A Promise of Thunder

day Storm accompanied Grady to Guthrie to buy supplies. While driving through town she saw someone she had hoped never to see again. Nat Turner had returned to Guthrie. He was standing in front of the bank, talking toa man neither she nor Grady had ever seen before.
    “Grady, look!” Storm said as they passed the bank. “Isn’t that Nat Turner?”
    “What the hell!” Grady spat disgustedly. “I thought I told him never to show his face in Guthrie again.”
    “Do you know the man he’s talking to?”
    The man in question was big; big and ugly and nearly as broad as he was tall. His barrel chest and thick arms gave mute testimony to his massive strength. He wore his guns in the style of gunfighters, shoved into a leather holster riding low on his hips and tied down at his thigh. Suddenly Turner spotted them and said something to the man beside him. Then they both turned and stared pointedly at Grady and Storm. The gunman’s beady eyes narrowed until they were mere slits in his florid face. His considering gaze rested on Storm for a brief moment before continuing on to Grady, where they stopped abruptly and remained.
    An unexpected shudder traveled down Storm’s spine. “Why is that man staring at you?”
    Grady gave a careless shrug. He knew exactly what the man wanted, but deliberately kept that information from Storm. He’d seen that look too many times in the past not to recognize it. The man represented the kind of violence Grady had once relished but had been hoping to avoid since his marriage to Storm. They all had the same look about them; thecocky attitude, the guarded expression. Grady knew what to expect but tried to deny it. He had promised Storm he wouldn’t seek violence and he intended to keep his promise.
    Grady’s body tensed, his eyes narrowed and watchful. Years of training and experience had taught him to trust no one, especially those men who came looking for a fight. He had hoped that in the months he’d settled in Oklahoma his reputation for mayhem would have slowly died. But unless he was mistaken, he was about to receive another challenge. This time the challenger wouldn’t find him so eager to defend his reputation. That reputation just wasn’t worth losing Storm.
    The wagon turned the corner and Grady reined in before the seed store. The general store, where Storm intended to shop, was across the street.
    “What do you suppose Nat Turner is doing back in town?” Storm asked worriedly as Grady swung her to the ground.
    “It doesn’t matter,” Grady said. “He can do nothing to hurt you. He knows I’ll kill him if he so much as touches you.”
    “Did you recognize the man he was talking to?”
    “I never saw him before,” Grady said guardedly. But he had seen men just like him in every town along the western frontier.
    “He looked at you as if he knew you.”
    Grady shrugged. “Forget him, sweet. There are countless men like him in the territory.They’ll never amount to anything. They drift from place to place making a living by whatever dishonest means they can.”
    “I don’t like the idea of him being with Turner.”
    “Don’t worry, Storm, I promise those men won’t harm you. It’s getting late. I suggest you get your shopping done.”
    “It’s not me I’m worried about,” Storm muttered as she crossed the street to the general store.
    When Storm returned to the wagon a short time later Grady hadn’t returned yet from the seed store, but Nat Turner and his cold-eyed friend were leaning against the wagon waiting for them.
    “Well, Mrs. Stryker, how nice to see you again,” Turner said, tipping his hat cordially.
    “The feeling is not mutual,” Storm said. She swished her skirt haughtily as she deliberately avoided both men.
    “That’s no way to act,” Turner said, affronted. “We were good friends once.”
    “That was before you tried to steal my homestead.”
    “That’s your opinion.” Turner grunted as all pretense of cordiality disappeared. “My friend and I were just discussing your husband.”
    “If you have questions, ask me, not my wife.” Grady’s voice was deep and menacing, giving the gunman enough reason to whirl and reach for his gun. “I wouldn’t if I were you.” Gradyhad left the store only moments before and his temper nearly exploded when he saw Turner and the gunman talking to Storm.
    The gunman’s hand dropped to his side and Turner held open his coat, showing that he wasn’t armed. “Now, what was it you