Revelation Pass

De: Howard Hopkins

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

The Bounty Hunter Series by Howard Hopkins
Heaven by day and hell by night, Revelation Pass is an enigma. Ruled by a mercurial preacher and his hardcases, the town endures a monthly lottery that sacrifices young women to a mysterious fate. When former manhunter Jim Hannigan is hired to find a runaway daughter he expects a quick mission with minimum risk - until he discovers the girl swinging from a cottonwood at the town's entrance. Now, buried secrets and hidden motives threaten to embroil Hannigan in the most deadly case of his career.
Excerpt
Hanely remained silent for a moment, then reached into his suit coat and brought out a bloodstained letter.
‘Mr. Hannigan, you said you wanted that girl’s killer, then you would leave. I am presenting you with him, so consider your case solved. I expect you’ll be on your way with first light.’
Hannigan let out a small grunt. Subtle, Mr. Hanely./ He thought to himself while he accepted the letter and read the scrawled lines. A neat little package, wasn’t it? But was it wrapped in deceit and all tied up with a bow of lies? The note told him Jacob Quimby had murdered the young woman in cold blood and saved the law a trial and trouble of having a gallows built. He’d never seen Quimby’s handwriting before, but he reckoned the scrawl on this page sure looked like the work of a man with a saddleful of something burdening his mind. ‘Take me to his body.’ Hannigan said as he folded the note and stuffed it in a pocket.
Hanely looked at Hallet, then at the manhunter. Neither man spoke.
Hannigan’s eyes narrowed. ‘Now, Mr. Hanely, ’fore I lose my patience.’
Hanely nodded and turned, then stepped off the boardwalk into the street. Hallet followed and Hannigan fell in behind. They led him to the general store, avoiding drunks and sauced-up women along the way. Hanely unlocked the store door and shoved it open. ‘After you, Mr. Hanely.’ Hannigan gave him a grim smile. ‘I make it a point never to turn my back on fellers I don’t trust.’
Hanely stared at him, as if offended. ‘You don’t mince words, do you, Mr. Hannigan?’
‘Not unless I’m with respectable company.’
‘Now, see here, you—’ A piqued expression tightened Hallet’s face.
A challenging smile crossed Hannigan’s lips. ‘Careful, Mr. Hallet. I reckon I wouldn’t take very kindly to you tryin’ out your backbone at this point.’
Hallet went silent and his face shone crimson even under the poor lighting. ‘Just shut the devil up, Hallet,’ Hanely said, tone brusque. ‘Let’s just get this done. It’ll be a gruesome job, I imagine.’
‘You ain’t seen the body yet?’ Hannigan questioned. ‘This note in my pocket just walk itself to your door?’
A muscle twitched near Hanely’s mouth and he seemed to take a moment to gather himself. ‘No, no, Mr. Hannigan, that’s not what I meant. Of course we saw it. It’s just that I turned away when we entered the room. Hallet found the note.’
He was lying, and Hannigan’s suspicions jumped a few notches. It crossed his mind the two might be leading him into some sort of trap, but he dismissed the notion. Neither appeared to have the cojones for that. It was more likely they wanted him to view the body and accept the note as proof the girl’s killer had been found, then leave their town. Hanely and Hallet led Hannigan down an aisle to a rickety wooden staircase at the back. Hallet grabbed a lantern from a countertop and brought it to light, the sulfury smell of his lucifer and the flickering flame making Hannigan feel as if he had just stepped into the anteroom leading to hell.