Dead Aim

Book 2: O'Malleys of Texas

by Dusty Richards

Genres: Action & Adventure; Historical Fiction; Westerns

Synopsis

From Western Writers of America Spur Award-winning author Dusty Richards comes a thrilling new chapter in the O’Malley family saga, a blazing American epic of blood, bullets, and brotherhood set deep in the heart of Texas . . . Long John O’Malley is only nineteen years old, but he’s no greenhorn. The oldest and boldest of the O’Malley brothers, Long John cut his teeth tangling with Comanche at the tender age of sixteen. He risked his life to rescue a group of captive women settlers—and forged his own destiny as a hero in the making. Now he’s taking on his biggest challenge yet: riding shotgun on a wagon train across the hostile Nebraska Territory. It’s a treacherous trail, and it’s not long before the young Texan is earning his paycheck by fighting off a tribe of bloodthirsty Sioux. But the real test lies in the journey ahead—a genuine ride to hell and back, from the Rocky Mountains to Sante Fe and all the way home—that will either make Long John O’Malley a living legend . . . or a dead one.

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Pinnacle Books

Print pages: 432

Sample

Lying on his belly beneath the covered wagon, he squinted as the gun smoke from the barrel of his Winchester burned his eyes. He stared through the buckhorn sights at another of the many war-painted bucks charging around the wagon circle. Long John O’Malley damn sure felt angry by their savage attack on this wagon train. He fit the next war-painted brave in his gun sights, then squeezed the trigger, and one more screaming warrior bit the dust.

Levering in a fresh cartridge, he took aim through the wavering dust and dropped another campfire buddy of the attackers off his racing horse. A woman in her twenties slipped in on her hands and knees beside him underneath the wagon and set down a fresh box of cartridges. Then on her stomach she feverishly tore open the thick paper box. Her face bathed in sweat, her blue eyes wide open in a feverish fear, she whispered, “When will they ever quit?”

“When they all get sent to the gates of hell.”

“How many have you picked off?” She was still on her stomach, searching the scene of the attackers racing around screaming while they poured both arrows and rifle balls at the wagon train’s circle. An arrow thudded into the wagon box right above her head and she jumped. His .44/40 took out another war-painted pony, and the rider went flying through the air.

“I have not kept count. Thanks for the ammo.” On his side, he began rapid reloading of the rifle with the fresh rounds. Then he rolled back and spotted the prize of the day coming on the same route that his own men had taken. The trailing war bonnet showed off the measure of this man’s rank. And his screams were to encourage his men to fight even harder.

Long bore down on him with his sights and squeezed. The chieftain, hard struck in the chest, went off the butt of his horse in a backward somersault.

She screamed, “You got that son of a—”

Her hand caught the swear word on her lips.

Their war cries fell silent. Their guns no longer barked. The shocked, loud, body-painted riders warily crowded around on horseback and afoot where their leader lay on the ground.

The woman scooted back next to him and kissed the unexpecting Long hard on the mouth. He blinked in shock at her actions. When she rose off him and backed away, he rolled back in position and began in rapid fire to drop those braves gathered around their fallen leader. Three more went down under his hot bullets, and the rest of the Indians hurriedly hauled the chief’s limp body off by his arms out of sight.

A cheer went up from inside the wagon ring. “We’ve whipped them! Yeah! Yeah!”

Still on her knees, her blue eyes bored a hole into him. She shook her head. “Not them. You whipped them. I am not a brazen woman, but I owe you my life and so do all these people in this wagon train.”

He nodded he heard her and she backed out. With newfound hope that this fierce attack might be over, he reloaded his Winchester, picked up the box, and with them and the gun in his hand, he eased his way out. Clear of the wagon, he straightened to find himself surrounded by the excited men and women of the wagon train.

“Mister, you single-handed killed half that damn Indian Nation. But by getting that head chief you sure shut them down.” After Long set the rifle down, the wagon master, Tucker, shook his hand. “Where did you learn how to fight Injuns before?”

“My father.” He took a deep breath of the fresher air. “My brother Harp and I grew up on the Texas frontier. My father went after Comanche to get captives back. We rode with him because all the other men were gone to war. We fought them and managed to trade for some. But I’ve been warring with Indians since I was twelve years old.”

Tucker frowned at his words. “You’re part Indian?”

“Yes. My father was a Cherokee. He was killed in the Outlet before I was born. I know only a little about his people. But yes, I have fought Indians.”

“You told me you sold lots of cattle in Abilene, Kansas. Big herds, weren’t they?”

