RattlingtheCage by Ann Cory Page B

to do more than that to keep me down.”
    Garvey swept forward and kicked him in the gut. So much for
it being made of iron.
    He clutched his stomach and turned over to his back.
“Anybody else care to take a shot?” Not really meaning the challenge, Lawson
threw his gaze to the man in the corner who stood with his arms crossed. A big
lumberjack of a man with zero emotion on his face. If that guy messed with him,
he’d be dead.
    The man said nothing, and fortunately didn’t come at him.
    Mitchum chuckled, swinging his gun on his finger. A possessed
grin took up residence on his face. “You made a fool decision coming back here.
Can’t figure it out.”
    “I came back to kill you,” he spluttered.
    “What did I ever do that wasn’t deserved?”
    Lawson gritted his teeth and managed to sit up. The room
spun. “Plenty.”
    “As you can see, the town has gotten along fine without a
Cage. I aim to keep it that way.”
    “The Cages—”
    “Were nothing but thieves and liars,” Mitchum finished.
“Thought you’d have learned from your father and grandfather to mind your own
business, but I guess smarts don’t run in your blood.”
    A sharp spasm racked Lawson’s body. “My grandfather was an
honorable man. He earned every penny he made. He didn’t steal a damn thing, and
you know it.”
    “Hardly matters now.” Mitchum crouched down. “Look, I want
to be a nice guy.”
    “Fuck you.”
    Clint laughed and cocked his head. “You know, I could let
you drive away with your legs attached, or I could repeat the Cage family
history. We got us some wood that needs burning. What do you think?”
    “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you do to me. I’ll come for
you even if I have to claw my way through dirt. You’re going down. And Cage
Crossing will be restored.”
    The gray-haired man inched toward him. Clint put his hand
out. “Not yet, Tom.” He smiled in a way that turned Lawson’s veins to ice. “I
have something that may persuade you to rethink coming after me.”
    “There’s nothing you can possibly have that will…”
    Lawson’s words faded.
    Two men wearing tan hats brought in Montana, her wrists
bound behind her, a gag around her mouth. Her cheeks were swollen and tears
streaked her beautiful face.
    “The hell?”
    Mitchum straightened, his weasel eyes even beadier than
before. “What do you think? Are you motivated to get out of Rattler City for
good?”
    “What did you do to her?”
    “She makes a pretty little bargaining chip. Don’t she?”
    All his muscles bunched. “Who the hell messed her up?”
    “Ah now, let’s see, I don’t recall. I’m sure they didn’t
take any pleasure in it.”
    “She has nothing to do with my coming here. Let her go.”
    “I get your word that you’re outta here within the hour, and
I’ll do just that.”
    “You’re messed up, man. Using your own daughter to bait me.”
    Lawson’s breath seized.
    Montana’s face paled to a shade whiter than the cloth around
her mouth.
    “Who the hell told you?” Mitchum snarled.
    His insides knotted. He hadn’t meant for that to slip.
Especially not without having told Montana first. “I forget.”
    Garvey lowered his gun and looked to his father. Mitchum’s
men glanced to one another, their faces registering question marks.
    Red-faced, Mitchum cocked his gun. “Ah hell. Guess my little
secret’s out.”
    “Pop?”
    “Shut up, Garvey.”
    “But Pop.”
    “Shut it!”
    “Dammit, Pop. I need to say something.”
    Mitchum drew his gun up and aimed it at Garvey’s head. “I
said shut the hell up. Yes, the bitch is my daughter.”
    “Then she’s my sister?”
    Clint’s face screwed up into something inhuman. “Been
meaning to tell ya, boy. You ain’t my flesh and blood.”
    Lawson winced. Much as he hated Garvey and thought him an
ass for messing with Montana, the guy didn’t have the Mitchum blood in him. He
wasn’t a monster. He just didn’t know any better.
    Shock spread across Garvey’s face