Protection

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The man dressed in black took off running toward his horse, and Clint ran after him.

What are you doing? Shoot him where it counts, you idiot.

The man mounted his horse and Clint had the knob at the end of his pistol was set at the back of his head. He squeezed the trigger, the slight recoil of the gun jolting his hand but nothing more.

The man’s hat flew from his head and Clint snarled at himself.

What’s wrong with you?

Just like that, the man was rode out of sight.

With a groan, Clint holstered his gun. He should have had that man. What had stopped him? He sees a pair of green eyes and freezes as if the man in front of him were his own… brother.

Clint swallowed and shoved the thoughts of his dead brothers out of his mind. He was over their death. He was tired of feeling guilty over that incident all those years ago. He was fifteen and stupid. That was all there was to it.

He walked to the back door to snatch the note from the doorframe and shove it into his pocket before Bliss had a chance to see it. He didn’t feel good about hiding more secrets from her, but he wasn’t getting paid to feel good.

Opening the door, Clint met Miss Cooper just as she was about to exit the house. She nearly bumped into him, but backed up a few steps when he entered.

“What was that about?” She asked, fear in her eyes.

“Some shady character was lurking around out there,” Clint replied.

“Did you get a sight of his face?” Miss Cooper asked, looking out of the window.

Clint paused before answering. “He was wearing a bandanna.”

She sighed. “We were so close! Did you hit him at least?”

Clint shook his head.

“What do we pay you for?” Miss Cooper rolled her eyes.

“I got his hat. Let me go get it,” Clint said, opening the door and sending her a look that told her never to talk to him like that again.

He had his reasons for not hitting that man. He didn’t know what they were, but he had some.

Clint mumbled to himself as he walked toward where the man’s hat had fallen off.

Whatever the man was up to, he had crossed those green eyes before. Could it have been from one of the failed jobs?

Now that he had seen Clint, would he come gunning for him before Clint had the chance to get to him first?

Well, no one would have to worry about him missing again. He was just not expecting to see something familiar. He would get the man next time.

Bending low to pick up the hat, Clint let out a sigh and examined the bullet hole through the front and back.

His first mistake in years.

He reentered the house just as Sherman came charging through the front door.

“I heard gunfire,” he said.

Sherman’s eyes sought out his daughter and when they landed on her he rushed to wrap her in his arms. “Thank goodness you’re okay,” he said, squeezing his daughter tight.

“Those shots were me. I found someone outside,” Clint explained.

“Did you recognize him?”
Clint swallowed. “Never seen him before.”