Revenge

This is a work of fiction.  The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.  Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. 

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner, without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Copyright © 2016 by JR Thomas

DEDICATION

Idedicate this, my forth novel, to my loving wife, Vanessa.  She allows me time to dream and write the stories I love to share.

To my family, I would like to say just how much it means that you gave me the time and the chance to publish another novel.  Just letting you know, I’ll need more time in the future, got more stories to tell!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This novel would not have been possible, without my friend’s constant encouragement.  My first three novels made up the Western trilogy of The Long Return series.  This fourth novel contains some of the main characters of the series and I think you will enjoy reading this one if you like action, adventure, and a little romance.

Most often their comments are, when you gonna finish your book.  My answer, I’m working on it.  I have enjoyed providing reading entertainment to my friends, and others who have purchased my writings. 

Thank you for supporting my endeavors.

PROLOGUE

Riding hard towards his rendezvous spot, Miguel spotted a dozen black buzzards flying overhead before he saw the blue uniforms of the troopers.  He turned for the cover of short shrub oaks and dropped from his lathered horse; Miguel tied his weary sorrel and packhorse to a tree limb and made his way to where El Falco’s men had been camped.  He was supposed to meet back up with them at this location with additional supplies and whiskey for their journey back to Mexico.

The Mexican couldn’t believe his eyes; his friends lay around the burnt spot where the fire had been the night before.  He counted all eight of his friends stretched out in front of the blue coats. Two of the troopers had the half-breed Indian, White Horse, by his arms, dragging him to where his other compadres were laying face up.  He got close enough to hear them talking, but kept far enough away to escape detection.  He knew if caught, no doubt, he’d be there on his back just like the rest of the men.

The soldier’s leader walked around the area trying to figure out what happened before they arrived in the camp.  Miguel could tell he seemed puzzled by the death of the men he had been trailing.  What stood out most, probably, the three women the Mexicans had killed for, were not among the dead. 

Another one of the blue coat soldiers approached the man with the silver bar on his shoulders and reported he had spotted horse tracks approaching the camp from the south.  The leader signaled for the troopers to mount their horses and they headed south to follow the tracks, leaving his dead friends to the circling buzzards.

Miguel waited until they were almost out of sight before he moved to where the men lay.  He shooed away one brave buzzard who had dropped looking for an early lunch, and looked at the dead men.  El Falco’s bother lay prone before him with his body ravaged by multiple buckshot wounds.  Somebody, no, maybe a lot of people would die for sure.  El Falco, a hard man, might even kill him and his family when he told him of his brother’s death.  He knew the poor man who killed him would die a slow death, if El Falco could find him.  He had no choice but to ride back and report Arturo’s death to El Falco or his own family would die, they were with him in his mountain hideout across the border in Mexico. 

He needed more information before leaving for El Falco’s camp, where did those tracks go, and who killed his compadres.  Without this information, he would be a walking dead man.  He covered El Falco’s brother, Arturo, with rocks he found close by and left the other men to the hungry buzzards.

Mounting his horse, he set out at a slow pace to follow the troopers.  He would stay far enough away, but close enough to find out who killed his compadres and took the three women they had stolen for ransom.  He hadn’t gone far in the rain before he saw the troopers stopped at the wagon train Arturo had been trailing. 

The plans, he was sure, had been to raid it and take their money and women to give El Falco for sale in Mexico.  At least that normally was Arturo’s plans.  Arturo had always been just as cruel and greedy as his older brother.  

He rode around behind the wagon train.  There he waited and watched from the protection of the close by dense woods.  The rain fell making him miserably wet, but eventually his wait rewarded him, the three women came into view and he saw a tall gringo take the women to the waiting soldiers outside of the wagons camp.  The three women rode off with the soldiers and he saddled and kept them at a long distance as he followed them.

The rain broke just before the soldiers rode into the small town.  He waited until the women went into the hotel and the soldiers rode off.  Miguel, a patient man could wait until the safety of nighttime.  He found a dry spot behind the livery stable and covering himself with his poncho, he slept undetected.

When he awoke, the sun had gone down and darkness became his friend.  He left his horses, and made his way to the back of the hotel and there entered through a rear door someone had left unlocked.  He had started to break the glass above the doorknob, but decided to try it before he broke the glass.  To his surprise, he found it unlocked.

He walked into the back of the hotel’s main room and made it to the foot of the stairs undetected.  Not knowing what room they were in, he took a chance, and went to every door and listened.  Midway down the hall, he heard the women’s voices through their door.  He turned the doorknob slowly.  The women had locked the door.  Miguel thought for a moment, then drawing his gun he lightly tapped on the door with it.

Yes? He heard someone ask.

Using his best English he said, Ma’am, I’ve brought another pitcher of water.

Okay, just a moment.

The lock on the door clicked and Miguel pushed hard.  The door slammed into the woman on the other side and she sprawled backwards on the floor.  Miguel pointed his gun at them and shut the door.  Quiet or you die!

He motioned with the tip of his pistol for them to go to the bed.

Sit.  This won’t take long.  Who killed my friends?

Fear set into the faces of the women as they recognized him.  No one spoke. 

Miguel walked up and put his pistol to the head of one of the girls.  Looking directly at the older Negro woman, he asked his question again.

