Death in the Desert by J. R. Roberts Page A

are looking for him,” Clint said, “and they’re going to kill anyone they find alive in town.”
    â€œSo what are we gonna do?”
    â€œWe have to move.”
    â€œLeave my house?” she said. “If I’d wanted to do that, I would’ve left already.”
    â€œIt’s temporary,” he said, “just until I can take care of these men.”
    â€œHow many are there?” she asked.
    â€œFour, so far,” he said. “Look, where’s Emily?”
    â€œUpstairs.”
    â€œGet her down here, and pack some food. You two have to go into hiding.”
    â€œFor how long?”
    â€œAs long as it takes me to handle the looters.”
    â€œBut where can we go?” she asked. “Those men are searching the whole town, right?”
    â€œRight,” Clint said, “but since the man I killed found you, I have to assume they will, too. They’ll be coming to this area. We just have to get away from here—now!”
    â€œOkay!” Kathy said. “I’ll get Emily.”
    While Kathy went upstairs, Clint walked over and looked out the front windows, then moved to the back of the house and looked out the windows there.
    Kathy came down with Emily, who was asking questions.
    â€œWhere are we goin’, Clint?” Emily called out.
    â€œNot sure, little girl,” he said as he returned to the living room, “but we have to leave here, just for a little while.”
    â€œI’ll get some food,” Kathy said, and went to the kitchen.
    Clint looked out the front windows again, decided that they better go out the back.
    â€œOkay,” he said to Emily, “come on.” He took her hand and led her to the kitchen. Kathy was finishing up, sliding some cold chicken into a burlap bag.
    â€œWe’re going out the back,” Clint said, grabbing the sack from her. “Hold on to Emily and stay close.”
    â€œRight.” Kathy had Emily in one hand and her rifle in the other.
    He went out the back door, holding his hand out to stop them. When he saw that the coast was clear, he waved them out.
    â€œWe’re going to move fast.”
    â€œBut . . . to where?”
    â€œJust away from here,” Clint said. “Then we’ll figure out where to go.”
    They ran to the house next door, where Clint had hidden the body, then to the house after that. Then Clint saw two of the men from the stockyard stable.
    â€œDown!” he said.
    They all ducked as the two men walked by.
    â€œCan’t you take care of them?” Kathy whispered.
    â€œNot while you and Emily are here,” Clint said. “I don’t want to take the chance of a stray bullet.”
    â€œBut I can shoot—” Kathy said.
    â€œYou have to protect Emily.”
    â€œRight. So where are we going?”
    â€œSomeplace they’ve already been,” he said.
    â€œAnd where’s that?”
    Clint looked at Emily.
    â€œEmily, where did you see the men before?”
    â€œA few places,” she said.
    â€œJust tell me one.”
    â€œThey were in the Magnolia,” the child said. “I hid from them.”
    Clint looked at Kathy.
    â€œThe Magnolia Hotel,” she said. “Just off of Main Street.”
    â€œOkay, then,” Clint said. “Lead us to the Magnolia Hotel.”
    â€œThis way,” Kathy said.

SEVENTEEN
    They had to duck out of sight one more time, this time from a single man. After he went past, they continued on to the Magnolia Hotel. They went in the front door without being seen.
    â€œShouldn’t we close the doors?” Kathy asked.
    â€œNo,” Clint said, “they may have noticed that the doors were open. If we close them, they’ll know somebody’s inside.”
    â€œSo we’re going to leave the hotel unlocked while we’re in here?”
    â€œWe’ll put you in a room and you can lock that door.”
    â€œAll