"You're welcome to try, " Cole said, and finally let some of his fury
explode.
"Damn, but I want you to try." Scar Face snickered. "Four against
one? You must think you're fast, Marshal." Cole shrugged. "Why don't
you find out? I'll get every one of you, and I won't make you kneel
down first." Scar Face twitched, and Robertson paled.
"We can take you, " Robertson said, his eyes narrowing as he studied
his adversary. "You think you're as fast as lightning? " Cole
smiled.
"Nah, " he drawled out, deliberately baiting them. "Folks say I'm all
thunder." With a tilt of his head, he added, "He's lightning. "
Daniel was standing inside the back door. The men whirled around and
then turned back to Cole. They were trapped, and they knew it.
"You've got five seconds to put your guns on the table, " Daniel
said.
Robertson was the first to go for his gun. Shouting, "Now, " he swung
left and dropped. Cole shot him in the chest just as his hand reached
his holster. The other three had also gone for their guns. Daniel
shot two dead and left the last man for Cole, who put a bullet through
his throat.
Cole was putting his gun away when he and Daniel saw the bartender
raise his shotgun. They fired simultaneously and watched without
expression as Harley fell across the counter. His shotgun crashed to
the floor.
Cole hadn't killed Robertson. He was sprawled on the floor, his back
against the wall, whimpering in pain. Blood trickled down from the
wound in his chest.
Daniel squatted beside him. "Tell me the name of the man in charge. "
He put the barrel of his gun to Robertson's temple. "If you want to
die quick, give me the name. Otherwise you're going to die real
slow.
" He started counting.
Cole rushed across the room. "Don't do it, Daniel. He isn't worth
it.
" Daniel didn't hear him. "Give me the name." Robertson started
crying. "I'm hurt. I'm hurt bad, " he sobbed. "You've got to get the
doc to fix me up." Cole ignored his whining. The hate in Daniel's
eyes scared the hell out of him, and he knew he had to figure out some
way to make him let go of his rage before it was too late.
"Put the gun away, " Cole said softly. "Jessica saw him. She can
point him out to us." Daniel's eyes were glazed with anguish as he
glanced up at Cole. Then he shook his head and pressed the gun against
Robertson's temple.
"No, she only saw his eyes and heard his voice. Without a name . .
.
" Cole put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "We'll get him, " he
promised.
"Don't do it this way. You have to keep him alive."
"No."