One last time, who killed my friends?

His name is Jake Cooper, the Negro woman said hesitantly.

From the wagon train?

Yes.

Where are they going?

I heard the name Union, a small town southwest of Abilene.

Is he from there?

Silence filled the small room.

I need to know where he lives.

A ranch called Stoney Brook near Riverdale he said.  That’s all I know.

Where is the money, you got it?  I want the money or you all will die.

In the saddlebag hid under the bed.

Miguel reached for the saddlebag and the older woman tried to take the pistol from his hand.  With a single motion, he yanked the gun from her grasp and swung it striking her hard against her head.  The force of the swing knocked her to the floor and the two girls screamed.  Miguel grabbed the bag of money and ran out of the room and down the stairs.  He made it to his horse and with all the speed the sorrel had, he raced out of town dragging his packhorse.  The pouring rain would help his escape; maybe the rain would wash away his tracks.

At least he had the money; maybe, El Falco would not kill him or his family.  He headed west, towards the Mexican border and safety of El Falco’s hideout.

CHAPTER 1

Stoney Brook

Mid-November 1865

Maria left Jake and his Mom in the family’s parlor and prepared a feast to celebrate Jake’s safe return to the ranch.  She knew his favorite meal consisted of beef enchiladas, black beans, her special yellow rice, salsa, and lots of crisp corn tortillas.  Jake wanted to invite the ranch foremen so she made more than normal.

Sadly, this celebration would not include Jake’s father, Colonel Matt, and his only brother, Frank.  The two men were killed a year earlier by the men of El Falco.  The cattle thieves had bushwhacked both men as they tried to take back their stolen cattle.  The Colonel caught them red-handed trying to herd them off the ranch, and for the border.  Their bodies found, cruelly drug by horses and then shot.

Maria had worked for the Coopers since the children were small and had helped raise Jake, Frank, and their sister Abby Cooper from childhood.  Abby had married after the loss of her father and brother and had moved to Austin with her new husband, Miles.

The food hot and ready for eating, she had her husband Pedro, the ranch’s lead foreman, ring the large bell on the front porch to signal the invited foremen, dinner was ready.

Jake had not yet met them and had requested their presence for dinner so he could get to know them better. Jake walked out on the large wraparound porch and watched as the foremen made their way to the big house.

When Jake left for the war back east, there had been two foremen, Pedro, who oversaw the ranches large stock of horses, and Monty Williams, who helped his Dad with the Long Horn cattle.

Pedro had informed him that his Dad had hired two additional foremen.  They were Charlie Watts, who helped the Colonel, with breeding a new herd of short horn cattle and Bo Yeager, who took over all the farming operations on the ranch. 

Jake shook hands with each as they stepped up on the porch.  He didn’t know them yet, but before the night would end, he would.  Pedro had told him his father went through a lot of men before he hired them for the ranch.  He reasoned if his father had personally chosen them, well then they had to be both smart and hard workers.  His father wouldn’t put up with a lazy person, there was always too much to do on the ranch, and every man had to carry his own water.  His father always said laziness would spread to the other men if he hired just one man who wouldn’t pull his own weight. 

A good judge of character, he would know as well, if not tonight, by the time he left to find the killers of his father and brother.  The men took a place at the table and Maria and Pedro brought out armloads of hot Mexican food.  Jake’s mouth watered, it had been too long since he put his feet under this table.  Taking a moment, he asked God to bless the food and those at his table.  There wasn’t much said, at first.  None of these men knew much about Jake and he sensed their uneasiness.

"Men, as you know by now, my name’s Jake Cooper.  I’ve been away for almost four years fighting in the war back east and arrived back today.  Pedro has told me a little about you so I’m going to tell you about myself.  You worked for the Colonel and you knew him well, since he chose each one of you because you were the right fit for his ranch.  My father’s beliefs are mine as well.  I believe in honesty, hard work, and loyalty, no different from that of the Colonel.  There will be a good wage for a good days work.

"I’ve been away for years and a lot has changed on the ranch since my departure.  The ranch has grown by another ten thousand acres and you have been a part of that, and I thank you for it.  I grew up on this ranch, and will most likely, die here.  No one will steal our cattle, horses, or take our land.  If you continue to work for me, I promise that you will receive respect, and you will earn more here than at any other ranch in these parts. 

Pedro has been running it for Mom and will continue as the lead foreman.  I expect you to honor his words just as you would mine.  I will have a learning curve, especially with those short horn cattle and farming.  You will have to give me some time to learn, but learn I will.  Any questions men.  If not, I say let’s eat before it gets any colder.

The contents on the plates dwindled and the night wore on as they talked about each other and the changes on the ranch.  Each foreman spoke to what he was working on.  Then ended with some of the things they had to do to prepare for the Texas winter.  Jake listened and wrote down what the men told him.  He understood now why the Colonel had hired them.  These men knew their business. 

"Men, as you know my father and brother were killed last year and I will be leaving the ranch shortly to find the people responsible.  Pedro has told me the leader of those men is El Falco, and he has a hideout somewhere just across the Rio Grande near Ciudad Juárez in the Chihuahua Desert."

"Do you need some of us to go with you