“Over six thousand head this time. We sold eight hundred head in Sedalia, Missouri, last year right there at the end of the war.”

“What is a man that rich doing out here with a wagon train load of sod busters?” Tucker laughed, amused.

“That money is in the bank. I wanted to see the Rocky Mountains and what was out here, but I had no desire to fight all these warring plains tribes.”

Several others laughed and Tucker frowned. “It’s how you talk, O’Malley. You sound like a Texas professor. No one’s ever saw a man half Indian who talked like that before.”

“My mother taught me most of that. I can read and write, too.”

“Oh, no doubt. Sometime tell us about that first cattle drive you made?”

“It was almost as bad as this Indian war you all are fighting out here.”

Tucker made a face.

“See, General Lee signed a peace treaty back east. The war didn’t end that easy in Arkansas and Missouri last year. We took our herd right through them.”

“I understand. Men, we have a job to do. There’s wounded Indians lying out there need to be sent to the happy hunting grounds. Some of our own stock needs to be treated for wounds. The oxen and horses need to be put out to graze to keep their strength. And sadly enough, there are three of our own dead we must bury. We roll west in the morning. And, Mr. O’Malley, we thank you and we thank God for sending you to help us stave them off.”

“Yes, you all are welcome. One question, Tucker.”

“Yes.”

“How much more ammo do you have left in case you have another attack like this one?”

“We’d have enough. But yes, we are low. I thought we had enough forever. But I didn’t expect this much fighting.”

“Keep that in mind when you find a source to secure more.”

“Oh, I certainly will.”

Long went with a few men, outside the circle, to send any downed Indians to their end. Several wounded warriors were still alive, so the grizzly job continued on the bloody battlefield of scattered bodies of the braves and their injured mounts as well as on the ground surrounding the wagon ring.

A young married unarmed man named Hennessey walked beside him across the battle-strewn field of dead horses and Indians. “Do you think there are more war parties ahead of us?”

“They tell me there are thousands of Indians camped out here. We are invading their country. They even fight with each other over the land ownership. Yes, you may have more fights and then, too, you may go unscathed.”

“Invading?”

“I don’t know what the hell else to call it.” Long shrugged his shoulders.

Hennessey laughed. “I just want to find a good farm in Oregon to raise my family.”

“I bet you’ll have to fight them up there.”

“I guess you are right. I better learn how.”

Long drew his Colt revolver. “That Indian lying over there is not dead. Can you use a pistol?”

“Sure.”

“Cock it and shoot him in the head.”

“I-I never shot anyone.”

“That buck would have killed and scalped you and raped your new wife.”

Hennessey nodded.

“Here, shoot him.” He handed him the Colt. “Keep your eyes open.”

The man’s hand shook as he extended his arm and cocked the hammer back. The revolver spit the bullet and gun smoked. His whole body shivered as he stepped back two steps and dropped his gun hand to the side of his leg.

“He’s dead. Don’t ever hesitate to kill your enemy. It will be him or you that survives.” He took back his six-gun and holstered it.

Hennessey folded his arms, shuddered, and nodded. “I am going to have to get a damn sight tougher than I am. Won’t I?”

“If your family and you can ever survive in Oregon, you damn sure will have to.”

“You about have them all kilt. I better go back and check on my wife.”

“Get a smaller caliber pistol than mine and shoot it till you get damn good.”

Hennessey nodded. “Thanks, Long. I know what I’ve got to do. I will.”

Long wondered if the boy really had the deep down nerve to do it.

He met with one of the older men on the battlefield doing the same job.

“Name’s Hurley.”

“Long O’Malley.”

“I know you. I saw you trying to teach that boy what he needed to do.”

“He better take my word or he’ll be sprouting daisies.”

“You ever think some of us came from a different source?”

Long nodded he did and swept up a dropped. 30-caliber Colt from the ground. Some Indian lost it. He polished the dust off it on his sleeve, then he spun the cylinder to be certain the chamber was empty under the hammer.

This might be the gun that boy needed. He stuck it in his waistband.

“How long you going to ride with us at this snail pace?” Hurley asked.

“Oh, probably not much longer.”

“I appreciate your leadership. I served in the war and I thought it was all over, but it ain’t, is it?”

“These red men won’t sign an armistice like Lee did if that’s what you thought.”

“Hey, here’s a brand-new Winchester.” Hurley swept it up and checked the barrel to be sure it wasn’t bent. “How in the hell did he get this rifle?”

“Probably bought it with furs.”

He lowered the lever and ejected the cartridge. He caught the shell and smiled. “Bet he never got to fire it.” He handed it to Long.

