Payback

By Clay Cassidy

Dave Leary is shot and killed in a barroom brawl that evolves into a shooting. The shooter is young Tyrone Mitchum, a local hothead and youngest son of the richest cattle rancher in the district. Fleeing the scene, Tyrone and his brother, Chris, make haste and head home. Elizabeth, pregnant on her last and wife of the fallen Dave, decides to take revenge on her husband's death. She confronts Tyrone at his father's ranch after Lee Van Cleef, the town Marshall, pays the Mitchum's a visit. In her vengeful demeanor, Elizabeth goes into labor, thus giving Tyrone time to escape. Some time later, Lee Van Cleef manages to run Tyrone down in Laredo, Texas, hoping to take him back to Spring Valley to stand trial for the murder on Dave Leary. The Sheriff of Laredo though, won't allow Van Kleef to arrest Tyrone. Twenty-three years later, after the death of Elizabeth, Zachary decides to pursue his father's killer. He sets out on a journey into Texas, his only mission being to find Tyrone Mitchum. Finding what he set out to do, Tyrone realizes that nothing in life is as it seems, as the love that he finds and the truth which is revealed, coincide with each other. He sees the truth for what it is, and accepts it as such.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clay Cassidy
• Release date: Feb 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223494409

Clay Cassidy

Born on 12 April 1964. Enlisted in the Army in 1983 for two years as Operational Medic. Married my wife in December 1988, and moved back to my birth town, a small mining town in South Africa. My wife and I are blessed with two children; a son and a daughter. I have been writing since primary school and have always been an avid reader. My love for literature grew as I became older, as did my love for writing. It was only later in my life that the decision to submit one of my plenty manuscripts for a review that I'd written over the years. I submitted to SBPRS in Houston, Texas. Their response was quick, and a couple of months later I was standing with the first Print Proof Copy of my book. I have a keen interest in the American Wild West. This drives me to write Westerns, which is my favorite genre. I've always been passionate about writing. Apart from writing, I also do Editing, Proofreading, and Formatting of text before and/after submission of manuscripts to publishing houses at a relatively low cost to the Author. Two of my favorite pastimes when I'm not writing, is doing oil painting and pencil sketching, Wildlife being my favorite genre.

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Payback

Clay Cassidy

Edited and Published by Clay Cassidy

Copyright© 2024 Clay Cassidy

All rights reserved.

Smashwords License Notes

This book is written for your enjoyment only. Should you wish to have your family or friends read this book, please purchase a separate copy for each of them. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

About the Author

Other books by this Author

Prologue

Dave Leary is killed in a saloon over a card-game gone wrong. Elizabeth wants revenge for her husband's untimely death, and takes a stand against the killer to defend himself. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is robbed from this opportunity when she goes into labor. Twenty-three years later, Elizabeth passes away and Zachary decides to take his chances and seek the killer of his father to achieve justice.

Is revenge the answer, and can Zachary follow through with his vengeance?

Chapter One

Stillwater. The name suggests a quiet, docile little town lost in time, the only inhabitants being a couple of old people who can't escape their surroundings during their young years and grow old here, their existence forgotten by their kin and others who actually manage to shake the dust of this godforsaken land eons ago.

It's everything but. The town is built strategically at the foot of a majestic mountain range and is rather large for a Western town. It speaks of wealth and well-structured building. The town council consists of several rich business men who settle in the region, having made their fortune panning gold and mining silver.

Although life is now bustling in this community, it wasn’t this way thirty years ago. Ruthless, lawless men dwell this trail and the only way to survive is if the traveler has a fast draw and a straight eye.

$$$

Stillwater; twenty-five years previously.

Chad Budweiser parts the batwing doors of the loud, smoke-filled saloon, his tall frame nearly reaching six foot two inches.

A ruggedly handsome and suntanned face stares inquisitively with olive green eyes around the saloon. Walking straight to the bar counter, he removes his War Bonnet and places it on the counter in front of him. He pulls his fingers through his long sweaty hair.

