Chapter 35
“You’ve been at the McKinnon place.”
“Well, actually, it’s my place now. And should anything happen to me, it’ll become property of the Roman Catholic Church.”
Cullen jerked in his saddle, the gun wavering for the first time. “What the hell do you mean, it’s your place?”
“Ben McKinnon willed it to me.” Alonzo licked his lips. “On his deathbed.”
A bead of sweat rolled between his shoulder blades while he waited for Cullen to speak. It didn’t surprise him in the least when the sheriff said bluntly, “You’re lying.”
If Cullen truly believed that, nothing would stop him from shooting Alonzo. And once he shot Alonzo, nothing would stop him from riding directly to Ben’s and either arresting him for murder, or killing him outright. So he had no real choice at all.
“No, I am not lying. I swear on the Virgin.”
The sheriff didn’t blink. His finger remained on the trigger, ready at a moment’s notice to shoot, but indecision clearly warred in his furious eyes.