Jessie Texas Gamble – Louise Behiel

“Thanks so very much, little sister. I’m glad you learned the lessons of hospitality our parents worked so hard to teach us.” He took the glass she handed him, tipped it toward her then guzzled the water, allowing the liquid to drool down both sides of his lips. With the glass empty, he swiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then handed it back to her.

“Appreciate it.” His gaze swiveled around the men backing her. “Don’t suppose you have an outhouse?” He looked around. “Would be a shame to mess up this beautiful yard.” He turned to her, his eyes narrowing. “To mess up anything so beautiful.” She pressed her hands against her stomach, all color draining from her face. Recognizing a threat when he heard one, Jessie stepped close behind her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

“We treasure beautiful things on the McKenzie Ranch. And we protect them.” “I’m sure you do.” Bobby Joe looked around. “This place fairly shouts of the care it’s given. All prettied up, so fine.” He searched her eyes, then allowed his gaze to slide down to Bernadette’s feet and back. “Even a sow gets all gussied up around here.” “What are you insinuating?” Jessie stepped in front of her, his hand on his Colt.

“Me? Why nothing.” His oily smile was disgusting. He imagined it was the same smile he’d given Bernadette when handing her over to Slim. “Just saying that everything looks real fine around this here ranch.” He spit toward the corner of the steps, missing by a couple of feet. As the tobacco and spit congealed on the painted planks, Bobby Joe glanced out to the range. “I heard you have lots of cattle out there. Must be risky, leaving them so far from the house.”

He turned back to them. “Ever have any trouble with rustlers?” Jessie pushed Bernadette further behind him and stepped closer, hands fisted on his hips. “Is that a threat?” “A threat? No sir. Not at all.” Bobby Joe looked to the horizon again. “Just jawing, is all.” He jabbed his index finger into the weasel’s chest. “If anything happens, and I mean anything, you will have us to deal with.” He looked back at his family and Ted who had moved to the side of the porch. “That goes for the property, the cattle, and my family.”

He jabbed his finger into Bobby Joe’s chest again. “Do I make myself clear?” “Yes, sir. You do. But there ain’t no call to get all heated up. I’m only passing the time of day.” He nodded toward her. “My sister and I should talk a spell.

In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. OceanofPDF.com CHAPTER ONE Barrons, Texas, 1850 “I heard you were back in town.” Jessie McKenzie tipped back his black Stetson and looked up. “You heard right.” “How long you staying?” asked the scowling man standing across the table from him. Glancing at his cards again, Jessie threw three eagles on the pile in the middle of the table.

“Not sure.” He wasn’t ready to discuss why he’d come home and wasn’t sure how long he would be staying. “Did you plan to tell any of us you were back?” Aggravation tinged Cole McKenzie’s voice and his hands fisted. The men at the table looked from brother to brother. A couple of men got ready to jump and run.

It had been nine, almost ten years since Jessie left town after his last family brawl—the last of many for him. No one wanted to get caught in another one. “I might have.” He looked at the man to his left. “You in or out?” The other man mumbled to himself as his gaze dropped to his cards.

He folded his hand and discarded it. “Out.” Jessie studied the next one who did the same thing. What did he expect? He was Baron McKenzie’s third son, the bad seed of the bunch. Everybody was waiting for a fight. The last man at the table stared at him. “I’ll see you and raise you another hundred.” Jessie matched the raise. “Call.” The other man threw down his cards, lips curled in disgust. “I’ve got nothing.” Jess placed his cards on the table.

“Full house, Kings over tens.” “I’m done,” Tim Locke, another rancher’s son from the area, said as he stood. “You McKenzies always did have the damndest luck.” As Jessie scooped the money from the table, he glanced at the other players. “My brother wants to have a family reunion, and I’m thinking I ought to oblige him.” He piled the coins then rose to his feet. After sliding them from the table and into his pants pocket, he turned to his brother.

“Barrons was on my way, so I stopped.” He signaled the barkeep for another bottle of whiskey. “Why don’t you grab a chair and we can talk about the good old days?” He smiled, but remained standing, waiting for a reaction he hoped didn’t happen. Cole’s eyelid twitched, but his shoulders settled. “Unless there’s something else you want to shoot the breeze about? Our loving father?

Our brothers? The ranch?” “You always were an ass.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 167
• Language: English (en)

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• Total Words: 59,890
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