The Outlaw

Chapter Seventeen

Ethan did not sleep at all that night. He laid awake on his bedroll and stared at Caroline's tent. His body ached to be in there with her. His arms ached to be wrapped around her and his lips ached to be pressed back against the sweet softness of her own.

He thought about ending this tonight. There was a good chance he could sneak up on the sleeping men and kill them silently but there was also a chance he'd be caught in the act and it would be safer tomorrow night in the dark canyon with Grayson standing guard on top of the ridge with his rifle.

Ethan was relieved when dawn finally came upon them and the men all began rising from their bedrolls and eating their jerky and dry biscuit breakfast. He had fully expected to have to shoot his father in the night as he made his way to Caroline's tent but Mitchell had made no move to join her all night.

"Let's saddle up, boys. We gotta make it to the canyon before dark and tomorrow we're gonna be a hell of a rot richer!" Mitchell said as he jumped on his mare.

"How is your leg, Kid?" Blue asked as he rode up alongside of Ethan as they made their way down the dusty trails. Ethan just nodded and gave a thumbs up. "You remind me of somebody, Kid." Blue said. Ethan cursed under his breath. Of all the men that would recognize him it would be Blue.

Ethan and the Mexican outlaw had come into the gang around the same time ten years ago and since they had been the same age they had formed a sort of alliance. That was until the day that Blue had raped and murdered an eight year old girl and Ethan had seen his friend for what he truly was.

"Why don't you take that bandana off, amigo?" Blue said. Ethan shook his head and pulled his hat lower as he squinted and looked out over the horizon. "I said now, amigo." Blue said and reached his hand toward Ethan's face. Ethan grabbed his arm in one hand and had his knife pulled and pressed against Blue's neck before the Mexican had time to realize what was happening.

"What's going on?" Grayson asked riding up beside them. Ethan let go of Blue who instantly raised his hand to his neck as if checking for blood.

"Your amigo is loco." Blue said matter-of-factly.

"He don't like being touched. Did you try to touch him?" Grayson asked. Blue nodded. Grayson clucked his tongue and shook his head slowly.

"You shouldn't do that. The last fella that touched him ended up castrated like a bull at round up…. You ever seen a bull be castrated, friend?" Grayson asked. Blue looked at both men like they were crazy and then urged his horse faster to catch up with Mitchell and Franks.

"Castrated like a bull?" Ethan whispered to Grayson. Grayson shrugged.

"Worked didn't it?" Grayson replied. Caroline rode up on Ethan's right side laughing.

"Kid, I had no idea you knew so much about bulls…." she said. Ethan glared over at her but she could see the amusement in his dark eyes.

"Little Caroline! Get up here and ride with me." Mitchell said glancing back at them. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Yes sir." she said her voice dripping with sarcasm and she urged her mare up to catch up with him. Ethan could feel Tommy and Doomer watching him from behind and that was all that kept him from drawing his gun when Mitchell grabbed Caroline by the hair and jerked her head toward him while he whispered angrily.

Ethan shook his head when Caroline spit in Mitchell's face and Mitchell let go of her quickly and laughed. Tonight just couldn't come fast enough so he could kill that son of a bitch once and for all.

888

"I'm telling you, boss, that hombre is Ethan." Blue said in a whisper so that only Mitchell, Franks and Caroline could hear him. Caroline barely managed to keep a blank look on her face at his sudden statement.

"That's impossible, Blue. I think the sun done fried your Mexican brain. Ethan is dead." Franks replied matter of factly. Blue glared at him.

"I'll fry your brain gringo." he growled. Mitchell held up his gloved hand.

"Settle down boys… Ethan is dead, Blue. Our little Caroline here put a bullet in his head, remember." he said patting Caroline on the back.

"Yeah, Blue, you remember don't you? You watched me kill him." Caroline added in a cold voice.

"No other gringo besides Ethan could ever get the drop on me. He had that knife at my throat before I could blink." Blue said earnestly.

"This gringo is fixing to put a bullet up your ass if you don't stop insulting gringos, you damn Mexican." Franks replied.

"Enough talk about dead men, Blue. You're just angry because he's faster than you." Mitchell said matter of factly.

"I'm telling you, boss.. You need to keep an eye on him." Blue said. Mitchell nodded but said nothing else and the men knew the conversation was over. Mitchell already had been keeping an eye on Kid. There was something about the man that was familiar and while Mitchell wasn't foolish enough to think it was his dead son come back from the grave seeking vengeance that didn't mean the man should be trusted completely.

888

Just as Ethan had said they would they arrived at the canyon around dusk. They came to a dead end inside the canyon system that was wide enough to set up camp comfortably. Once they had all the horses tied and the fire roaring Grayson walked up to Mitchell.

"I'll keep watch tonight." he said. Mitchell looked the wild looking mountain man up and down.

"I always like a man that volunteers to work." he said with a nod. "Get your ass up to that high ridge over there and take your rifle with ya." Grayson nodded and walked over to where Annabelle was tied.

"Love ya, old girl." he whispered to the horse. "You better keep your head down when them bullets start flying or else this old man'll just throw himself off that cliff." He grabbed his rifle from his saddle and started up the narrow rocky path up the steep canyon cliff side.

Ethan saw him out of the corner of his eye and smiled behind his bandana. He had been a little worried that Mitchell wouldn't let one of the 'new' guys keep watch but obviously Mitchell was still just as overly confident and arrogant as he had always been. He didn't feel the need to be too careful about watching for trouble because he was sure that no one would dare take on the great Mitchell Thompson. Ethan chuckled. Mitchell was about to get a rude awakening in the form of a very pissed off ghost from his past.