Chapter 13
They moved with desperate speed, backtracking along the narrow ledge until they reached a thick stand of stunted mountain pines clinging tenaciously to the cliffside. Eli quickly secured the horses to a sturdy trunk, pulling the heavy saddlebag containing the lockbox free and slinging it over his shoulder.
"Stay behind me," Eli instructed, his voice dropping into a low, authoritative rumble as he drew his Colt revolver with his right hand and held his rifle ready in his left.
They scrambled off the trail and down into the steep, rocky ravine of the old ore chute, sliding through loose gravel and dry pine needles until they reached the cover of a massive boulder shelf that jutted out beneath the upper ridge.
From above, the harsh sound of voices echoed down the mountain slope.
"Spread out!" Miller’s voice barked, sounding much closer than before. "They couldn't have vanished into thin air. Check every boulder along the ridge. The boss wants that ledger intact, but he didn't say anything about the girl or the old man walking away from it!"
Eli pressed his back flat against the cold stone of the boulder shelf, signaling Clara to stay low behind a fallen log. He waited, his breath held, his finger resting lightly on the trigger of his revolver as the heavy thud of boots drew nearer above them.
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared on the rocky skyline directly above their position—a man in a long wool coat, holding a repeating rifle at the ready, scanning the lower trail with sharp, suspicious eyes. It wasn't Miller; it was the tall enforcer, Talbot.
Talbot paused, his eyes sweeping down toward the timber where the horses were tethered. He raised a hand to signal his partner, shouting, "Found their mounts! They're on foot somewhere near the ore chute!"
Before Talbot could raise his rifle to cover the trail, Eli stepped out from beneath the boulder shelf, raised his Colt, and fired a single, calculated shot that shattered the rock inches from the enforcer's boots.
"Drop the rifle, Talbot!" Eli shouted, his voice echoing fiercely off the canyon walls. "Game's over!"
Talbot spun around in surprise, trying to bring his repeater to bear, but the loose shale beneath his boots gave way under the sudden movement. With a startled yell, the enforcer lost his footing, sliding wildly down the steep gravel slope before grabbing desperately onto a protruding root just yards above where Clara stood.
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Before Talbot could pull himself up, Eli stepped forward, pressing the barrel of his revolver firmly against the rock near the enforcer's hand. "Let go of the root, Talbot. Slide down to the gully and sit down quiet, or the next one goes through your shoulder."
Talbot glared up with venomous hatred, but seeing the absolute coldness in Eli’s eyes, he slowly relaxed his grip. With a frustrated curse, he slid down the gravel bank, landing heavily in the dirt beside Clara, who kept her pistol trained on him without a tremor in her hands.