The gun in Long’s hands, he examined it. “I bet you’re right.”

“Hey, guys, get all their arms,” Hurley said to the others. “We may need them later.”

“I need to go back and clean my rifle. You have enough help out here.”

Hurley agreed and thanked him. The final count was thirty-six dead Indians just in the field. The count did not include the chief or others, either dead or injured, who were taken away when the able-bodied ones fled the area.

In camp, out of his packs, Long found the ramrod and unloaded the rifle to use the brush to clean the bore. He was busy with a rag on the ram to further clean up the traces of spent powder out of the rifle barrel.

A tall blond, attractive woman came by and stopped. “Mr. O’Malley, do you have a woman at home in Texas?”

He looked up and smiled at her. “No.”

With a smug look at him she said, “My sister in Saint Charles would make you a great mate.”

“How is that?”

“Oh, she likes flashy men.”

He chuckled. “I don’t consider myself flashy.”

“Well you damn sure are.” She gave him a high sign and went on her way with a cute swing to her backside.

If the sister was as pretty as her he might ride back there and find her. He went back to finish cleaning his rifle. Instead of poking along with these friendly folks, much as he liked them, he better get to riding west if he was ever going to see the Rockies and then get back to Texas to be of any help to his brother Harp on the family ranch.

Later that night asleep in his bedroll, someone whispered in his ear, “Don’t scream. I don’t have any ammo. Let me in there with you.”

It was his ammo lady and he raised the blanket. She hadn’t come there to read his palm about his future. It was too dark for that.

Dawn broke the hold on the eastern horizon. Long had dressed and decided to go see about some breakfast. At her wagon a middle-aged woman, Mrs. Yarborough, each morning served oatmeal with some sugar and cream, if there was any available, and coffee. Not the greatest brand but it was coffee, and all of that for twenty-five cents. Several bachelors ate there with her. She dished him out a metal bowl full and told him to get seated and she’d have the tin coffee cup he handed her filled.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Long said to her.

“You don’t have to thank me. You paid for your breakfast. These others are going to owe me lots of labor when we get to Oregon.” She laughed and set his cup of steaming coffee beside him.

“Oh, Mary Margret, my mother would beat me if I didn’t say thank you to you.”

“Heavens to Betsy she must have been strict on you.”

“It did not hurt me or my brother Harp. In fact it helped. He was less than eighteen when we took our first cattle to Missouri and he was the ramrod. He had good manners and he was firm, but through him and his leadership we took those cattle through a land of people that really hated us and sold them.”

“I never thought about that. Manners do impress people. Where is he?”

“He’s home with his neat wife Katy and new son Lee buying up the state of Texas and gathering more cattle to take back to Kansas next spring.”

She laughed. “How much land is he going to buy?”

“One big place I hope. I plan to leave tomorrow for the West. I need to get out there to see those Rockies and get back home.”

“Well, you did show us how to circle up and fight them Injuns. I say we sure needed you. You know they are planning the three funerals to be held shortly.”

“They won’t need me for that. I have my horses ready. Thanks for feeding me.” He finished up his oatmeal, downed his coffee, then gripped her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

“God bless you, lad, and I hope you get back to your family.”

“You are an angel. I plan to do that very thing.” He shook a few more hands, mounted his stout bay horse, and took the chestnut packhorse with him. Many shouted good-bye to him and thanked him.

The great road was one of many of the paths busy with the westward movement even this late in the season. He was a little concerned about these folks, who in the opinion of veteran travelers were not far enough west for late summer and they would have to winter somewhere in less than survivable conditions. His own two horses were stout ones and in the cooler air he short-loped them to put miles under their hooves.

He passed more wagon trains and freighters. Lots of trade goods were being borne westward by oxen. Railroad rates were too high to pay, and the high raw costs of lying rails deeper and deeper into this unsettled land had slowed its expansion. So oxen did the work until the rails caught up.

The birds of the plains scattered at his approach. He’d seen lots of prairie chickens and their barely feathered new brood. Killdeer and others scurried after bugs. Several buffalo herds detoured him, though they were not as numerous as he heard about, but he knew the pressure of hunting them was driving them west.

He made miles across the plains, which was an endless track following the sun westward. Long stopped to camp with wagon trains and freighters, to talk to people, eat some woman’s sweet desert, and then push on. His separation from Harp he found was the hardest part of his exploring adventure. His brother was home building the O’Malley family ranch, maybe an empire after their last big cattle sale in Abilene, and he wasn’t back there in Texas to help him. His conscience bit him over his self-centered plans to satisfy a whim.

