The Coachman, C.B Cooper [best detective novels of all time txt] 📗

could you let that happen, you knew we were comin’. I got decent folks in here.”
“Well, they’ve been here since noon time, I figured they’d a passed out by now.” Chowder did look miserable though. “I’m sorry, Ben. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Fix it. Get in there and fix this. Tell them we’re coming in whether they like it or not, and they best behave themselves. I’m tired, I don’t need to deal with this shit.” he groused. “You at least got supper on?” he asked as Chowder hurried away.
“You know I do. It’s all in the warmer.” he called.
As Chowder disappered into the clapboard building, Ben started hauling luggage to the porch. Once everyone was ready, he opened the door, ushering them inside.
Adaline was the first through the threshold, followed by the Hoover’s, then a downtrodden Mr. Logan.
The cat calls had started the second Miss Parker walked in, and by the time Ben got through the door it had turned into a full fledged rucus.
The three men inside had spent most of the afternoon getting all roostered up, and once a hen had entered the picture, they wasted no time in flocking.
Ben stormed over and jerked Adaline out of the circle, tucking her safetly behind him, then faced off with the drunken men.
“Excuse me gentlemen, but that’s my woman yer messing with.”
One of the men pushed back his duster, revealing twin colts. “She aint yer’s anymore, friend. Now step aside.”
Ben felt Adaline's small hands clutching the back of his shirt.
He smiled, but his eyes blazed in the low light of room. “That aint gonna happen, friend

. Like I said, she’s mine and I don’t take kindly to people messin’ with my things.”
The hardcase with the big mouth opened it again, laughing, “Didn’t anybody ever teach you to count? Your outnumbered.” Jerking his chin, all three packed together. “Now if your nice and let us borrow that gal of yours for a bit, we just might let you live.”
Ben bristled at the innuendo. He could just imagine what this pack of coyotes would do to a woman. There wouldn’t be anything left but pieces. “How ’bout this, you high tail it out of here, and I’ll let you

live.”
They all thought that was pretty funny, until Ben brought up the barrel of the 10 gauge coach gun he’d been holding, barrel down, close to his side. It was clear by the looks on the men’s faces, that they hadn’t seen that one coming. But Ben had seen far braver men turn green when confronted with Big Bessy, so he didn’t fault them any when they decided to bow out of the dance early.
The men left, but not before issuing a warning- they’d be watching for him.
His hard-edged reply was, “I'll be lookin’ forward to it.”
Within seconds of walking out the door, they heard the sounds of the three riding away.

All through supper Ben kept catching Adaline watching him with a strange look in her eyes, and every once in a while she even smiled.
Women

.
After they finished eating, Ben retired to the front porch for a smoke, and was soon joined by Adaline.
“Thank you for saving me back there.”
He slid her a casual glance, “That’s what I’m paid for. Making sure the passengers get to their destination in one piece.”
She leaned her backside against the rail next to him and asked quietly, “Is that the only reason you saved me?”
She sounded somewhat disappointed.
He didn’t know why he sometimes felt the need to be so crude, but he did enjoy watching her squirm. “No, I did it because I figured if I keep saving your ass

, that maybe one day you’ll give me a piece.”
“A piece of what?”
Ben trapped her with his hands gripping the rail on either side of her. Leaning down he tried to read her eyes in the dark. She didn’t try to get away like she usually did. Was her opinion of him changing?
He brought his face even closer, until her hot breath skeetered over his skin, making his pulse jump and his heart constrict. “Never mind.” he said quickly.
Turning, he grabbed his bag of possibles off of the porch and headed for the yard.
“Where are you going?”
“To the barn.”
“But... why?”
“That’s where I always sleep.”
Adaline ran to catch him. “Wait! Wait, you cant just leave me… what if those men come back?”
Ben looked down at the dainty silver-white hand wrapped around his deeply tanned forearm. Only hers was clearly visible in the moonlight, the soft fair skin seemed to glow with a light of it's own.
He felt the same tightening as before, only this time it was a little lower. Damn

Shoving his way past her, he said,“Don’t worry, your guardian’s in there, he’ll protect you.”
Ben walked away, carefully keeping his stride in check, even though his mind was screaming for him to run.
When he’d seen those men heckling her earlier, he’d wanted to rip their throats out, and maybe he would of, if there hadn’t been so many witnesses. But what had really bothered him, was when he had told them that she was his, there was a moment when he wanted that to be true…

