Straw Men (14 page)

“Looks like you've already washed up,” Clint said as he unbuttoned his shirt and let his eyes wander along the smooth contours of Abigail's body.

“Just get those clothes off and come here,” she demanded.

Clint smiled and hurried to undress, but stopped just short of removing his jeans. “You said I owe you. What did you find out?”

“The colonel's planning on riding out to hang a whole bunch of Injuns.”

“He's going, himself?”

Still holding the blanket up, she nodded. Abigail's hair fell in a loose tousle over her face and her legs shifted beneath her body. Just keeping that blanket and her head propped up was enough to put the taut lines of her muscles on display. “He's leading some sort of charge and he's mighty proud of it. I know he's telling the truth because he's hiring on anyone he can to ride ahead and clear a path for him.”

“Is he more interested in guns or scouts?”

“He's not interested in doing anything until an hour before sunrise, so get over here before I kick you out of my damn room.”

The moment Clint got close enough for her to reach him, Abigail grabbed him by the waistband of his jeans and pulled him to the bed. Clint slapped her hand away so he could get undressed the rest of the way, which seemed to stoke the fire that was already burning within Abigail. By the time Clint was out of his clothes, she was on her knees and at the edge of the mattress.

Abigail wrapped one arm around the back of Clint's neck so she could pull him close and kiss him fiercely on the lips. Her other hand slid down between his legs, where she began stroking his cock until it was good and hard.

Pulling his head back just enough to break the kiss, Clint returned the favor by grabbing a handful of hair at the back of her head so he could hold her still as he kissed her again. Abigail loved his rough manner every bit as much as he thought she would. Her lips parted and she slipped her tongue into Clint's mouth. She pressed her naked body against him and trembled as soon as his rigid penis brushed against the lips of her pussy.

She was dripping wet between her legs. With her hand still on him, she guided Clint to her warm opening and let out a moan the instant he began to slip into her. With Abigail on her knees upon the edge of the bed and Clint standing on the floor next to the bed, he couldn't enter her more than an inch or so. Abigail spread her legs apart as much as she could, while reaching around to grab Clint's hip and pull him closer.

Clint placed his hands upon her backside and ran the other hand up along her breasts. She had a strong, muscular body, and responded with a louder groan when Clint's fingers found her nipples. Clint rolled the sensitive flesh of her nipple between thumb and forefinger, ending with a little pinch to make Abigail pull in a quick, excited breath.

“Oh, Lord, you make me crazy.” She sighed as she backed away so she could lie down upon the bed and open her legs for him.

Clint didn't waste any time in climbing onto the bed, but Abigail was too anxious to wait for even a second. Her hands were drifting over her own body. With one hand she played with the nipple Clint had been teasing and she rubbed the other hand over her glistening clitoris.

As soon as Clint lowered himself on top of her, he felt Abigail's legs wrap around him and lock in tight. She wrapped her arms around him as well, shifting her hips until she felt his cock slide to where it needed to be.

“That's it.” She sighed as Clint pushed all the way into her. “Just like that.”

Once Clint started pumping in and out of her, he could feel Abigail squirming in time to his rhythm. Her strong hips thrust back and forth, urging him to slam harder and harder into her. Soon, Clint grabbed hold of one of Abigail's hands and tightened his grip as he needed to hold on to something to keep from being tossed out of the bed. His other hand slid down and around to cup her firm backside as he continued to drive into her like a piston.

Suddenly, Abigail pressed her face against Clint's shoulder and hung on with both arms wrapped around him. She writhed and pumped herself along his cock until a powerful orgasm shook her from head to toe. When it subsided, she leaned back and stretched both arms out to spread her hair out behind her head. Looking up at Clint, she said, “I've been waiting for that since the last time.”

“Well,” Clint said as he straightened up so he was kneeling between her legs, “it's not over yet.”

Her eyes widened expectantly and an excited smile appeared on her face as Clint cupped her backside in both hands so he could position her just right and lift her a little ways up off the bed. As soon as she felt Clint's hard column of flesh once more against the soft lips of her pussy, Abigail propped herself up for him and waited to feel him impale her.

