Dead Aim Read online

  Pinnacle Westerns by Dusty Richards

  THE O’MALLEYS OF TEXAS

  The O’Malleys of Texas

  Dead Aim

  THE BYRNES FAMILY RANCH SAGA

  Deadly Is the Night

  Pray for the Dead

  Arizona Territory

  A Good Day to Kill

  Ambush Valley

  Brothers in Blood

  Blood on the Verde River

  Between Hell and Texas

  Texas Blood Feud

  DUSTY RICHARDS

  THE O’MALLEYS OF TEXAS DEAD AIM

  PINNACLE BOOKS

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  Teaser chapter

  PINNACLE BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2018 Dusty Richards

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  PINNACLE BOOKS and the Pinnacle logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-0-7860-3927-2

  First electronic edition: February 2018

  ISBN-13: 978-0-7860-3928-9

  ISBN-10: 0-7860-3928-0

  CHAPTER 1

  Lying on his belly beneath the covered wagon, he squinted as the gun smoke from the barrel of his Winchester burned his eyes. He stared through the buckhorn sights at another of the many war-painted bucks charging around the wagon circle. Long John O’Malley damn sure felt angry by their savage attack on this wagon train. He fit the next war-painted brave in his gun sights, then squeezed the trigger, and one more screaming warrior bit the dust.

  Levering in a fresh cartridge, he took aim through the wavering dust and dropped another campfire buddy of the attackers off his racing horse. A woman in her twenties slipped in on her hands and knees beside him underneath the wagon and set down a fresh box of cartridges. Then on her stomach she feverishly tore open the thick paper box. Her face bathed in sweat, her blue eyes wide open in a feverish fear, she whispered, “When will they ever quit?”

  “When they all get sent to the gates of hell.”

  “How many have you picked off?” She was still on her stomach, searching the scene of the attackers racing around screaming while they poured both arrows and rifle balls at the wagon train’s circle. An arrow thudded into the wagon box right above her head and she jumped. His .44/40 took out another war-painted pony, and the rider went flying through the air.

  “I have not kept count. Thanks for the ammo.” On his side, he began rapid reloading of the rifle with the fresh rounds. Then he rolled back and spotted the prize of the day coming on the same route that his own men had taken. The trailing war bonnet showed off the measure of this man’s rank. And his screams were to encourage his men to fight even harder.

  Long bore down on him with his sights and squeezed. The chieftain, hard struck in the chest, went off the butt of his horse in a backward somersault.

  She screamed, “You got that son of a—”

  Her hand caught the swear word on her lips.

  Their war cries fell silent. Their guns no longer barked. The shocked, loud, body-painted riders warily crowded around on horseback and afoot where their leader lay on the ground.

  The woman scooted back next to him and kissed the unexpecting Long hard on the mouth. He blinked in shock at her actions. When she rose off him and backed away, he rolled back in position and began in rapid fire to drop those braves gathered around their fallen leader. Three more went down under his hot bullets, and the rest of the Indians hurriedly hauled the chief’s limp body off by his arms out of sight.

  A cheer went up from inside the wagon ring. “We’ve whipped them! Yeah! Yeah!”

  Still on her knees, her blue eyes bored a hole into him. She shook her head. “Not them. You whipped them. I am not a brazen woman, but I owe you my life and so do all these people in this wagon train.”

  He nodded he heard her and she backed out. With newfound hope that this fierce attack might be over, he reloaded his Winchester, picked up the box, and with them and the gun in his hand, he eased his way out. Clear of the wagon, he straightened to find himself surrounded by the excited men and women of the wagon train.

  “Mister, you single-handed killed half that damn Indian Nation. But by getting that head chief you sure shut them down.” After Long set the rifle down, the wagon master, Tucker, shook his hand. “Where did you learn how to fight Injuns before?”

  “My father.” He took a deep breath of the fresher air. “My brother Harp and I grew up on the Texas frontier. My father went after Comanche to get captives back. We rode with him because all the other men were gone to war. We fought them and managed to trade for some. But I’ve been warring with Indians since I was twelve years old.”

  Tucker frowned at his words. “You’re part Indian?”

  “Yes. My father was a Cherokee. He was killed in the Outlet before I was born. I know only a little about his people. But yes, I have fought Indians.”

  “You told me you sold lots of cattle in Abilene, Kansas. Big herds, weren’t they?”

  “Over six thousand head this time. We sold eight hundred head in Sedalia, Missouri, last year right there at the end of the war.”