Apart from the couple of regular faces, Chad doesn't spot the person he is looking for.

What'll you have, Chad; same as usual?

Chad turns to face the man who speaks to him, nodding his head.

Yeah, but why d'you ask if you know what I favor, Wiley?

Wiley Tanner shakes his head in dismay as he turns to get the bottle of sour rye Whisky from the shelf behind him. He pours the glass half with the liquid and pushes it over the counter towards Chad.

You don't have to be so damn unpolite, Budweiser. Besides, what you doin' here?

Wiley has to bend over the bar counter and raise his voice for Chad to hear him. The noise in the saloon seems

to have increased.

Chad hesitates for a moment.

Well, I, uhm ...felt like havin' me a drink. Anythin' wrong with that?

Wiley thinks about this for a moment before shaking his head.

Nope, there sure ain't no problem with that.

Well, then it's fine. I ain't here lookin' for trouble.

Chad throws his head back and swallows his drink with one gulp. He pushes his glass back over the counter.

Pour me another, and then you can leave the bottle. Here's the money; take it an' leave me be.

Wiley wags a thick index finger at Chad.

And just a fair warnin'; don't start any trouble in my saloon. Just so's we know where we stand. You wanna shoot up somebody's place, go to Jimmy's; he don't mind.

Chad grins. He’s quite fond of Wiley, although the latter doesn't seem to feel the same way about him. Wiley is overweight and a little on the short side. His hair is short and greying along either side of his temples, and his head is bald on top.

Silence fills the air for a few seconds while Wiley polishes glasses. He hangs the cloth over his shoulder.

There is a commotion in the back of the saloon and a fistfight breaks out. The fighters kick tables and chairs out of the way. Two men stand back to back and fight off five others. Although the odds against them aren't good, they don't need any help. One of their opposing brawlers pulls a gun. The odds change drastically.

Everybody takes their oh-be-joyful and stand to one side, knowing what the outcome is going to be. The man who has drawn his gun, has received a couple of devastating blows to his face. Of the five men, he is the oldest.

He is spitting blood, and blood is streaming from his nose, which stands at a grotesque angle. It’s obvious that it’s broken. He speaks through clenched teeth while he talks to the man who beat him.

"I'm goin' to smoke your ass now, Mitchum. You might be stronger'n me, and fight better'n me, but you can't outrun a bullet! This here bullet's got your name on it, so I promise you it'll find its target real easy. What you got to say for yourself now, big boy? You're in one helluva mess, ain't ye?

The man he is speaking to is Tyrone Mitchum. Tyrone and his brother, Chris, are always in some sort of trouble, and quick to settle the problem with their fists. Both men are a little taller than average, and look like twins although their age difference says otherwise. Tyrone freezes and holds his hands up.

Hey, now, Dave; hold your horses, man. We had us a difference of opinion, that's all. After all, it was you who cheated with the cards; on all of us! It ain't fair to hold me at gunpoint when you started the fight, and got what you deserved. You ain't gonna shoot nobody, so holster your gun an' let's call it quits. What d'you say? C'mon an' lemme buy you a oh-be-joyful. Yeah?

Dave Leary's demeanor is skeptic. He doesn't trust Tyrone Mitchum as far as he can see him, and he makes his point very clear as he stresses this fact.

You tryin' to play me, Mitchum? If you try anythin' funny I'll blow your lyin' ass to Hell! Next time I'll surely kill you; you can wager your life on that.

Dave slowly holsters his gun while he watches Tyrone like a Hawk. Tyrone doesn't move a muscle. His eyes dart back and forth from Dave to the other four men still surrounding him and Chris.

Wiley, hand me a wet cloth to wipe my face with, if’n ye don't mind.

Dave turns and starts walking to the bar to get the cloth from Wiley, when Tyrone takes his chance. His hand streaks down to his right side.

He is fast, but the slither of metal against leather can be heard clear as