A week later he rode up on a small family wagon outfit in late afternoon and spoke to the gray-haired man who was in charge. They wore shabby clothes, looked poor, and their outfit was patched.

“My name is Long O’Malley.”

“Get down. Set a while. We have no coffee but we’re friendly.”

“You have a coffeepot. I have coffee we can boil.”

“Woman, this fine man has coffee to share.”

A blank-eyed teenage girl appeared and smiled. “I kin fix it.”

“Well boil some water and get things going,” the man said as three young men came in, sat down, and stared at him.

“Boys, this is Long O’Malley.”

They nodded.

“He has real coffee to share. Ain’t no burnt barley. Nice, ain’t it?”

They only nodded.

“Them his horses, Paw?”

“Yes, he rode in here a short while ago.”

“Nice horses you ride.”

Long agreed. “They’re good enough.”

The oldest one stood up. “You must be rich.”

“I’m a rancher in Texas.”

“Paw, I think we need them horses.”

“Why, don’t insult our guest, son.”

“I think—”

His words stung Long. His back up, he said, “Go sit down. You’re not taking my horses or threatening me.”

“Why, mister—”

“Sit down or I’ll fill you full of lead. Move.” The Colt in his fist, Long slowly backed up. He lifted his rein and stepped in the saddle. His gun ready for any move they made. Then he guided his saddle horse with his knees so he could get the lead rope and throw it over his packhorse’s neck. All the time he kept them in his sight. Then he whirled the bay with his body and holstered his gun and left. The packhorse broke to go with him and galloped beside his stirrup. They went west.

There were all kinds, good and bad people, on the road west. Next time he’d look them over better before he stepped off his horse. This open country certainly could be dangerous. All the scum of the earth rode the western expansion wave. What did they say? No law, no restraint west of Abilene. He was beginning to believe it.

He met three travelers two days later; two of the men wore suits. The other was a cowboy who was their guide and camp cook. His name was Theo and said as he shook Long’s hand that he originally came from Fort Worth. The other two men were Pinkerton detectives.

Atmel Hunter was the head guy, and he talked very eastern. Kenneth Loren was the younger suited man with him. Around the campfire Hunter told him their purpose and showed Long a couple of sketches.

“This guy, Arthur Chapman, set up this cattle drive down in Texas no doubt much like you and your brother did. Folks around Waco where he lived obviously thought he was another drover who could deliver their cattle to the Kansas market and cash in their livestock, then pay them. Arthur and his brother Kenneth and a man named Miles McCracken made up the Brazos Cattle Company. They took two herds of steers north . . . most all were cattle they had contracted to sell for others. Approximately four thousand head. They sold them and then gave each cowboy twenty bucks to go get drunk on. And that night while the hands partied they took a powder. Isn’t that the word they gave us?”

Amused by the story, Long nodded he understood. “Yes. And no doubt they had over three hundred thousand dollars in their pockets.”

“Exactly. One of those punchers stranded in Abilene without his pay wired home. The ranchers got the word and hired the agency to find the felons. You haven’t seen those men’s faces we showed you?”

“No. I never saw them. They must be smiling though.”

Hunter frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“Lordy, I had that much money I’d smile all the way to San Francisco.”

The other two laughed.

“I am sorry but I find nothing funny in thievery. But I figure that must be one of the richest robberies in history,” Long said.

“It very well could be.”

“Are there traces of them being on this road?”

“Yes, we have evidence they passed this way.”

“How much reward will be paid for them?”

“If you can recover any of their money, it will pay one quarter of the amount recovered.”

“Hunter, you know if some hardcases learn they are that valuable, they will do them in and keep the money.”

“Oh, no doubt. That is why we are on horseback. Other agents from our Denver-based office are coming this way to head them off.”

“Well good luck. I bet they aren’t the only ones absconded with cattle proceeds in Abilene.”

“No. The agency caught two such men a few weeks ago in Saint Louis and recovered half the proceeds remaining.”

“That much money and only half of it remained in that short a time? What did they do with the rest?”

“Obviously spent it on wine, women, and song.”

Long shook his head. “That must have been some party.”

“I’d enjoy being there,” Loren said.

“My brother and I took a herd to Sedalia last year at the very end of the war. At the time that country wasn’t even over fighting the war. We had the cattle sale money transferred back to a Texas bank, and we paid all the people involved. But I could see how someone could slip off with that money and be gone a long ways from home in no time.”

“Exactly. If that cowboy had not wired home and told what happened, they would still be scot-free. They could have been to the west coast before anyone discovered them missing.”