Clint's erection parted her smooth skin and slipped back into the warmth of her body. Still kneeling so his back was straight and she was lying flat upon the bed, Clint grabbed on to her hips and held her up as he slowly moved in and out of her. Abigail stretched languidly along the bed as Clint's thrusts became more and more powerful. Soon, he was rocking her with enough force to inch her toward the other edge of the mattress.

Arching his back as he settled into a good rhythm, Clint knew he'd hit a good spot when he felt Abigail's entire body start to shake. He watched her face as she turned her head to one side and bucked her hips while grabbing on to the blankets. When her orgasm came, it made her pull in a breath and become perfectly quiet for a few seconds. In that time, Clint felt her pussy tighten around his cock in a way that pushed him even closer to his own edge.

She went over that edge first, but Clint was right behind her.

Clint was able to get a little rest before he had to leave Abigail's room. When he crept down the stairs, hoping not to see anyone along the way, he felt like a boy sneaking away from home to go into town. Since the clerk in the officer's guest quarters didn't seem to know what was going on beyond his own desk, Clint didn't take too many extra precautions. As it was, Clint was able to get outside and to Eclipse without drawing much attention.

Abigail had been right in her assessment that any soldier worth his salt had been recruited for Colonel Farelli's special assignment. That meant only the lazy, drunk, and worthless soldiers were left behind to guard the fort. And that, in turn, meant Clint could come and go however he pleased.

Once he'd walked Eclipse through the front gates, Clint snapped the reins and built up speed until the Darley Arabian was at a full gallop. The sky was still dark, but he could taste the approaching dawn in the back of his throat. There was a crispness in the air and a subtle glow at the edge of the eastern horizon. It would be dawn soon, so Clint knew Farelli and his men would be out in force before too much longer.

The last time he'd met with Ahiga, Clint made an arrangement with the big Navajo that involved a certain number of Indians staying behind while the rest of the tribe moved on to a safer place. That small group of warriors wasn't far from the fort, but they'd picked a spot that was supposed to grant them the advantage over any of the soldiers. Clint figured Ahiga knew what he was doing, but even he didn't expect to be taken by surprise as easily as this.

Before he had a chance to hear the sound of approaching horses or see a hint of movement, Clint was surrounded on three sides by Indians. The man directly in front of him was Ahiga, himself.

“Where are the rest of you?” Clint asked as he struggled to rein Eclipse to a stop.

Remaining perfectly still even though the Darley Arabian stallion was charging straight toward him, Ahiga watched with mild interest until Eclipse slowed to a halt. “The rest of the tribe is safe,” Ahiga said.

“What about these two?” Clint asked as he shot a quick glance to each of the other Indians.

“They can be trusted.”

“Where's Tolfox?”

“He thinks he is guarding the rest of the tribe by watching us from afar. I know exactly where he is and where he will be looking, so I know he won't be able to see us now.”

Clint had his doubts about that one, but he let them go since it didn't really matter if Tolfox knew he was there or not. “You think he'll do anything once the rest of the tribe has their backs to him?” he asked.

Ahiga shook his head. “Since his own people are among the tribe, I think he will do his best to protect them.”

“Has he ever done anything to make you think he might hurt your people?” Clint asked.

Ahiga considered that for a moment and replied, “He cannot be trusted, but I have told some of those that are close to Mingan about what we are doing here. If Tolfox or any of those other Crow step out of line, they will be stricken down.”

“All right, then. When I left the fort, Farelli and his men were still there,” Clint reported. “We should have just enough time to make our preparations. We just need to make sure everyone's in the right place at the right time. How's our ace in the hole doing?”

Clint had only seen Ahiga smile a couple times and it was never a pretty sight. This time was no exception. “He is feeling better. It shouldn't take long to bring him all the way around to our way of thinking.”

“Well, just keep him safe and make sure he's where he needs to be when the time comes.”

It only took another minute or so for Clint and Ahiga to outline what they had in mind to the other two Navajo. Once that was done, Clint pointed Eclipse back toward the fort and raced away. The Navajo went in the other direction and disappeared almost as quickly as they'd appeared.

Clint tapped his heels against Eclipse's sides and gave the reins a snap every couple of seconds. The Darley Arabian responded perfectly and didn't let up on his pace until they were almost through the front gates of Fort Winstead. As Clint drew closer, he could see a large group of horse men emerging from the fort. Colonel Farelli led that group as if he were at the head of a parade.

