Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Gibbons, I'm getting tired of being lied to," Hitchens grumbled before spitting a stream of tobacco into the dirt. "You know damn well that somebody in this town knows where this boy is hiding."

Gibbons nodded as he looked down at his shorter companion. They'd been searching this town for Aiden for a couple of hours now and no one seemed willing to say a word to them about where he might be. It was as if they were afraid of something and Gibbons could not figure out what that would be.

Aiden was nothing to fear but he seemed to have found someone in this town that others were terrified of going up against. Gibbons wasn't worried. Aiden's newfound protector would gladly change his mind when he discovered what kind of abomination he was protecting.

"Let's head into this diner here and get a bite to eat, Hitchens. I'm sure somebody will tell us what we want to know soon and if not then we'll just have to search house to house."

"I'm about tired of seeing that goddamn lawdog sniffing around our asses," Hitchens grumbled and Gibbons nodded. He was too. That damn sheriff and his scarred up deputy had kept a close eye on them all day.

The two men were heading up the steps to the diner when another man stepped in front of them. He was a tall man and quite soft around his middle. His face was red and blotchy beneath the patchy stubble and his bloodshot eyes were filled with amusement.

"Who are you?" Hitchens demanded.

The man grinned, revealing a chipped front tooth, "My name's Garth. I heard you're looking for Aiden?"

Hitchens and Gibbons shared a look and nodded, "Yes, sir, we are. Would you happen to know where he might be?" Gibbons inquired.

"Hell yes I do. He's holed up at Atkinson Spread. He's been working out there for about a week or so now."

"And could you tell us how to get there?"

"What will you do if some of those Atkinson's get between you and your target?" Garth asked with vengeance flashing in his eyes.

"Our only goal is to collect our payment on Aiden," Gibbons replied.

Hitchens spit out another stream of tobacco, "Course things are known to happen at times and we'll protect ourselves however we deem appropriate should our lives be threatened."

"Promise me that you'll kill Brody Atkinson and I'll not only tell you how to get to the ranch, I'll add one hundred dollars to your payment."

"We might be able to come to agreement on that," Gibbon's agreed. "Is this Brody fella the reason nobody wants to tell us where Aiden is?"

Garth snorted, "He's nothing but a blow hard. He'll act and sound as if he's the toughest bastard around but that's all he is. A bunch of talk."

Gibbons and Hitchens shared a look and then Hitchens shrugged, "We'll need a distraction to get ourselves out of town without that damn sheriff and his deputy following us," Hitchens informed Garth and Garth nodded.

"I'll make sure you get one. Let's head to the saloon."

Thirty minutes later, Garth gave them the distraction they'd needed when he slammed his beer mug down on the head of another man and a huge saloon brawl ensued. Men fighting, chairs flying, tables crashing—Hitchens and Gibbons slipped out the back unnoticed as the sheriff and his deputy tried desperately to restore order.

They headed out of town in the direction of Atkinson spread with two targets now instead of one and a bigger payday in mind.

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