THE DODGE CITY MASSACRE (A Jess Williams Novel.) by Robert J. Thomas

anyway. Besides, we need your help and that means you’re going to need those guns; and, by the way, you sure you have enough of them?”
                  “Yeah, I know it seems like a lot, but in my business they come in real handy and I need every one of them.”
                  “Well, let’s get you over to the see the mayor so he can inform you on what’s been going on.” They all shook hands and walked over to Smythe’s General Store. When they walked in, Jim was up on a ladder stocking things on shelves. He turned around and almost fell off the ladder when he noticed Jess. He immediately climbed down from the ladder and came around the counter and gave Jess a big bear hug.
                  “It sure is damn nice to see you again, Jess. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
                  “Well, what the hell is going on that you had to call for me when you’ve got three lawmen working for you?”
                  “First, let me make a pot of coffee and we can all sit at the large table in the kitchen and I’ll tell you all about it.”
                  Jess finally realized that he didn’t see Sara anywhere and she would usually be the one getting the coffee. “Jim, where is Sara?”
                  “Well, that’s part of the problem. She’s upstairs nursing a broken arm and a busted up nose she got at the hands of the bunch of thugs who keep coming into town and raising hell lately.”
                  Jess didn’t even let Jim finish his words before he was running up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. He got to Sara’s room and knocked.
                  “Who is it?”
                  “Sara, it’s Jess. Can I come in and see you?”
                  “Of course, come on in,” replied Sara.
                  Jess walked into the room and when he got a look at Sara he was immediately enraged. Sara was propped up in the bed and she looked like a mess. Her nose was bandaged and blood stains were seeping from the bandage and her right arm was in a sling. She had multiple cuts and bruises on her face and a fat lip that also had a cut.
                  “Oh God, Jess, I’m glad you came to help. I’ve been afraid that Jim would get himself killed before you got here.”
                  “I came as soon as I got the message. Who the hell did this to you?”
                  “I don’t know their names, but they are both locked up in the jail right now.”
                  Jess stood up, kissed Sara on her forehead and headed straight down the steps. He looked at John Bodine and he knew what the look said. Jess walked straight out of the general store with John trying his best to catch up. The sheriff and his two deputies tried to get up and follow Jess, but Jim Smythe ordered them to stay in their seats.
                  “Trust me, Sheriff, you don’t want to be there when it happens. I’m betting he’s heading straight for the jail to pay those two you got locked up a visit and it won’t be a pretty sight when he’s finished.”
                  “Mayor,” asked Sheriff Fowler, a worried tone in his voice, “just how much leeway do you want me to give that young man?”
                  “You’d better give him all the leeway he wants because once he makes up his mind about how to handle things there ain’t anything or anyone who could change it. He’s been that way since the day he killed his first man right here in town.”
                  “Alright, but I’d like you to see if he’ll agree to wear a badge while he’s here. At least that will make it legal, maybe.”
                  “Good luck with that,” replied Mayor Smythe.
                  Jess walked into the jail cell. There were two men sitting in