“Adams!” Farelli hollered.

Clint steered toward the group as Eclipse caught his breath. “Just out for a morning ride. What's the occasion?”

“We're out for a ride, ourselves. I know you already told me about that Indian camp, but it would do us a lot more good if you could take us there yourself.”

“I hear there's a salary being offered to any civilians that accept this ride of yours.”

Farelli nodded and grinned like he was still the belle of the ball. “Of course. And seeing as how you made this possible, I'll tack on an extra fee if you come along for the whole ride.”

“I suppose I could see my way clear considering there's an extra fee involved.”

“Good,” Farelli said. Turning his eyes to the trail leading away from the fort, he drew his saber and pointed down the road. “Onward!”

A few soldiers moved with genuine steam in their step, but most of the others simply rode behind the colonel as if they were still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Clint waited for a good portion of the group to file past him before finding the rider he was after and falling into step alongside the other horse.

“Trying to get a piece of the colonel's money, huh?” Abigail asked from the back of her white mustang.

Clint shrugged and shook his head. “Someone who's after nothing but money only understands greed. At least this way I'm accepted as just another hired gun.”

“I don't know about that, but the colonel sure seems wrapped up in his own bullshit. Look at him up there like the cock of the walk. I give him another minute or so before he calls for us to ride ahead and make sure he doesn't get his pretty boots dirty on anything.”

“His boots will be the least of his worries before too long,” Clint said in a voice that was kept low enough to go unheard by anyone but Abigail.

“What have you got planned?” she asked.

“Me?” Clint replied with mock offense. “I'm just going along for the whole ride and will probably get paid enough to buy half a bottle of whiskey when it's all said and done. You, on the other hand, are going to make certain these soldiers waste all their time here before being led back toward the fort on a wild-goose chase. That sound like something you could do?”

“Half a bottle, huh? The colonel must have given you one hell of a bonus. I'd say I got paid enough to chase a few wild geese.”

Just then, Farelli's voice thundered through the air. “Scouts! Ride ahead and see how many Indians you can find. There's a bonus for any redskins you kill before I get there.”

“That took longer than I thought,” Abigail said as she snapped her reins and rode ahead along with the men who'd been hired on to ride with the soldiers.

Clint rode along as well. As soon as he was spotted, the rest of the scouts fell in behind him.

It wasn't long before shots crackled through the air. There were enough horses charging to or from the camp of crippled wagons to send a constant rumble through the ground. Indian braves yelped their battle cries as scouts shouted back and forth to one another.

After watching Ahiga lead his men around the camp in one direction, Clint pointed in another and shouted, “They went that way!”

The scouts had their guns drawn and had been firing, but they didn't seem too anxious to give chase now that a few bullets and arrows had sailed over their heads. Just to be certain, Clint steered Eclipse to a spot that prevented anyone from truly going after Ahiga. The scouts weren't about to trample him, so they went where Clint wanted them to go.

Colonel Farelli rode up to the camp with his pistol drawn. “Just as Adams described it,” he said upon setting his sights on the grounded wagons and single tepee. “Open fire!” Without waiting for any of his men to make a move, Farelli aimed at the tepee and pulled his trigger.

Between the order from Farelli and the shots that were already being fired, the soldiers with the colonel reflexively followed their leader's example. Shots were fired one after the other until the tepee was a tattered mess and the wagons had more holes than a fishing net.

“Take no chances!” Farelli barked to the man beside him. “I want those wagons blown to bits! Where's my dynamite?”

Now that the scouts were away from the camp and riding off in the proper direction, Clint pulled on his reins and steered Eclipse toward the camp. Once the first volley of Farelli's gunfire was over, Clint heard a loud explosion and saw one of the wagons shatter into a burst of splintered wood.

Clint kept his head low and raced around the camp until he caught sight of where Ahiga was waiting for him. The Navajo was off his horse and motioned for Clint to follow suit. As soon as he was close enough, Clint swung down from the saddle and led Eclipse behind the cover of a bunch of rocks.

“Where's our ace in the hole?” Clint asked.

