JEB NORTON LOOKED UP from his plow. A buggy escorted by four horsemen rolled toward the house. He knew who they were and his stomach tightened. He wished he’d never bought land next to that man’s ranch. Wrapping the reins around the plow handle he hurried to the farmhouse for he knew his wife’s hatred for the man. He got to the door and opened it.
“Nancy!”
Nancy, a short, plump woman with shining brown hair, came out of the back room.
“What is it, Jeb?”
“Men are comin’. Stay inside.”
“Who is it?”
“It’s him.”
Nancy’s deep blue eyes flashed. “I’ll not stay inside with that crooked snake in my yard!”
Jeb grabbed his wife by the shoulders. “Nancy, these men are dangerous. He’s already angry because we’ve turned down two offers.”
Nancy’s lips quivered. “Jeb, you’re not thinkin’ of givin’ up are you?”
“I don’t know. I have to see what he wants. But I’ll not let pride kill us.”
Nancy turned and rushed into the other room.
Jeb closed the door and turned to face the oncoming men. The buggy pulled to a stop in front of him. The horsemen pushed their mounts closer, surrounding Jeb.
“Afternoon, Jeb,” Cornell Norris said cheerfully. He was a tall man, powerfully built. He wore an all black suit with a long coat and an expensive black Stetson.
Jeb felt he was confronting the devil.
“Governor,” Jeb nodded.
“I came to see if you’ve thought about my last offer.”
“Governor, you know how hard Nancy and I have worked on our place. We’ve sacrificed much for five years and just started makin’ a profit with our crops and livestock to wheres we can start a family. I ain’t sayin’ your offer ain’t fair, but this place is our lives. Really, no offer is enough.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Jeb. See, I worry about you folks out here all by yourselves. So many things can happen; wolves, mountain lions, accidents, outlaws …”
The two men locked eyes. Jeb was working hard to suppress the seething fury inside of him. Suddenly the front door flew open and Nancy came out with a double barrelled shotgun. Jeb started for her as she raised the gun at Norris.
“Nancy, NOOOO!”
He heard the sharp pop of gunfire. Holes opened up in Nancy’s blouse and a chunk of her skull flipped off. His forward motion was now propelled by horror, love and despair. Burning lines tore through his body, his knees buckled as he caught his wife and together they crashed onto the rough-hewn floor. He lay paralyzed looking at Nancy’s upturned face, her eyes empty. It was the last thing he ever saw.
The men reined in their horses, jittery from the gunfire. Through the gun smoke they could see the riddled bodies of the Nortons lying in the doorway. The governor climbed off the buggy.
“Well, that was good target practice.” Reece Burton reloaded his pistol, then looked over at Carlos McElroy. “Hey, Carlos, you didn’t even draw!”
“I don’t shoot women.”
Reece shrugged. “All the same to me.”
Norris looked at the bodies. “Well, they’re dead.” He turned to his men. “What happened here today is I paid cash for this ranch and the Nortons decided to go back east.”
“Why are we sayin’ that, Governor?” Reece protested. “She got what she had comin’ for pointin’ that shotgun at us.”
“Shut up you idiot. No one would believe some woman would try to take on four gunfighters. The other problem is that if they have kin they could come and claim the ranch, so just do as I say.”
“Sorry, Governor, I guess I wasn’t thinkin’.”
“I don’t pay you to think, Reece.”
“Yes, sir.”
He pointed to the other two men with him. “You men go get those two horses in the corral and the wagon over there.”
“Load these bodies in the wagon then take them a couple of miles away. Make sure you bury them deep to get rid of them. We can’t have them showing up later.
“Carlos, you and Reece help me find the Nortons’ deed to this ranch. We’ll get the signatures forged and have the judge certify the transaction. That way this nice addition to my ranch only cost me the price of the ammunition. That’s what I call a good deal!”