The Gunman (Doc Beck Westerns Book 7): Doc Beck Westerns

By Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

"Whatever you do, stay out of trouble."

 

The echo of Doctor McKinnon's words follow Doctor Rebekah LaRoche on her latest medical mission. But being tasked with escorting an unknown woman to an insane asylum is difficult enough; add in former gunman Cord Johnson, who claims to be the woman's brother, and Rebekah is set on a dangerous path to discover the truth about the silent woman before it's too late.

 

Cord Johnson's violent reputation haunts him on his quest to keep a promise made to his sister—a promise he is determined to keep after breaking so many. All he wants to do is to take Ella home to the farm their father left them and live in peace. But when a rogue U.S. marshal arrests him for murder and Doctor Rebekah LaRoche takes off with his sister, Cord must rely on the reputation of his ivory handled six-guns.

 

With an upcoming political meeting to state her case for returning home to the Omaha Indian Reservation, the last thing Rebekah needs is to get tangled up with a gunman and a lost woman who is unable to speak for herself. But could Cord Johnson be telling the truth? Is Rebekah set to commit the emotionally distraught woman to an asylum that will separate a family forever?

 

***

About the Doc Beck Westerns series:

 

Of Omaha Indian and French descent, 34-year-old Doctor Rebekah LaRoche goes by Doc Beck, which gets her foot in doors before her patients and patrons realize she's a woman. A sophisticated spitfire with remarkable people skills, a foot in the door is all Rebekah needs to do her job. Traveling the West in the 1890s to lend aid and cure the sick, Doc Beck finds herself solving problems and setting straight more than just broken bones. But the work doesn't fill the longing in her heart for a place to truly call home—and someone beyond herself to believe in.

 

Books in the series:

Canyon War (Book 1)
Mission Bandits (Book 2)
Grave Robbers (Book 3)
Desert Captive (Book 4)
Ranch Feud (Book 5)
Bronc Buster (Book 6)
The Gunman (Book 7)
Ape Man (Book 8)
The Return (Book 9) (Coming May 2023)
Lost Legacy ((Book 10) (Coming July 2023)
Prairie Shadows (Book 11) (Coming September 2023)
The Judgment (Book 12) (Coming November 2023)
Doc Beck Westerns Boxset (Books 1 - 4)

• Language: English
• Publisher: RockHaven Publishing
• Release date: Mar 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201497514

Book preview

THE GUNMAN

THE GUNMAN

Doc Beck Westerns Book 7

SARAH ELISABETH SAWYER

RockHaven Publishing

CONTENTS

Free Books

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Author’s Note

Also by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

About the Author

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Happy reading!

—Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

PROLOGUE

The inside of the saloon reeked with the stench of stale smoke, spilled beer, and tobacco spit. One could throw in the lingering scent of trail dust and horseflesh that clung to cowpokes lounging at the bar, and those at a table near the swinging doors. Cord Johnson stood holding the doors partly open as he calculated the position of every person in the room.

He didn’t draw special attention, even dressed in his buckskin trousers, fringed jacket, and tan hat with its low crown and silver studded hatband.

But it was the men at the back table playing poker that he paid the most attention to.

Cord Johnson pressed through the swinging doors and closed them softly behind him. He angled toward the bar, his gaze never leaving the six men in the back corner. Four of them looked like ordinary cowpokes just wasting their month’s pay.

But if Cord was right—and his instincts told him he was—it was the other two men he was after.

Cord ran his hand along the polished bar as he moved down it. The bartender came toward him, wiping a shot glass clean, but Cord gave a low wave, eyes still on his quarry. The bartender halted, glancing between Cord and the back table.

The man settled the shot glass on the bar, rag laying over it. His eyes flicked to something under the bar.

Cord knew there would be a sawed-off shotgun there to head off trouble or break it up. But the bartender leaned forward and took note of the two ivory handled six-guns in Cord’s black holsters.

The bartender took a large step back.

That threat alleviated, Cord positioned his back to the bar. He propped his palms behind him on the cool smoothness and rested one boot heel on the brass foot rail.

The card dealer faced him, but the man hadn’t raised his head since Cord entered. The man didn’t need to. His hat was pushed back on his forehead, giving Cord a clear view of his face. He fit the description. Hector White.

Of the two cowpokes seated on either side of the man, one caught sight of Cord’s stare and leaned back slightly. He elbowed a cowpoke beside him and jutted his chin Cord’s direction. The man looked over his shoulder. Another unfamiliar face.

But that set off a chain reaction around the green cloth-covered table, and Hector White looked up. He met Cord’s steady gaze.

The man stopped dealing cards, his eyes darkening when he realized a challenge was coming his way. It was clear the man didn’t realize who Cord was. There was little reason he should. Other than the past few months, Cord hadn’t faced gunplay in fifteen years.

But Cord knew this was Hector White. And where he was, his partner was close by. Had to be the only man who hadn’t looked up, his face blocked by a cowpoke’s wide-brimmed hat.

Hector White, deck in one hand and loose card in the other, growled, What are you looking at, mister?

Cord didn’t move, hands still spread on the bar to keep them cool.

It depends. Are you partners with Buck Callaghan?

The last man at the table jerked his head up and he leaned back in his chair to see around the wide-brimmed hat. The scar on the man’s throat left no doubt that this was Smiley Jones. He never smiled.

Hector flinched, showing he recognized the name Buck Callaghan. But he said roughly, I asked what you’re looking at?

The answer depends on whether you ride with Buck Callaghan. He paused, watching the four cowpokes. When they didn’t move, he added, If you do, then I’m looking at two low-down, yellow-bellied cowards.

The four cowpokes quickly pushed away from the table, stirring dust. They scrambled back, two of them half-hiding behind the end of the bar. The other two pressed against the side wall. They sidestepped down it until they reached the swinging doors.

Cord watched all four from the corners of his eyes, but his gaze remained on Hector White and Smiley Jones, both of whom sat stock-still at the table.

When the cowpokes were clear, Cord straightened off the bar and dropped his tone to its greatest depths, the tone he used every time he faced death.

Where is my sister?

A full three seconds ticked away. Then Hector White dropped the deck of cards.

Cord ignored him as his right