An Outlaw's Redemption

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Present Day - April 1867

The train pulled into the station with a screeching halt. Adjusting his hat, Jimmy grabbed his bag and headed off the train. Of the folks gathered to meet the train, there was one lady that seemed to fit the profile he would have picked for a wealthy lady. Though she was much younger than he had imagined.

He didn't have to wait long for her to near him. As she did, he dipped his hat, "Ma'am."

She smiled, "Mr. Cole?"

He nodded and she continued, "I have a buggy waiting."

He followed her with no argument. He was anxious to learn her reason for bringing him here. As they mounted the buckboard, she began, "Mr. Cole—" "Jimmy," he offered with a smile. She returned his gesture and slapped the reins against the horse, "I sent for you because we have some trouble brewing. You see, my father is an enormously powerful man, and he is accustomed to getting his way. There is a ranch he's after, but the owner is in no mind to sell."

He stopped her, "Miss, I don't run folks off their homes if they have a right to be there."

She nodded, "Good, I don't want you to do that."

He arched a brow, "Then if you don't mind my asking, why exactly am I here?"

She glanced at him, "I want you to stop my father."

His brow furrowed, "How exactly are you expecting me to do that?"

She shook her head, but didn't explain, "There is more you need to know, the ranch he wants belongs to Jack Willer and right now he has Weston Barlow working for him...you might know him as Babyface Barlow."

He grinned, "I knew him before he was Babyface Barlow."

She smiled, "So did I...I don't want him hurt, he's been through enough."

"Good, because I wouldn't raise a hand against Barlow if my own life depended on it; we've been through too much together."

She sighed, "I don't know how to ask you to do this...I'm tired of folks getting hurt on account of my father."

She burst into tears, and he took the reins from her, "I have one rule, Miss Doris...I don't kill anyone unless they're trying to kill me, or it is within the limits of the law. I'm not a murder for hire if that's what you have in mind."

She shook her head, "I'm a Christian...I know murder is wrong. I don't know how you can stop him, but I know my Papa and he won't stop until he gets what he wants. He doesn't just want the ranch now; he wants Barlow dead. Before I left, he had said that he planned to hire a gunman to kill him, and that's when I decided I couldn't stay there anymore."

He drew in a breath and then exhaled it.

It seemed Jimmy might have to break the one rule he had to save the one friend he had...unless he could use the wits he was famous for and find a different strategy.

* * * *

 Weston ran his thumb across the row of bullets on his gun belt and hooked it at the buckle. It had been with him for more years than he cared to recall, but it had done its job and kept him alive. Much against Weston's approval, Jack insisted on going into town for the Wednesday prayer services. Weston told him he would stay behind at the ranch today; it was all too convenient of a time for Mr. Clayton to have his men come do some damage to the property. Harvey and Sam promised to join him, so Jack went into town with Heath and Arthur while Jedediah stayed behind with Weston awaiting the unknown.