Page 16 of The Cowboy's Close Quarters Claim

But Clem doesn't appear over the rise of the hill where the cattle came up.

The dogs are both back, so I doubt there are any more strays to be brought in. I'm about to head over the fence line when I hear the first shot.

My blood runs cold. I'm already past the fence and heading down the hill before the next two shots ring out over the landscape.

A signal for help. It's not common these days, with radios and cell phones in everyone's back pockets now, but if someone's in a bind out here, we all know the sound of gunfire carries a good long distance and three shots in succession means someone's in trouble.

Scrambling down the steep hill on Flying R land, I spot trouble all right. Trouble of the Ralston variety; and from the looks of it, my low-life neighbors have decided to step up from rustling cattle to rustling women.

"I mean it, Ralston!" I'm coming up on them quick with my hand on my pistol. "Let her go now!"

Damn bastard has Clem caught up in his arms like he's going to carry my woman over the damn threshold. She's not fighting him from what I can see and that has my gut clenching for multiple reasons; could be he's got her subdued somehow...could be she's willing.

Instead of putting her down, he turns toward the sound of my hollering so I can see his face.

Riley. Second oldest of the Ralston brood and as much an asshole as any of his worthless brothers, just stands there, glaring at me from under the brim of his oiled leather Outback hat, with my woman in his arms like he's got a right to put his filthy hands on her.

I'd have him on the ground begging for his life if Clem wasn't in the way, and the smug bastard knows it.

"You're Gunner's woman?" Riley looks down at Clem in his arms, non-plussed at the threats to his life I keep issuing as I come up closer to them.

"No, I am not," Clem practically spits the words out, but she's looking right at me, not him.

"You are, and you know it, Clementine," I correct her, with Riley's head bobbing between us like he's trying to make sense of the exchange.

Then the gangly bastard turns and carries Clem to his OHV.

"What the fuck is going on here, Clem?" Panic is setting in. Something's off about this whole thing and the fact that Clem's letting him set her down on the passenger seat has me looking forward to the man's hands being free so I can kick his spine in.

"Look, you two can settle whatever your issues are later," Riley tells me as he turns to head for the driver's side of the small vehicle.

"Fuck you, Ralston. We'll settle them right now. I'm not letting you take her anywhere until I hear from Clem that she wants to go with you."

"Oh for fuck's sake, O'Leary."

Clementine's voice sound wrong, like it's taking too much effort for her to raise the volume and she's got her arm pressed to her chest as she levels angry eyes my way.

She's hurt.

Dammit! Clem's hurt.

"What the fuck happened to her, Ralston?"

Stepping into the other man's space, I throw my hat to the ground.

"I swear to God, if you touched her, they'll never find your worthless corpse--"

"Gunner! Ralston's not the problem here,youare. You're acting stupid and I don't have time for the macho bullshit."

"She took a kick to the ribs." Riley's hands are both in the air and the look on his face is more concern than I'd have thought a Ralston was capable of. "Pretty sure her lung's punctured, she needs to get to the hospital. Keys are in the Gator-- go."

"Fuck." I grab my hat off the ground and make a beeline for the OHV. I don't know what to say to Riley, so I don't bother trying. I turn the motor over and throw it into gear just as the dogs start barking up the hill back on our side of the property line. "What the--?"

The barking is followed by the sound of hooves and a turn of my head tells me my temporary repair job was too temporary. Ten or twelve of our animals are headed right back down the narrow game trail they've worn in the side of the hill, not paying much mind to the dogs running alongside them.

"I got it," Riley says off-handedly as he watches the rogue cattle make their way down to the creek. "Just get her taken care of."

I've got one boot on the ground again, not liking the idea of leaving a Ralston in charge of my stock.

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