  “What is a man that rich doing out here with a wagon train load of sod busters?” Tucker laughed, amused.

  “That money is in the bank. I wanted to see the Rocky Mountains and what was out here, but I had no desire to fight all these warring plains tribes.”

  Several others laughed and Tucker frowned. “It’s how you talk, O’Malley. You sound like a Texas professor. No one’s ever saw a man half Indian who talked like that before.”

  “My mother taught me most of that. I can read and write, too.”

  “Oh, no doubt. Sometime tell us about that first cattle drive you made?”

  “It was almost as bad as this Indian war you all are fighting out here.”


  Tucker made a face.

  “See, General Lee signed a peace treaty back east. The war didn’t end that easy in Arkansas and Missouri last year. We took our herd right through them.”

  “I understand. Men, we have a job to do. There’s wounded Indians lying out there need to be sent to the happy hunting grounds. Some of our own stock needs to be treated for wounds. The oxen and horses need to be put out to graze to keep their strength. And sadly enough, there are three of our own dead we must bury. We roll west in the morning. And, Mr. O’Malley, we thank you and we thank God for sending you to help us stave them off.”

  “Yes, you all are welcome. One question, Tucker.”

  “Yes.”

  “How much more ammo do you have left in case you have another attack like this one?”

  “We’d have enough. But yes, we are low. I thought we had enough forever. But I didn’t expect this much fighting.”

  “Keep that in mind when you find a source to secure more.”

  “Oh, I certainly will.”

  Long went with a few men, outside the circle, to send any downed Indians to their end. Several wounded warriors were still alive, so the grizzly job continued on the bloody battlefield of scattered bodies of the braves and their injured mounts as well as on the ground surrounding the wagon ring.

  A young married unarmed man named Hennessey walked beside him across the battle-strewn field of dead horses and Indians. “Do you think there are more war parties ahead of us?”

  “They tell me there are thousands of Indians camped out here. We are invading their country. They even fight with each other over the land ownership. Yes, you may have more fights and then, too, you may go unscathed.”

  “Invading?”

  “I don’t know what the hell else to call it.” Long shrugged his shoulders.

  Hennessey laughed. “I just want to find a good farm in Oregon to raise my family.”

  “I bet you’ll have to fight them up there.”

  “I guess you are right. I better learn how.”

  Long drew his Colt revolver. “That Indian lying over there is not dead. Can you use a pistol?”

  “Sure.”

  “Cock it and shoot him in the head.”

  “I-I never shot anyone.”

  “That buck would have killed and scalped you and raped your new wife.”

  Hennessey nodded.

  “Here, shoot him.” He handed him the Colt. “Keep your eyes open.”

  The man’s hand shook as he extended his arm and cocked the hammer back. The revolver spit the bullet and gun smoked. His whole body shivered as he stepped back two steps and dropped his gun hand to the side of his leg.

  “He’s dead. Don’t ever hesitate to kill your enemy. It will be him or you that survives.” He took back his six-gun and holstered it.

  Hennessey folded his arms, shuddered, and nodded. “I am going to have to get a damn sight tougher than I am. Won’t I?”

  “If your family and you can ever survive in Oregon, you damn sure will have to.”

  “You about have them all kilt. I better go back and check on my wife.”

  “Get a smaller caliber pistol than mine and shoot it till you get damn good.”

  Hennessey nodded. “Thanks, Long. I know what I’ve got to do. I will.”

  Long wondered if the boy really had the deep down nerve to do it.

  He met with one of the older men on the battlefield doing the same job.

  “Name’s Hurley.”

  “Long O’Malley.”

  “I know you. I saw you trying to teach that boy what he needed to do.”

  “He better take my word or he’ll be sprouting daisies.”

  “You ever think some of us came from a different source?”

  Long nodded he did and swept up a dropped. 30-caliber Colt from the ground. Some Indian lost it. He polished the dust off it on his sleeve, then he spun the cylinder to be certain the chamber was empty under the hammer.

  This might be the gun that boy needed. He stuck it in his waistband.

  “How long you going to ride with us at this snail pace?” Hurley asked.

  “Oh, probably not much longer.”

  “I appreciate your leadership. I served in the war and I thought it was all over, but it ain’t, is it?”

  “These red men won’t sign an armistice like Lee did if that’s what you thought.”

  “Hey, here’s a brand-new Winchester.” Hurley swept it up and checked the barrel to be sure it wasn’t bent. “How in the hell did he get this rifle?”