The sounds of rustling hay woke him sometime later. Scooping up the coach gun, he waited.
A soft whisper came from the dark, “Hello? Ben, are you in here?”
“Adali- I mean, Miss Parker? What are you doing out here?” He watched her shadow duck into the stall where he lay. “Are you all right?”
After a moment, she blurted out, “I want to sleep with you.”
Warning bells clanged in his head, driving away the last bits of sleep induced fog. “Um...I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“...Why?”
She sounded so innocent and sweet. Ben gritted his teeth. “That might be a little dangerous right now.”
“For who?”
“For you.”
“Oh... Well, I guess I’ll have to take my chances then.”
With the help of the pale moonlight shining through the cracks of the barn walls, Ben watched the robe slip from her shoulders.
She was completely naked underneath.
He swallowed the hard lump wedged in his throat. “What are you doing?” he rasped.
She stood completely unabashed. “I said I was going to sleep with you.”
“Oh…” Now he was catching on. “Oh!”
All to well he remembered their earlier conversation. Silently he cursed himself as the guilt set in. He didn’t want her thinking that she had to do this to repay him. “Listen, Addy, you don’t have to do this... you dont owe me anything.”
She walked towards him, “Say that again.”
He was confused. “You don’t have to do this?”
“No, call me Addy. I like the way that sounds.”
She knelt in front of him, her hand reaching out, running the tips of her fingers along his jawbone, down his neck and lingering in the hair on his bare chest.
Ben groaned, his jaw tightened as his nostrils flared. “Addy…”
“Yes.” she breathed.
She been so skittish and standoffish in the past, he had to make sure that she really wanted it as badly as he did. He ran his fingers down her breast, lightly skimming her nipple with his thumb.
But she didn’t pull away from his touch, instead she leaned into it, a soft gasp escaping her lips. When he began rolling the pert bud between his fingertips, her lips captured his hungerly, and they tumbled back into the hay.
She lay fully on top of him, her warm pliable skin against his. When their lips parted, she continued, kissing his neck and working her way down to his chest, and beyond.
Once she had reached the hard flat plains of his stomach, he grabbed her roughly, yanking her up and tossing her over onto her back.
Lightening quick he was on top of her, pinning her down with his body and clamping a rough hand across her mouth.
Her eyes went wide with fear as she struggled beneath him.
Dipping his head he whispered into her ear, "Shhh... Listen."
Ben strained his ears to hear above the hammering of his heart and her heavy breathing.
Outside the barn the slow clomp of horses hooves approached from the South.
Riders coming in.
Ben slowly removed his hand from Addy's mouth and whispered once more. "Stay here and keep your head down. If you hear trouble headin' your way, hide underneath the hay, you understand?"
Addy nodded.
Ben moved quietly as he gathered his things. Once his guns were firmly strapped to his waist, he shoved his stocking feet into his boots and scooped up his shotgun. Moving soundlessly he crossed to doorway that faced the stationhouse and waited.
It wasnt long before movement off to the right caught his attention. He watched as three shadows, ink black against the night sky, appreared and moved towards the station.
From their stooped cautious demeaner, Ben gathered that they weren't there to make a social call.
Moonlight winked off of the barrels of their drawn pistols. It was definatly the three men that had accosted Addy earlier that evening.
Ben shook his head at their dogged determination. Like wolves that had smelled a bitch in heat, they were determined to claim her for their own.
He watched as the three split apart and circled the dark sleeping building. Once it was clear, he bolted from his hiding place and ran in a half crouch kiddy corner across the yard, positioning himself so he faced the enterance of the establishment.
The seconds ticked by as he waited, his shadow blending with that of the scub brush at his back. Sweat tricked down his neck and onto his bare chest.
When the three men emerged from the darkness and mounted the porch, Ben stepped out.
"First one that makes a move, get's your head blown off." To make sure they knew he was serious, Ben snapped the double barrels of the ten gauge shut and eared back on both hammers.
The men on the stoop froze.
"Now turn around real slow like and toss your guns into the dirt."
The hardcases did as he said, spinning slowly, their hands in the air still gripping their pistols.
"Like I said, toss 'em."
Three guns hit the dirt.
Behind the men, ghostly white faces filled the windows. It appeared the people inside had heard the exchange and had flocked to the milk glass panes to enjoy the show like spectators at a county fair.
"Keep you hands up and walk towards me." Raising his voice, he asked, "Cotton, you in there?"
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