Give My Heart to Kaitlyn (2nd in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Jeremiah and Duke had been riding nearly nonstop for days. They knew they were well ahead of Frank and they wanted to keep it that way. Jeremiah glanced over at Duke and felt a moment of worry for the older man. He looked exhausted. Duke was getting too old for this life but Jeremiah wasn't going to be the one that told him that.

He'd end up with a bullet in his ass for sure.

"Hell Duke, one of us oughta settle down in Windfall with Marston," Jeremiah noted. "That way someone'll be there to protect his ass all the time."

Duke scanned the Kansas plains they were traveling. "Hell, settling down ain't no kind of life for me. I thought about it once and changed my mind."

"You did?" Jeremiah was surprised. Duke only nodded but said nothing else. "Me either, I reckon," Jeremiah grinned. "I tried settling down in Windfall once and that didn't work too good for me."

"Nope. I believe I remember that you got shot for your efforts," Duke replied with a chuckle.

"Hell, if my good for nothing brother didn't shoot me at least once a year, I'd start to think he didn't love me anymore."

"I've noticed that you haven't shot him in a while," Duke stated.

Jeremiah shook his head and stuck a bit of tobacco in his lip. "I get tired of hearing him whine about it every time." He grinned. "That and Rose doesn't really like it when I shoot him."

"That Rose is something else," Duke admitted, his eyes taking on a distant look. "Being around her makes me think about things. Life."

Duke and Jeremiah rode in silence a while longer and then Duke pointed out across the plains. "Hey is that who I think it is?"

Jeremiah followed his gaze and felt anger burn in his gut when he recognized Shaw sitting beside a small fire. "Well, I'll be damned. What's that little rat doing this far north?"

"Running from us, I'd imagine," Duke growled.

"Well he didn't run fast enough, did he?" Jeremiah mused. Then he smiled. "You got the first two. This one's mine."

Duke mumbled his disappointment and then motioned for Jeremiah to go ahead. With an easy grin on his face, Jeremiah rode ahead of Duke and directly into Shaw's camp. When Shaw saw him, he instantly went for his gun.

Jeremiah clicked his tongue. "Why in the world do you want to shoot me?" He winked. "Why I ain't seen you in a long time but we were getting along the last time we parted ways."

Shaw was clearly confused as Jeremiah hopped off his horse and sat down beside him on the log. "Of course we're gettin' along," Shaw agreed.

Jeremiah dug around in his pocket and pulled out a bag of tobacco. "You want a chew?" he offered.

Shaw's hands were trembling as he took the pouch and pinched out a bit of tobacco. Jeremiah pocketed the pouch and stared into the small fire. "We was always friends, Shaw. I liked you."

Desperation filled Shaw's features. "I like you too, Jeremiah."

The easy smile never left Jeremiah's face. "But Marston's my brother and he's not some rat bastard that drinks too much and runs his mouth."

"But I..." Shaw's mouth continued to work up and down though no words formed.

Jeremiah shook his head. "Goodbye Shaw."

He pulled his knife and twisted sideways, driving the blade deep into Shaw's gut and dragging it across him, leaving a gaping hole.

Shaw's eyes widened. His skin paled. He screamed in pain and tried to shove his insides back in. Blood pooled around his body as he fell to the ground. Jeremiah wiped his knife off on Shaw's shift and grinned down at the man. "Hopefully you'll bleed to death before the ants get you."