Ahiga reached for his own saddle to grab a large bundle that had been slung across his horse's rump. Handling the bundle as if it wasn't any heavier than a load of hay, Ahiga dropped it to the ground and pulled back the blanket to reveal the petrified face of the skinny translator. Clint looked at the translator's face and was instantly reminded of the attack that had ended Lieutenant McGurn's life.

Upon seeing the translator's face, Clint grinned and looked over to Ahiga. “I thought you were kidding when you said you'd found him.”

“Why would I kid about that?”

Not wanting to take the time to explain sarcasm to the Indian, Clint shifted his focus to the translator. Fortunately, Farelli had another one of the wagons blown up right about then. “You hear that?” Clint asked.

The translator nodded vehemently and tried to cover his eyes. His arms were tied behind his back, however, so the best he could manage was to clench his eyes shut and turn his head away.

“Your Colonel Farelli has come back for you,” Clint said. “Seems he truly doesn't like loose ends.”

“Wh…what do you…do you want from me?” the translator stammered.

Clint grabbed the translator's chin and forced the little man to look directly at him. “Farelli doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground, so he sure as hell doesn't know how to speak anything besides English. That means you went along for all of the talks with the Indians.” When he didn't get an answer, Clint barked, “Didn't you?”

The translator nodded and then nearly jumped off the ground when another stick of dynamite was tossed.

“How long have you worked with Farelli?” Clint asked.

“I've…I've been with the colonel since…I've…” Whenever the translator started to speak, he was cut short by more gunfire and the pounding of hooves as a group of Indians caught the soldiers' attention.

Clint looked up to Ahiga and saw the Navajo toss him a short wave. “My braves are drawing fire,” Ahiga said. “Nothing more.”

“Keep talking,” Clint said to the translator.

“I've been with the colonel for two years!”

“Go on.”

Now that his tongue had been loosened, the words flowed out of him like water spilling from a bucket. “It's been two years and I wasn't allowed to transfer! The colonel said he liked working with me and he would pay me to stay on. He's paid me enough to buy a ranch for my uncle, but he still wouldn't let me go.”

“I don't want to hear about your uncle,” Clint snapped, “and I don't want to hear about a ranch. Tell me what you know about Farelli and Chief Tolfox.”

“They've been making these arrangements for about a year and a half. Every time they have to start over again, Tolfox takes on a new name.”

“These attacks were arranged?” Clint asked.

“Yes, all of them,” the translator sputtered. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he added, “Not all of them. The first one was real. Chief Proud Fox led an attack on a settlement in the Dakotas. Farelli was sent to deal with him and he offered to pay the Indians off rather than fight them. When he couldn't come up with the money, Farelli stole from the Army.”

“What did he steal?” Clint asked.

“I don't know. I was only there to translate, but I saw Army wagons carrying supplies, guns, you name it. All Farelli asked was that he get the credit for it and when he got promoted, he found Proud Fox again. They would meet to arrange where the attacks would take place and when they would stop.”

“What happened this time?” Clint asked.

“I don't know!” As the translator spoke, tears began streaming down his narrow face. “I swear I don't know! Please!”

Clint couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed the translator by the arms and lifted him up. “It's all right.”

“No! He always sent Nolan to do his killing when he didn't want to use soldiers! I thought he might just kill Tolfox, but Farelli wanted all of us dead. Now he's blowing this whole place up just to get to me. Oh Lord, there's nowhere for us to go!”

When Clint had arranged for Ahiga to bring the translator to this spot at this time, his intention was to put the fear of God into the little fellow. Now that his plan had worked even better than he'd expected, Clint couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Keeping his scowl firmly in place, Clint looked into the translator's eyes and asked, “You want to live through this?”

“Yes, yes, oh God, please—”

“Fine,” Clint interrupted. “You'll tell us everything you know about Farelli and you'll repeat all of that to what ever Army tribunal presides over his court-martial.”

“All right, all right! He's trying to kill me anyway. I'll do anything!”

Looking to Ahiga, Clint said, “Take him somewhere safe. Which way would I go to catch up with Tolfox?”

“Elsu will take you.”

Upon hearing his name, one of the nearby Navajo pointed his horse away from camp and waved for Clint to follow.

“You shouldn't waste time,” Ahiga warned. “Elsu moves very swiftly.”