Western Wednesday 7 9
I watched THE ACCOUNTANT 2 on PRIME and really enjoyed it. But have you seen NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN? The pacing is a little slow, but it’s gorgeous, and beats the pants off of a lot of action packed fast paced thrillers.
The acting was great, sure, but the way it rolled out makes it a special kind of thriller. I think it’s because of expectation: we expect a thriller to be action packed, a la John Wick, but get these slow buns in stories like SICARIO and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN that make us wonder who we might run across on cross country road trips through deep west Texas.
It is PRIME DAYS so go see if you get a special deal and let me know what you think.
I think modern westerns like it, or HELL OR HIGH WATER (which deserved a better title) are great takes on the classic western stories.
Speaking of, I’ve got a few for you today:
I added a western short tale you can listen to on YOUTUBE called QUIET BELLS with another coming out tomorrow: WIDOWS ACE
check them out:
https://youtu.be/1H6p6orjHl8?si=qFUE6ICo2qcAjmVd
AND
The Marshal’s words hung in the air, colder than the iron of his rifle barrel. Jedediah’s brief flicker of hope died, smothered by a blanket of disbelief. He slowly lowered his hands.
“Marshal, that’s not how it was,” Jedediah said, his voice level despite the frantic thumping in his chest. “This man, Cole, he tricked me. Said his partner would shoot me if I didn’t bring him here.”
The Marshal’s face was a mask of stone, unmoved. He gestured with his rifle toward the whimpering bandit on the ground. “I was on a ridge half a mile back when you pulled him out of those rocks. You slung him over your horse. You gave him water from your own canteen ten minutes ago. Now you’re telling me you were his prisoner? A man with a busted leg?”
Cole coughed, a pathetic, gurgling sound. “He’s lying, Marshal. Jed here was supposed to meet us. When Hobbs didn’t show, he got spooked.” He broke into another fit of coughing, a performance of weakness that made Jedediah’s stomach turn.
“I found a dying lawman,” Jedediah bit out, his eyes locked on the Marshal. “Or what I thought was one. His wolf led me right to him.”
“His wolf,” the Marshal repeated, the words dripping with sarcasm. He stepped forward and relieved Jedediah of his Colt before kicking Cole’s pistol out of reach. “The wolf that ran off with a satchel full of payroll notes from the Rock Creek stage. I suppose that was just a coincidence, too.”
The world shrank to the space between the three men. A payroll. Stagecoach money. Jedediah felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. He hadn’t just stumbled into a simple robbery; he’d walked into the middle of a federal crime. He was no longer just a fool; he was a wanted man.
The Marshal pulled a set of iron cuffs from his belt. “Get up,” he ordered Cole. The bandit struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on his good leg. The Marshal cuffed Cole’s right wrist, then grabbed Jedediah’s left and snapped the other cuff on. The cold steel was a final, damning verdict. They were tethered, the deceiver and the deceived.
“We walk,” the Marshal said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “My horse is a quarter-mile from here. You can ride yours,” he nodded at Jedediah. “Your partner here can ride double. Any trouble, and I’ll end it.” He started moving, pulling them along.
Every step was a fresh humiliation. The cuff dug into Jedediah’s wrist, Cole stumbling beside him, his weight yanking on the chain. Jedediah’s mind, which had been racing, went quiet. He was trapped. There were no more choices to make, no more paths to weigh. There was only the steady, implacable man behind them with a rifle, and the dirt-caked liar chained to his side.
As they cleared the wash, Cole leaned in close, his breath hot and foul. “Shoulda taken the gold, friend,” he whispered, a phantom of a grin on his face. “A hangman’s knot is a damn sight tighter than a cuff.”
Jedediah didn’t answer. He just looked ahead into the oppressive, starless dark. He’d started the day looking for a lost calf. Now he was a federal fugitive, chained to a thief, being led toward a gallows he hadn’t earned. The worst part was the sliver of truth in the bandit’s whisper. He had made a choice back in that canyon, a choice to help. And in this land, that was the one mistake you couldn’t afford to make.
I know, it’s hard to curl up with a good audiobook, so if you’d rather read ‘em:
Duckfoot Ranch a wild western action adventure
Land Grab a Wild Western Action Adventure
Ozark Devil a wild western action adventure
Six Gun Preacher a wild western action adventure
OR GRAB:
WILD WESTERN MASSIVE BOXSET BUNDLE to get 25 action packed romps in the saddle
Prepare for the Apocalypse group promo
Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Freebies ~ July Edition group promo
