Outlaw Vices (third in The Crane Gang Series)manxman

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Craig stumbled out of the whorehouse two mornings later. His head was pounding, his stomach churned and the sun felt like daggers in his eyes.

He'd spent the last two nights drinking, gambling and whoring the hours away. Craig had thought he would feel better after spending some time letting loose, but he didn't.

If anything Craig felt worse—emptier—than he had before. And he was worried about his job as well, and what kind of hell he was going to catch. He was supposed to already be at the ranch hard at work today. He should have gone back last night.

Why did he always seem to be his own worst enemy?

Craig tried to stick to the shadows as he headed toward the livery. He stepped in to fetch his horse and became suddenly aware of a large presence behind him.

"Did you have fun?"

Craig winced, both at the volume of the voice and the knowledge of who it belonged to.

"Bunches."

Ezekiel came around him and glared down at Craig with those judgmental dark eyes. Once again, Craig was left feeling somehow small and overwhelmed. He attempted to take a step back but Ezekiel moved with him.

"The boss realized you were gone and sent me to fetch you."

Craig forced a cheerful smile. "You make a real nice errand boy."

Ezekiel simply pointed toward Craig's horse. "Get it saddled and come on. The boss wants to have a word with you."

Craig's shoulders slumped in defeat. For nearly the first time in his life he felt too sick to come up with any witty to say.

***

As Ezekiel led Craig up the back stairs to the boss's office, Craig couldn't help but feel like a sheepish boy about to be scolded by his father. And Ezekiel was the damn tattle tale hell bent on smugly observing Craig's punishment.

Ezekiel knocked once and Edison Bentley called for them to enter. The aging but still straight-backed and broad shouldered man stood behind his desk. "Sit down, both of you." He gave the order with a friendly smile.

Craig threw himself down in the chair and slumped low. If they were going to insist on treating him like a child, then Craig was going to act like one. If his behavior had any effect on Edison, the man gave no sign.

"Craig, when Ezekiel first came to me and told me I should hire you, it took some work on his part to convince me. There is no shortage of men out here with ranch experience looking for a job. I couldn't see hiring someone so overwhelmed by his vices.

"But Ezekiel saw something in you and he convinced me. And I was pleasantly surprised. You've been a good, dependable worker—until now."

"Is this a one chance and done ranch?" Craig mumbled.

Edison merely shook his head sadly. "I know who you are, Craig. I used to be a lot like you. You're a man who has lost his purpose."

Craig's brow shot up. "Huh?"

"You've lost your purpose. You used to have something or someone that you had built your life around and whatever that was must have been taken from you. You work hard to keep yourself busy because the minute you slow down, you lose yourself to your uselessness—your lack of purpose."