A Good Day To Kill by Dusty Richards

him on his ass. That shocked his men that our bullets could reach him. They kept shooting their old pistols, but we were counting bodies,” JD said. “The brothers were tearing up the ones on the west side, and because they had rifles, they could even shoot at the ones on the east side.”
    â€œThen their reserves came from somewhere and they acted interested in getting the bodies off the field. That’s an oak-juniper country and really tough to get around.” Shawn shook his head. “They didn’t bring rifles back, thank God.”
    â€œDo you think those reserves were supposed to be there at the start of the attack?” Chet asked.
    â€œProbably, but we had the original ones cut down so bad, they would never have gained the edge again,” Roamer said.
    Captain Evans laughed. “I liked the tall target story. Him ordering in German to Mexicans what he wanted done.”
    Everyone laughed.
    â€œYou think that was how they cut down the Skeleton Canyon pack train?” Cole asked.
    Chet nodded. “Yes, but they must have had some rifles there.”
    â€œWhat’s next, boss man?”
    â€œTake our horses to Ortega’s. Get on a stagecoach for home. Take three weeks and see what we can do best after that. We should be healed by then.”
    â€œI’d vote for that,” JD said.
    The rest nodded.
    â€œEvans, you have anything on Clayton’s sons?” Chet asked.
    â€œMostly drunks. Small crimes, and they hold up stages on both sides of the border.”
    â€œMaybe we can round them up when we come back.”
    Evans agreed with a nod. “I bet you could get them cold-handed. I have a half-dozen Apache bucks that love to trail people. You need trackers, send me word.”
    Everyone nodded.
    â€œI’ll have them feed you some lunch and you can get on your way.”
    â€œYou ready to pull out for Tubac?” Roamer asked Chet, sounding concerned about his strength.
    â€œI’m fine. You have a horse for me to ride?”
    â€œBy damn, we can get one for you.”
    â€œLet’s move out then. I want to thank you and the Army.” Chet shook the Captain’s hand.
    â€œI wished they’d still been hanging around when my scouts found them.”
    â€œYeah,” JD said. “We’d have let them in on the action.”
    Evans assured them the Army would help in any way possible. In an hour, Chet on one of his roans, they all headed westward. It was a long day and after sundown when Ortega’s wife, Maria, greeted them.
    â€œOh, I am so glad, Chet, you are alright. Is something wrong?”
    â€œOh, we’re a little bunged up, but we’re going to take a break. The men will go home and get rested. Where’s Ortega?”
    â€œThey took some cattle to Tucson for a man. They did not know you were coming back so soon.”
    The brothers were not back in the morning. Maria said it would take them several days to drive the stock up there and sell them.
    â€œNo problem. We didn’t know yesterday we were doing this, either. All will be fine. Can you feed my horses while we’re gone?”
    â€œI can do that. It is so good to see that you are alright,” she said.
    â€œAnd Ortega will need to take those deserted women some food this week.”
    â€œNo problem. What are you going to do with them?”
    â€œTake them back to Mexico. But I’m too damn busy right now.”
    Maria laughed and hugged him. “You are always too busy.”
    Cole found him a bedroll. They were unsure where his roll went after he’d been shot.
    She offered to feed them, but instead they gnawed on some jerky before they turned in.
    â€œBreakfast in the morning,” she promised, and left them.
    After breakfast, Shawn used the ranch buckboard to take them into Tubac. They found a mail wagon headed north, and Chet offered four dollars to the Mexican driver to transport him and Jesus to Tucson. Saddles,