  “Probably bought it with furs.”

  He lowered the lever and ejected the cartridge. He caught the shell and smiled. “Bet he never got to fire it.” He handed it to Long.

  The gun in Long’s hands, he examined it. “I bet you’re right.”

  “Hey, guys, get all their arms,” Hurley said to the others. “We may need them later.”

  “I need to go back and clean my rifle. You have enough help out here.”

  Hurley agreed and thanked him. The final count was thirty-six dead Indians just in the field. The count did not include the chief or others, either dead or injured, who were taken away when the able-bodied ones fled the area.

  In camp, out of his packs, Long found the ramrod and unloaded the rifle to use the brush to clean the bore. He was busy with a rag on the ram to further clean up the traces of spent powder out of the rifle barrel.

  A tall blond, attractive woman came by and stopped. “Mr. O’Malley, do you have a woman at home in Texas?”

  He looked up and smiled at her. “No.”

  With a smug look at him she said, “My sister in Saint Charles would make you a great mate.”

  “How is that?”

  “Oh, she likes flashy men.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t consider myself flashy.”

  “Well you damn sure are.” She gave him a high sign and went on her way with a cute swing to her backside.

  If the sister was as pretty as her he might ride back there and find her. He went back to finish cleaning his rifle. Instead of poking along with these friendly folks, much as he liked them, he better get to riding west if he was ever going to see the Rockies and then get back to Texas to be of any help to his brother Harp on the family ranch.

  Later that night asleep in his bedroll, someone whispered in his ear, “Don’t scream. I don’t have any ammo. Let me in there with you.”

  It was his ammo lady and he raised the blanket. She hadn’t come there to read his palm about his future. It was too dark for that.

  CHAPTER 2

  Dawn broke the hold on the eastern horizon. Long had dressed and decided to go see about some breakfast. At her wagon a middle-aged woman, Mrs. Yarborough, each morning served oatmeal with some sugar and cream, if there was any available, and coffee. Not the greatest brand but it was coffee, and all of that for twenty-five cents. Several bachelors ate there with her. She dished him out a metal bowl full and told him to get seated and she’d have the tin coffee cup he handed her filled.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Long said to her.

  “You don’t have to thank me. You paid for your breakfast. These others are going to owe me lots of labor when we get to Oregon.” She laughed and set his cup of steaming coffee beside him.

  “Oh, Mary Margret, my mother would beat me if I didn’t say thank you to you.”

  “Heavens to Betsy she must have been strict on you.”

  “It did not hurt me or my brother Harp. In fact it helped. He was less than eighteen when we took our first cattle to Missouri and he was the ramrod. He had good manners and he was firm, but through him and his leadership we took those cattle through a land of people that really hated us and sold them.”

  “I never thought about that. Manners do impress people. Where is he?”

  “He’s home with his neat wife Katy and new son Lee buying up the state of Texas and gathering more cattle to take back to Kansas next spring.”

  She laughed. “How m
uch land is he going to buy?”

  “One big place I hope. I plan to leave tomorrow for the West. I need to get out there to see those Rockies and get back home.”

  “Well, you did show us how to circle up and fight them Injuns. I say we sure needed you. You know they are planning the three funerals to be held shortly.”

  “They won’t need me for that. I have my horses ready. Thanks for feeding me.” He finished up his oatmeal, downed his coffee, then gripped her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

  “God bless you, lad, and I hope you get back to your family.”

  “You are an angel. I plan to do that very thing.” He shook a few more hands, mounted his stout bay horse, and took the chestnut packhorse with him. Many shouted good-bye to him and thanked him.

  The great road was one of many of the paths busy with the westward movement even this late in the season. He was a little concerned about these folks, who in the opinion of veteran travelers were not far enough west for late summer and they would have to winter somewhere in less than survivable conditions. His own two horses were stout ones and in the cooler air he short-loped them to put miles under their hooves.

  He passed more wagon trains and freighters. Lots of trade goods were being borne westward by oxen. Railroad rates were too high to pay, and the high raw costs of lying rails deeper and deeper into this unsettled land had slowed its expansion. So oxen did the work until the rails caught up.

  The birds of the plains scattered at his approach. He’d seen lots of prairie chickens and their barely feathered new brood. Killdeer and others scurried after bugs. Several buffalo herds detoured him, though they were not as numerous as he heard about, but he knew the pressure of hunting them was driving them west.