Jim lifted his hand from his gun butt, grinning sheepishly as he realized the Rangers who’d been shot down were Adam Alvelo and Kim Lewis, Rick’s son, as they played a rowdy game of lawmen and outlaws. The renegades who’d downed them were their friends Roger Kergaravat, Sean Iannazzo, and Tony Clemente. Even as he watched, the “dead” Rangers sprang to their feet, blazing away with the rusted old Colts they carried, and Roger, Sean, and Tony screamed in pain as they crumpled to the road. “Ya can’t kill a Ranger and get away with it, hombres!” Kim triumphantly shouted.
“Don’t count on it!” Sean yelled back, leaping to his feet. Banging away at each other, the boys raced down the sidewalk, stopping short as they reached Jim.
“Hey! Howdy, Ranger Jim!” Adam exclaimed.
“I see you’ve got your hands full with these renegades,” Jim grinned.
“They sure do,” Roger shouted, pointing his gun at Adam’s chest and dropping the hammer. Adam let out a yell, grabbed his chest, then spun and draped himself over the hitchrail. “Just killed me another Ranger,” Roger stated triumphantly. Instantly, Kim shoved his gun against Roger’s back and pulled the trigger. “That’s for my pard,” he snarled, as Roger yelped and collapsed to the boardwalk. Tony, Sean, and Kim whirled to face each other, shot, and fell at Jim’s feet.
“Looks like you’re all goners,” Jim chuckled. “Mebbe now we’ll finally get some peace and quiet around here.”
“Nah. There’s lots more outlaws in these parts,” Adam said as he pulled himself off the rail. “We’ll be fightin’ ‘em all day.”
“Well, all of you just watch your stray slugs,” Jim warned as the rest of the boys came to their feet. “And make sure you’re home by suppertime, or I’ll have to run you varmints in.”
“We will, Ranger Jim,” Roger promised, as he shoved his gun into his waistband. Moments later, he and his pards had disappeared down the alley, still blazing away at each other.
Smiling, Jim once again settled into his chair, propped his boots on the hitchrail, and stretched out in the sunshine. “Yessir, it sure is gonna be good here the next coupla’ weeks, where the only renegades I’ve gotta keep my eyes on are a bunch of kids.” Moments after tilting his Stetson over his eyes, Jim Blawcyzk was peacefully sleeping.
Ranger Justice Page 16
