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    Brand 12: Vengeance Gun
    Brand 12: Vengeance Gun
    Brand 12: Vengeance Gun
    Ebook122 pages1 hour

    Brand 12: Vengeance Gun

    By Neil Hunter

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    About this ebook

    When Frank McCord of the Justice Department is kidnapped, the Attorney General calls on the one man who stands a hope in hell of finding him -- the Department’s toughest operative, Jason Brand.
    But from the moment he accepts the assignment, Brand becomes a target for the men who are determined to stop him finding McCord. What they don’t understand is that McCord is not just his boss - he’s also a friend, and that makes all the difference.
    Nothing less than a well-aimed bullet will stop him from saving McCord. But even when Brand does track him down, his troubles are far from over. With a violent bunch after him, and a seriously injured McCord on his hands, Brand has to outrun a relentless pursuit.
    No matter how ruthless the gang is, or how big the stakes, there’s one thing the bad guys fail to appreciate ... and that is Jason Brand’s skill with a vengeance gun.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPiccadilly
    Release dateJun 5, 2018
    ISBN9780463620748
    Brand 12: Vengeance Gun
    Author

    Neil Hunter

    Neil Hunter is, in fact, the prolific Lancashire-born writer Michael R. Linaker. As Neil Hunter, Mike wrote two classic western series, BODIE THE STALKER and JASON BRAND. Under the name Richard Wyler he produced four stand-alone westerns, INCIDENT AT BUTLER’S STATION, THE SAVAGE JOURNEY, BRIGHAM’S WAY and TRAVIS.

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      Book preview

      Brand 12 - Neil Hunter

      Prologue

      New York City

      The man known as Don Luchino Trattori stepped back from the window of his study, a frown creasing his broad face. Rain streamed down the glass panes, dropping from a leaden, heavy-clouded sky. The downpour and the gloom matched his somber mood. Trattori had a great deal on his mind. Uppermost was the loss of the diamond cache he had been expecting from Texas.

      He had been anticipating success with the gaining of the large collection of priceless stones. He had plans to expand his enterprises into the western states, mainly California and Nevada, where there were limitless opportunities. His earlier excursion in Arizona with the High Grade copper mine, had been thwarted and he had lost heavily there. Despite a further attempt to recoup his hold over the enterprise he had finally decided to cut his losses and move on with other schemes.

      The disruption of the High Grade business, which had been taken over by the woman who took control on the death of her brother. He had been trying to have her killed so he could control the High Grade mine. He had been in league with a woman named Beth Arling, a successful madam and saloon owner, when a man named Bodie had confronted them. He had wounded Beth Arling. Angela Crown’s brother had died as well. Sided by Bodie, Angela Crown proved to be too much of a problem, so Trattori backed off. Other considerations took the place of the High Grade mine.

      Trattori had a personal score to be settled with the man who had been instrumental in wrecking his deal in Arizona.

      Bodie.

      It had taken Trattori time to track down the man hunter and when he did he assigned the man called Silva to go after the man.

      Silva was Trattori’s assassin. A man who had few equals. Silva had worked for him a long time and was considered to be one of the best. A craftsman who had even built his own handgun. Unfortunately it had not saved him from Bodie. They two had clashed in the Pullman car carrying Bodie and a girl called Eden Chantry back to her father, Major Owen Chantry at Fort Huachuca. She had been kidnapped by a half-breed called Coyote. Bodie had taken her from Coyote. After a long pursuit by Coyote and his men Bodie had killed the outlaw. Taking a train that would return them to Fort Huachuca Bodie had been confronted by Silva and despite being shot the man hunter had killed Silva.

      It became a matter of honor for Trattori to have Bodie tracked down and killed. His death hurt Trattori. Whatever else he might be Luchino Trattori respected tradition and it was in that spirit he was honor bound to have the killer paid in kind.

      Trattori’s second in command, a young man called Fabio, had been given the task of finding Bodie and ordering his death. During his search Fabio had come across written reports from High Grade, especially details of Bodie’s clash with Beth Arling. Arling was ambitious and enterprising. She had bought an ailing saloon in High Grade, allied herself to Raymond Crown, and worked to profit from his desire to take over the High grade copper mine. Her association with Raymond Crown had ended in gunfire, him dead and she wounded by Bodie. Soon after she had left High Grade, selling the saloon and moving further west.

      Fabio’s people had heard about Arling and her story, and though he was primarily seeking information on the man who had interfered with the diamond delivery, he realized she had a connection to the man called Bodie.

