Read Online Keeper of the Books (Keeper of the Books, Book 1) by Jason D. Morrow - Free Book Online Page B

book we got!”
    Levi knew it was impossible, but there was no other explanation. He had seen the Cole brothers enter the cabin with another man who had been waiting for them. He saw the light of the lamp glow. He saw movement as he had approached the cabin to confront the outlaws. And looking around, there was no evidence of an underground bunker. The blast would have exposed some entrance, surely. Besides, the cabin was little more than sticks—a fort put together by a group of small children, it seemed.
    The book was the only explanation, though it wasn’t a satisfying one. His pursuit of these men was not finished. Nathaniel Cole would die, he would make sure of that. Justice had to be served.  
    Justice must always be served.  
    His eyes shifted toward Amos who was back on his knees. Levi tucked the book behind his belt and walked until he was directly in front of his prisoner.
    “You promised to let me go,” Amos said. “You said you would let me go.”
    Levi held out his arms. “Do you see the Cole brothers anywhere? That was the deal.”
    Fresh tears welled up in Amos’ eyes. “Please,” he said, “I don’t want to hang. You’ve got the book we stole. All is right.”
    “No, Amos, all is not right.” Levi reached for his revolving pistol and pulled back on the hammer as he pointed it at Amos’ chest toward his heart.  
    Amos shut his eyes tightly to brace himself.  
    “Now wait just a minute!” Marston’s voice sounded out from behind. “What do you think yer doin’?”
    “Because of you,” Levi said softly, “an innocent bank teller is dead. You are a thief and a killer.”
    “I didn’t kill him!”
    “You were an accomplice,” Levi answered. “You would be hanged by any court. Believe me, by serving you justice, I present you mercy.”
    Amos was sobbing now. “Please…”
    Levi took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.
    Amos’ body fell limp as blood trickled out of his chest and onto the ground.  
    Levi turned quickly and set off another shot that sent a bullet though Marston’s wrist. The sheriff screamed in pain and dropped the gun with which he intended to shoot Levi.  
    It was instinct. He didn’t hear Marston go for his gun so much as he sensed it. He took several short steps forward.  
    “Yer gonna hang if you kill me,” Marston said.  
    “I doubt too many people will put up a fuss,” Levi answered. He cocked the pistol. “Sheriff Marston, you have abused your power as a lawman. Instead of keeping the peace, you destroy it. You promote lawlessness by your evil ways. You force women into prostitution, and drive fear into their husbands. You bully their children. You are not worthy to wear your badge. Do you deny it?”
    Marston spat at Levi’s feet.  
    “Silence will be taken as a confession,” Levi said. “Do you deny your crimes?”
    “What gives you the right to carry out justice?” Marston cried out, clutching his bloody wrist.
    Levi could almost feel the heat of anger coming from him. Or was that the heat of the fire from the cabin?  
    “My line of work, Sheriff Marston, is all about justice.” He pointed the gun at Marston’s chest. He always aimed for the heart. “For your crimes, I sentence you to death.”
    “Yer no judge,” Marston said. He grimaced as pain throbbed through his arm. “You ain’t got the right.”
    “When there is no one else to do it, I don’t need a right.”  
    “You’ll hang fer this.”
    “We’ll see.” With that, Levi pulled the trigger, and became the only living man in Northrup Valley.

    He pulled the book from behind his belt and studied the binding as he walked away from the bodies of Amos and Marston. If disappearing was what he had to do in order to get to the Cole brothers, then that was what he was going to do. He’d been tracking them for a long time. He knew he couldn’t just stop.  
    There was no figuring what sort of mystic power this book carried within its pages. But one things was for sure,