A Promise of Thunder

minutes later, but the buzz of voices coming from behind a closed door brought a slow smile to his lips. His fingers flexed convulsively above his holster as he kicked open the door. Splintered wood flew in every direction as the three occupants of theroom, their faces frozen in shock, turned to face the unwelcome intruder.
    “Are these the scum you hired to do your dirty work?” Grady growled in a voice cold enough to freeze the ears off a brass monkey. “Say your prayers, Turner.”

Chapter Ten
     
    “It’s the renegade!” Fork gasped, reaching for his gun.
    “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Grady warned ominously. “Your friend knows how foolish it is to try to outdraw me.”
    “What do you want?” Turner asked, finally finding his voice.
    “I want all three of you out of town by midnight,” Grady said. “You succeeded in burning down Storm’s cabin, but you’ll not get another chance to terrorize her. If any of you make one move to harm her I’ll strip the skin from you piece by piece. When I finish you’ll beg me to kill you.”
    “Sweet Jesus!” Fork turned pale, and cold sweat popped out on his forehead as he envisioned his bloody corpse after Grady finishedwith him. “He means it, too.”
    “Don’t believe him,” Turner sneered. “The law knows how to deal with men like him.”
    Quick as a flash, Grady whipped the knife from his waistband with his left hand. It was a wicked-looking weapon, honed to razor sharpness. The stench of raw fear enveloped Grady as Turner backed away.
    “Wait, Stryker. What am I being accused of?”
    “I should have known you three would find each other and form an unholy alliance. You and your henchmen burned down Storm Kennedy’s cabin and tried to do the same to mine.”
    “Ya mean yours didn’t burn down?” Purdy blurted out. Turner spat out a curse and Fork groaned and rolled his eyes after hearing his partner’s revealing statement.
    “Fortunately, no. But it doesn’t take a genius to know who’s behind the fires.”
    “You misjudge me, Stryker. I wouldn’t harm Mrs. Kennedy,” Turner said with exaggerated innocence. “What will the dear lady do now? Perhaps I can help her. My offer to buy her land still stands.”
    “The lady is now my wife. We were married this morning and she has no desire to sell her land. I’m perfectly capable of handling both homesteads. I’m giving you fair warning, Turner. If you or your henchmen are still in town tomorrow, you’ll find the air dangerous to your health.”
    Having flung down his challenge, he carefullybacked out the door, leaving the three men shaking in their boots.
    “What do ya think?” Purdy asked. He made no attempt to conceal the tremor in his voice.
    “I think I’m gonna light outta town this afternoon,” Fork said. “Guthrie is gettin’ a mite crowded fer my liking. I heard stories about the renegade that would curl your hair. No siree, I’m outta here.”
    “Cowards!” Turner spat.
    “Damn right,” Purdy agreed. “If yer lookin’ fer company, Fork, I’ll join ya. The half-breed scares the shit outta me.”
    “Glad to have ya, Purdy, but ya gotta hurry. I aim to shake the dust of Guthrie from my boots long before midnight.”
    They both turned toward Turner, waiting to hear what he intended to do. He had called them cowards, but they knew him to be even more cowardly than themselves. Turner seemed deep in thought. The odds most definitely weren’t in his favor, and Turner wasn’t one to buck the odds.
    “Well, boys, the way I see it, this town hasn’t much to offer an enterprising man like myself. I hear Texas is the place to be right now. They’re prospecting for oil, and when that first gusher comes in it will open up a whole world of opportunities. I want to be in on it when that happens.”
    “I didn’t think you’d stick around to test the renegade’s mettle,” Fork chuckled knowingly. “See ya around, Turner.” Then he was gone,Purdy following in his wake. No one noticed or cared when the two desperadoes rode out of town a few hours later. Nor was Nat Turner’s absence noted when he boarded the first train to Fort Worth that same evening.
    Storm was waiting when Grady returned to the general store to pick her up. He appeared grim and somewhat distracted when he loaded her bundles into the wagon, convincing Storm that not all of his business had been pleasant. She was surprised, though, to find the wagon already loaded with a bedstead, a feather