harry said.

He will if we threaten to kill im.

Harry shook his head. Just threatenin him aint goin enough, he said. Were goin to have to do it. Otherwise, hell set the sheriff on us.

What about the others? His wife and kids?

You want the two boys to grow up and come after us?

No, I guess not.

If we are goin to do this thing, Arnold, theres only one way to do it, Harry insisted.

All right. Lets do it.

Pulling their guns and checking their loads, the two brothers put their pistols back in their holsters, then crossed the distance between the barn and the house. They pushed the door open and went inside without so much as a warning knock.

Oh! Lucy said startled by the sudden appearance of the two men in the kitchen.

Get your husband, Arnold said, his voice little more than a growl.

Lucy left the kitchen, then returned a moment later with Scott. Scott wasnt wearing his gun, which was going to make this even easier than they had planned.

Lucy said you two boys just walked into the house without so much as a fare thee well, Scott said, his voice reflecting his irritation. You know better than to do that. What do you want?

The money, Harry said.

The money? You mean you have finished the wagon? Well, good, good. Let me take a look at it, and if Im satisfied, Ill give you your ten dollars, Scott said.

Harry shook his head. No, not ten dollars, he said. All of it.

I beg your pardon?

Harry drew his pistol, and when he did, Arnold drew his as well.

The money box, Harry said. Get it down. We want all the money.

Scott! Lucy said in a choked voice.

Its all right, Lucy, we are goin to give them what they ask for. Then theyll go away and leave us alone. Get the box down and hand it to them.

Youre a smart man, McDonald, Arnold said.

Youll never get away with stealing our money, Lucy said as she retrieved the box from the top of the cupboard, then handed it over to Harry.

Oh, yeah, were goin to get away with it, Harry said as he took the money from the box. Folding the money over, he stuck it in his pocket. Then, without another word, he pulled the trigger. Lucy got a surprised look on her face as the bullet buried into her chest, but she went down, dead before she hit the floor.

You son of a bitch! Scott shouted as he leaped toward Harry.

Harry was surprised by the quickness and the furiousness of the attack. He was knocked down by Scott, but he managed to hold onto his gun and even as he was under Scott on the floor, he stuck the barrel of gun into Scotts stomach and pulled the trigger.

Get him off of me! Harry shouted. Get him off of me.

Mama, Papa, what is it? a young voice called and the two children came running into the kitchen. Arnold shot both of them, then he rolled Scott off Harry and helped his brother back on his feet.

Are you all right? Arnold asked.

Yeah, Scott answered. Ive got the money. Come on, lets get out of here.

The next day

Matt Jensen dismounted in front of the Gold Strike Saloon. Brushing some of the trail dust away, he tied his horse off at the hitching rail, then began looking at the other horses that were there, lifting the left hind foot of each animal in turn.

His action seemed a little peculiar and some of pedestrians stopped to look over at him. What they saw was a man who was just a bit over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was young in years, but his pale blue eyes bespoke of experiences that most would not see in three lifetimes. He was a lone wolf who had worn a deputys badge in Abilene, ridden shotgun for a stagecoach out of Lordsburg, scouted for the army in the McDowell Mountains of Arizona, and panned for gold in Idaho. A bankers daughter in Cheyenne once thought she could make him settle downa soiled dove in The Territories knew that she couldnt, but took what he offered.

Matt was a wanderer, always wondering what was beyond the next line of hills, just over the horizon. He traveled light, with a Bowie knife, a .44 double-action Colt, a Winchester .44-40 rifle, a rain slicker, an overcoat, two blankets, and a spare shirt, socks, trousers, and underwear.

He called Colorado his home, though he had actually started life in Kansas. Colorado was home only because it was where he had reached his maturity, and Smoke Jensen, the closest thing he had to a family, lived there. In truth though, he spent no more time in Colorado than he did in Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, or Arizona.

At the moment, Matt was on the trail of Harry and Arnold Baker for the murder of Scott McDonald, his wife, Lucy, and their two young sons, Toby and Tyler. Before he died, Scott McDonald managed to live long enough to scrawl the letters B-A-K on the floor, using his finger as a pen, and his own blood as the ink. McDonald had hired the Baker brothers, not because he needed the help, but because he thought they were down on their luck and needed the job.

Matt had known the McDonalds well. He had been a guest in their house many times, and had even attended the baptism of one of their children. When the McDonalds were killed, Matt took it very personally and had himself temporarily deputized so he could hunt down the Baker brothers and bring them to justice.

One of the Baker brothers was riding a horse that left a distinctive hoof print and that enabled Matt to track them to Burnt Fork. That brought him to the front of the Gold Strike Saloon where he was checking the shoes of the horses there were tied off at the hitching rail. On the fourth horse that he examined, he found what he was looking for. The shoe on the horses left rear foot had a V-shaped niche on the inside of the right arm of the shoe.