      Beth Arling admitted she wanted a chance to get even with Bodie and Fabio’s offer to assist in her latest acquisition, a saloon-gambling house in Nevada, gained her interest and cooperation. It was a twofold gesture. Trattori was looking to expand. Nevada was growing and buying into Arling’s enterprise was an easy way in. The plus side was both Arling and Trattori had a mutual desire to deal with Bodie. Pooling their knowledge and resources would, hopefully, increase their efforts.

      Fabio had Arling brought to the east coast to discuss the future venture. As well as being beautiful the young woman was sharp and it did not take her long to understand Trattori’s desires. She got the story from Trattori. His anger at the way in which he had lost his diamond cache was still growing. Luchino Trattori was a proud man. A vengeful man. Retribution against anyone who slighted him was a tradition that went back a long way. An insult had to be put right. Weakness was not something he could allow to go unpunished. It was a mark against him. Something his rivals would seize on and use to ridicule him and that was something Trattori would not allow.

      During the long discussions Arling had with Trattori a connection was made between the man called Bodie and the lawman, Alvin LeRoy. Arling maintained a line of informants who regularly fed her with information. Only recently she had learned that LeRoy and Bodie had met during an incident that involved them both. Arling had learned of their association. It interested Trattori. Now he had a link between the two and as he realized Beth Arling had knowledge of Bodie and LeRoy he saw a possible opportunity to settle his grievance with them both.

      Using his own considerable lines of communication Trattori tasked Fabio to follow through investigations of US Marshal Alvin LeRoy. As usual the man came back with useful information on the lawman.

      LeRoy emerged as a highly dedicated individual who had a reputation for doggedness when it came to following through with his assignments. He would handle them thoroughly, yet he would be the first to admit to any mistakes he made. His tenacious streak came through as he tracked his quarry and he had no problems delivering hard justice to lawbreakers. Few who braced him lived to tell the tale. The men he went against were hard and violent. With little regard for human life. Bred on the frontier they took what they wanted and gave little in return. Their world was wild and often brutal and it took men like LeRoy to stand against that.

      The more he learned about the man the more respect Trattori had. He saw a dedicated lawman who believed in what he stood for. Such a man would make a formidable opponent. LeRoy would not be swayed from his path. Nor would he be intimidated or bought. Such a man, Trattori realized, would fight to the last.

      Fabio came to Trattori’s office, a buff colored paper in his hand.

      ‘This has come from our informant in Texas. He has received information from a source in Fort Bellman. It is where LeRoy is being treated for his wounds. It is going around the fort that there are many dead at Buckman’s Folly. The Army sent soldiers to bury them. It would appear there were no survivors except for this man LeRoy.’

      ‘The diamonds?’

      Fabio shook his head. ‘No mention. If the Army found them they are not disclosing anything. But I will continue to search for information.’

      Surprisingly Trattori showed little reaction. He leaned back in his ornate chair letting go a deep sigh. His hands, spread out across his desk, flexed briefly.

      ‘All that effort,’ he said. ‘Having these diamonds taken from Mexico and passed to that priest, Tamber. Hiring the man Reno and his people. And then to lose them before Dietrich could take possession. All wasted because of that dammed lawman LeRoy…’

      After Fabio had left Trattori and Arling continued their discussion.

      ‘How was it that a priest became involved?’ Arling said.

      ‘He had little choice,’ Trattori said. ‘He used his position to allow him unnatural practices with his younger brethren. When his secret became known to one of my people it was an easy thing to persuade him to help collect the diamonds after they were brought over the border from Mexico. Tamber concealed the cache in his wagon and transport them across Texas to a rendezvous with Jack Reno. After dealing with the occupants of the wagon train Reno was to deliver the diamonds to my emissary. It went well until this cursed lawman showed up.’

      ‘I have heard of this man LeRoy. A resourceful US Marshal.’

      ‘His association with Bodie puts him at the top of the list.’

      ‘Where are the diamonds from?’

      ‘Gathered by various methods from a number of sources,’ Trattori said. ‘In Mexico there are still collections of them from the days of the Aztecs, who used them for decorations of their costumes and in trade. My agents sought out these collections and collected them for me.’

      ‘I take it by illegal means?’

      ‘Let us say there are ways around many problems.’

      Arling smiled. She understood Trattori. Liked his thinking. The way he took a direct approach.

      ‘The diamonds were brought to the border and passed to Tamber to be carried along with his religious goods.’

      ‘Who would suspect a man of the church. Even one of dubious practices.’

      ‘Tamber had been lucky. His transgressions were hushed up and his gratitude came in the form of transporting something for me.’

      ‘Very enterprising. ‘

      ‘Now I must consider how to complete my plans now the diamonds have been lost. They would have made things much easier to achieve but there are other ways to achieve

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