Will Branch

by M.L. Bushman

Eli lay on that couch, eyes closed, thick black hair matted to his head. Face flushed like it was, I slipped my hand over the back of the couch to feel of his forehead and his fast horse almost got a piece of my sleeve.
Shot to my full height then, waving both arms. "Get out of here, damn you. Go on."


Kept waving, warning, trying to back that horse off some, and Eli opened his eyes.


"Cricket, you damn fool," he snapped and slapped his right hip.


Shot the ceiling, horse was out the door. Brought his revolver to his chest, folded his left arm over and said, "Listen, friend, if you mean to kill me with that Colt, roll your dice."


I liked him instantly.


"If I meant to, I'd be done already," I said.


His eyes closed.


"Abe Stone's son," I said. "Aren't you?"


Mumbled something I didn't catch.


"Do you know One Who Knows?"


Sounded dumb as hell when I heard myself say it, but like I said, that's never stopped me before.


Nothing out of Eli. A hand to his forehead, he was frying.


That's how I met Eli Stone face-to-face. He didn't actually meet me for a few days though.

ebook

Published January 8, 2017

About the author

M.L. Bushman has three books published by Jigsaw Press--Miracle the novel; and The Implausible Hero. She also writes under the pseudonym Kris Karrel and has two books published as such: Threads, a Blaine Horney Mystery, and Just Blaine Horney. She is currently working on a futuristic Western series of books.

A single mom, Ms. Bushman wears a lot of hats these days. Novelist, writer, editor-Jigsaw Press, typesetter, book cover designer, interior layout and design, to name a few.

In addition to all of the above, the author likes to play ranch-hand for her better than good neighbors when called upon. "In my neck of the woods," she says, "we're all cow and horse junkies. Sort of goes with the territory."

Ms. Bushman states emphatically that she could do none of the above without the support of God and her twelve-year-old daughter, a girl good as gold and smart as the day is long, and then some.

The author and her daughter share their home outside of Sun River, Montana, with one indoor cat--Lady--numerous outdoor cats with names like Garfield, Whiskers, Garfield Imposter, Pinky and Rabbit, plus one American Saddlebred horse, Chewy.