Keeping Faith (Book 3 in the Red Valley Series)

Chapter 33

There had been a time in Cade's life when he hated being called out, but not anymore. He welcomed it, hoping that one day some bastard would get lucky and kill him and finally put him out of his misery. Nothing moved, the air was still as death. He could feel eyes boring holes in him and knew that every person in town was watching to see who was going in the box the undertaker had already brought out.

Sweat trickled down his back. Cade cursed, he just wanted to get this over with so he could go back to the bottle of whiskey he had in the saloon. He tried to swallow but his throat was parched. The kid facing him was just that, a kid and it made him sick to know that the boy was fixing to die. Years of experience though had taught Cade not to wound but to shoot to kill. Somewhere in the distance a hawk screeched, and then the boy drew. Two shots were fired, Cade's aim was dead on. Just like with every other person he killed, the kid had a look of disbelief on his face before he fell to his knees and then to the dusty ground. "Shit!"

Cade turned and walked back across the street and into the saloon. People were already back to their poker games and storytelling. The piano player began playing a lively tune that somehow every piano player in the west knew and played in ever saloon he'd ever been in. He sat at the bar with his back to the room but in front of the mirror behind the bar so he could see behind him as was his habit. Cade grabbed his bottle of whiskey and turned it up.

"Come on cowboy, I'll give you one on the house." A petite blonde whore put her hand on his chest.

Cade looked at her. There had been a time when he would have jumped at the chance to bed her. She was pretty enough, she was young with blond hair and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a dark green dress with off the shoulder cap sleeves and a neck line that plunged so far the nipples of her ample breasts were barely covered. All he felt was disgust, not the slightest bit of desire! That woman had turned him into a damn eunuch!

"I'm good, thank you." He turned his head away from her dismissing the woman.

"Didn't you hear me, I said it was on the house."

"Didn't you hear me, I said, no."

"No one ever tells me no!" The whore was upset and could feel the flush of being turned down creep up her neck.

"Well, I just did. Now leave me alone." The huffed and mumbled something about a jack ass and walked off presumably to her next customer.

It had taken weeks but he knew if he followed the trail of bodies, eventually he would find the man he was looking for. And there he sat at the bar, drunk as a damn skunk. He was disgusting, he needed a haircut and a shave. He walked up behind the man wrinkling his nose, damn he needed a bath too! The man's clothes were so strong, they could probably stand up on their own!

All he could think about was her. Every time he closed his eyes he could see her. He dreamed of her every damn night! "Gimme another one!" Cade Jacobs slammed the empty bottle down so had on the counter, the semi clean glasses the barkeep had been wiping with a dingy rag rattled.

"I think you've had enough Cade." The barkeep said, slightly nervous. One just didn't tell Cade Jacobs no, but he had been drinking since last night.

Faster than lightning, Cade drew his .45, pulled back the hammer, and pointed it at the barkeep's chest. "Give me another bottle or I'll shoot you." It was amazing, there was no sign of the drunk that was just there, instead a pissed off man with a loaded gun and a deadly accurate aim stood in front of him.

"I – I was just trying to look out for you is all. I'll go get you a bottle." The barkeep turned and went in to a back room presumably to get a bottle of liquor.