Come the Spring by Julie Garwood Page A

stood up and leaned against the desk. Both men ignored the crash that followed as the chair struck the wall; their gazes were fixed on each other.
    A long minute passed in silence before Ryan made up his mind. “All right, I’ll tell you why I chose you for the job. A long time ago I started getting curious about you when I heard about the trouble you ran into down near Abilene and how you handled it.”
    â€œI’m sure the story was exaggerated.”
    â€œNo, it wasn’t. I checked it out. You knew what they were going to do to that woman, and you—”
    â€œLike I said,” Cole interrupted, “the story was exaggerated.”
    â€œYou shot through her to get him.”
    â€œI shot through her arm, that’s all. The bullet didn’t touch bone. She only got a nick.”
    â€œBut that same bullet killed him.”
    â€œHe needed to die.”
    â€œI can give you at least twenty other examples.”
    â€œI’m good with a gun. So what?”
    â€œYou want the best reason of all?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou think like they do.”
    â€œLike who?”
    â€œThe bastards who came in here and killed all those people.”
    â€œSon of a bitch!” Cole roared. “Do you think I could do something like this?”
    Ryan diffused his anger. “No, I don’t think you could do something like this. I said you think like they do. You can get into their minds, Cole. I’ve tried, but I can’t do it.”
    â€œYou’re nuts, Ryan.”
    â€œMaybe, but I need a man who won’t hesitate and who doesn’t mind bending the law in certain situations. I also have to trust him, and I trust you.”
    â€œHow do you know you can trust me?”
    â€œAll the stories you say didn’t happen. I rode with your mother on the train to Salt Lake, and she told me all sorts of saintly things about you only a mothercould believe. Does she know how ruthless you can be?”
    Cole refused to answer the question.
    Ryan plunged ahead. “She thinks you’re headed in the wrong direction. That’s why she gave you the compass.”
    â€œThe compass you kept for over a year.”
    Ryan shrugged. “She also told me the compass was to remind you to stay on the right path. The way I see it, I’m helping you do just that.”
    â€œI’m not ruthless.”
    â€œWhen the situation calls for it, you are. I also heard about Springfield.”
    â€œAh, hell.”
    â€œAre you going to help me or not?”
    Cole had already made his decision. The sight of those bodies would stay in his mind for a long, long time, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night unless he helped find the men who had committed this atrocity. He simply couldn’t walk away.
    â€œI want to get all of them,” he whispered. “I’ll keep the badge, but as soon as this is over, I’m giving it back.”
    â€œYou might decide to stay on.”
    â€œMaybe,” was all he would allow. “Are there any special rules for marshals? I never was one for rules,” he warned.
    â€œMarshals are assigned to territories, but you and I are the exception because we’re on special duty. As for the rules, you don’t need to worry about them. It’s all common-sense stuff anyway. Marshals can’t be tried for murder, you know.” He told the lie with a straight face.
    Cole laughed. “That rule will come in handy.”
    Ryan stood up and rolled his shoulders to work the stiffness out. “Why don’t you go through this box while I go in the back and look through the drawers again.”
    Ryan had already headed toward the president’s office when Cole called out to him. “What am I looking for?”
    â€œThe names of the people who did their banking yesterday. Sloan told me that the president insisted his tellers keep accurate records. They were ordered to write down the name of every