“You think you will run those three thieves down riding horses out here?” Long asked them.

Hunter nodded. “Yes, we might pass them riding in a coach.”

“Hey it makes work for me,” Theo said with a grin.

Long nodded he understood. “I see any of them, I’ll try to get word to you.”

“Being part Indian, do you belong to a tribe out here?” Hunter asked.

He shook his head. “My father was a Cherokee. He died before I was born. My stepfather raised me. He’s Irish. We lived on the edge of the Comanche lands down where I grew up in Texas. I know little about the Cherokee except their reservation is in the eastern part of the Indian Territory.”

Hunter nodded. “You sound like you are well educated.”

“My mother saw to that. My half brother is a real businessman.”

Hunter shook his head. “When you first spoke I expected broken English, not an educated southern drawl.”

“Lots of people are surprised at my speech. Thanks for sharing your meal with me. If I may I’ll bed down here tonight and go on in the morning.”

“Sure, go right ahead. What is it so important for you to see the Rocky Mountains?”

“Have you ever had something you really wanted to accomplish in your life? That’s my desire. To finally really see them.”

“I have been to Denver several times. They are just mountains usually snow-capped.”

“Good. Then they are still out there waiting for me.”

They laughed and Long did, too.

Nice to sleep near some real people and talk with them about intelligent things. He shared his coffee with them. They had another brand and it didn’t taste as good as his Arbuckle.

Loaded and saddled, he left them and rode west. He had to detour mid-day for a passing buffalo herd. Then he returned to the road that ran parallel with the Platt River. Rolling hills lined the roadway, and signs of homesteaders in newly erected shoddies could be seen along the way.

His plans were to later return east on the Arkansas River route, which lay south of there. This route had begun showing the wear and tear of a much used way west. In late summer most of the land boomers were already out west. The late ones faced harsh wintering somewhere on the plains. That worried him every time he thought about their future. Not a problem for him but they had a place in his mind—he would never forget, as a boy, his family’s hard long wagon move from Arkansas to Texas.

He stopped mid-day at a road ranch trading post named Logan’s Ranch and Post. Such places had several buck skinners hanging around. These were the men who dealt with the Indians in fur trade, whiskey, and arms sales. They carried Bowie knives and liked Pennsylvania-made single-shot rifles, feeling they were more accurate than cartridge ones. Most of them had squaws for wives. For fun and entertainment they held wrestling matches, and hatchet and Bowie knife toss competitions.

Long could sink an ax in a tree at a good distance. In Texas he’d won his share of contests. So when he rode up to Logan’s Ranch and Post he saw the setup of such a contest opening and about to start. He wanted into the competition.

“How much to enter?” he asked a bystander.

“Ten bucks. You got it?” another man said, holding a handful of money.

“Here.” He handed the man two five-dollar bills. “I need to hitch my two horses.”

“I can hold them for you.” The barefoot boy in short overalls held out his hand.

“Good,” he said, and dismounted. “What is your name?”

“Stanley O’Connor, sir.”

“Long O’Malley. They’re gentle. Don’t let anyone steal them, and let them graze.”

“Oh, I’ll take good care of them.”

“I trust you.” He left the youth and went through the crowd of onlookers and nodded to the bearded men lined up for the contest.

A few competitors shook his hand and welcomed him.

“Pick you a hatchet,” one guy said, indicating the crate full of shiny new axes.

He hefted a few. They were lighter than he liked, but they were sharp edged for manufactured ones. But all the competition had to use them, so they were equally at no more advantage than he would be.

“From the looks of your clothes you must be from Texas?” the buck skinner standing beside him asked.

“Yes. Camp Verde west of San Antonio.”

The man chuckled. “Man, you are a long damned ways from home.”

“Yes.”

“Line up. Watson is the judge. Get in line. Give your last name to the clerk when it is your turn.”

“Wilkins,” the first man said as he stepped up to the line drawn in the dirt. He drew back and the ax swished through the air and bounced off the large post set up as the target.

“Next?”

“Arnold.”

His hatchet was deflected.

“Cole.”

His ax barely stuck and then fell off. The crowd awwed.

“Newland.”

Long expected this next big man to split the post into two.

The giant reared back and roared like a mad grizzly bear. His ax stuck solidly in the post. A cheer went up and the onlookers grew in numbers.

“Dawson.” His ax went wild.

Another struck the post by Newland’s and fell away.

It finally came to O’Malley.

He gave his name, stepped up, and studied the post and where to hit the post to not strike the already sunk-in hatchet. With a step forward the ax flew with all his might, and it . . .