John Riley Bounty Hunter: The Deceiving Trail

By: Ronnie Ashmore

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 1 hr and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

A Western Adventure by Ronnie Ashmore

"Ashmore creates fierce characters with confidence and authority. A fresh and welcome Western narrative." -Best-Selling Author Ralph Cotton

The Deceiving Trail
John Riley went against his better judgement and hired on for what he thought was an easy job guiding a preacher and his daughter. The job was supposed to be quick and easy with a good payday.
But now there are gunmen on the trail of the Milner’s and Riley has been marked for death, even though he doesn’t understand why. He hired on to protect them, and he never leaves a job undone. He has questions he hopes to find answers to on the deceiving trail.

Excerpt
Milner looked at Riley, “What happens now?”
“We change hotels but leave our things here. I have to get ready, more than I am.”
“You think he will still send his men into town? You said the others rode out,” Milner said.
“He still has four men working for him. I figure they are going to fight.”
Riley rubbed his fingers through his hair and put his hat back on.He lingered a moment longer, then turned and left the hotel room. As he looked back before closing the door, he saw Milner holding his crying wife tightly.
On the street, Riley was unsure what the next move should be. He had been warned by Phillips’ that his men would be riding into town to confront the Milner’s. He did not know when they were coming, or if they were not already here, maybe having rode in with Phillips this morning.
Phillips looked like a man used to luxury and nice things. Having been on the trail for days on end, it was unlikely he would come into town and not treat himself to a bath or a nice hotel room.
Riley decided to start with the bath. He would search the bath houses and see if he could locate Phillips. When he did locate him, he would trail him and watch his every move.
Riley searched every bath house and nice restaurant in Dallas and came up empty. There was no sign of Phillips having ever been to any of those businesses.
He seemed to be at a standstill. There was nothing he could do until Phillips decided to open the ball. Riley hoped he would be able to recognize the tune in time to dance.
A thought occurred to him as he crossed the street back to the Dallas Diamond saloon. What if Phillips was out recruiting more fighting men to replace the other three?
There was no shortage of gunmen and thieves who would jump at the opportunity to make the money Phillips could pay. He was thinking about that as he stepped into the saloon.
The gloom of the saloon was heavy after having been in the sun for so long. As his eyes adjusted to the interior, Riley spotted the trouble right off. He was sitting at a table by the window that looked out onto the street. The man had watched Riley come into the bar.
He was in his early thirties, maybe, sandy haired. He was smiling at Riley as he walked in. He was dressed in city clothes, a blue shirt with ruffles on the front, a pair of store-bought pants, and a fancy black derby sat atop his head, canted to the side.
Riley noticed the man but did not stare at him. He ignored him entirely as he stepped to the bar to order a beer. Once at the bar, with his body shielding his actions, he loosened the gun in his holster.
He remembered the man yesterday who had tried to draw on him. How his gun got caught on his shirt. He was hoping he could get his in play without any snags.
The bartender sat the beer in front of him. He took a silent deep breath and drank slowly.