The Culminators

Dr. Richard M Beloin MD

Description

The Story……….

Ray ‘Coop’ Cooper had been a bounty hunter for two years, but now after losing his partner to a medical condition, he considered putting his guns up since he no longer had a backup. In the midst of his last caper, his life was saved by a woman and a dog. After much haggling, the gal convinced him to take her on as his backup. After several successful capers, Ray saw the need to protect this impish gal called Elle—double E double L.
Seeing the need for stability, the Duo purchased a gun-shop and spent time promoting it. Coop came to a realistic awareness that bounty hunting was too dangerous for a family man, and the slow pace of a gun-shop was not his style. It was serendipity when a neighbor convinced them to purchase a 2,500-acre woodlot, set up a state-of-the-are sawmill, get some training, and become millionaires in eight years.
After a month of training in Houston, they returned with four friends, and proceeded to set up a sawmill. After growing woes and making changes, the team became proficient. In time they added a kiln, then enlarged it, added a planer, and organized the first known sawmill ‘open house’ to promote and sell their quality products.

Sujets

• Westerns
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Xlibris US
• Date de parution: 17 avril 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781669873778
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

THE CULMINATORS
A bounty hunting, romance, and entrepreneur series, Book 9
Richard M Beloin MD

Copyright © 2023 by Richard M Beloin MD.
 
ISBN:
Softcover
978-1-6698-7378-5

eBook
978-1-6698-7377-8
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business events, and products are all the result of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, people, and locations are purely coincidental.
 
Some of my stories occur during well documented historical events such as the 1918 Influenza, WW1, the Roaring 20’s, and so on. It is again coincidental that this story occurs during these times, but the story itself does not alter the historical facts.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Rev. date: 04/17/2023
 
 
Xlibris
844-714-8691
www.Xlibris.com
852858
CONTENTS
Dedication
 
Chapter 1—The Early Days
Chapter 2—Getting to know Elle
Chapter 3—The Gun-Shop
Chapter 4—Learning the Business
Chapter 5—Mixing Professions
Chapter 6—Preparing for 1894
Chapter 7—Houston College
Chapter 8—Start-up Woes
Chapter 9—Full Operation
Chapter 10—The Sawmill’s Open House
Chapter 11—The Next Five Years
 
About The Author
Author’s Publications
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my good friend, Larry. He knows what it’s like to work as a lumberjack and operate lumber saws.
CHAPTER 1
The Early Days
Ray ‘Coop’ Cooper, age 20, had been a bounty hunter for two years. He had been chosen by Enos Straus who needed a shootist to complement his shotgun skills. After two years of training on the job, Ray had no choice but to go solo when Enos developed a heart condition and had to retire. After a couple of capers, which nearly did him in without a backup, Ray was considering an early retirement.
His current hunt involved days on the trail from Amarillo, Texas in pursuit of the Simpson Gang who had robbed the Amarillo Wells Fargo Bank of $40,000. Finally arriving in New Braunfels, he found their headquarters in an abandoned trapper’s cabin two miles out of town.
Being alone, Ray devised a way to disable the half dozen outlaws, without risking his own life. Having learned the proper handling of dynamite, he decided to demolish the cabin while the outlaws were inside and likely drunk and sleeping. Around 3AM under a full moon, Ray pushed two long fused dynamite sticks under the block elevated cabin. Rushing to a large pine tree with ear plugs, he fired a shotgun buckshot round into the front window just as the fuse was nearly burnt out. The gun blast woke everyone up about 30 seconds ahead of the devastation.
Ray was fifty yards away, behind a huge pine tree, and with extra earmuffs, as the dynamite exploded. The entire cabin lifted up as floorboards and outlaws were blown out of windows and doors. Two walls had collapsed outward and the roof was held up by two precarious walls. Outlaws were crawling out of the cabin with nosebleeds, bleeding ears, broken bones, and many lacerations and bruises. Two outlaws were dead with deformed skulls and most of the others were vomiting or unable to stand. It took Ray hours to find the saddlebags full of cash and load the disabled and dead outlaws onto their horses.
By daylight, Ray was leading a caravan of dead and near comatose outlaws. As they arrived at Sheriff Dolan’s office, he was greeted by deputy Crandall, who saw the morbid bunch and decided to get the sheriff. The sheriff came out of his office as he recognized Ray. “Well Coop, I see you’re still at it, so tell me who you have today.” “The Simpson Gang out of Amarillo and here is the heisted loot of $40,000 for Wells Fargo minus my 10% finder’s fee of $4,000.” “These outlaws have bounties on their heads and we’ll have to settle later.” As the deputy was escorting four into the jail, two were being sent to the undertaker. Ray was just about to sit down and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with the sheriff when several gunshots were heard.
Sheriff Dolan jumped up and said, “those shots are coming from our Wells Fargo branch—three blocks from here.” That was enough info as all three men took off on a dead run. Arriving at the bank, a crowd was already gathering. The lawmen went right into the bank while Ray stood at the back of the gathered crowd. Without realizing who was standing next to him, Ray suddenly saw a huge brown dog pawing his left leg. Ray was surprised but realized that the dog was smelling a piece of jerky in his rear pocket. After rubbing his head and ears, he offered the dog the piece of jerky. To his surprise, he heard a lady’s voice say, “well you must have some strange scent because half-wolf Browny never befriends strangers.” “Well Ma’am, that’s because I love all animals.” As he spoke the last word, he turned to face that lady’s voice.
Next to him was a sight he would never forget. It was a 6-foot-tall slim gal with bright shining brown hair fluffed up to her shoulders, with full female attributes to include full bosom, round bottom, and all the curves that go to outline a voluptuous woman. Not seeing a ring on her finger he said, “oh sorry Miss, I didn’t see you before I called you Ma’am.” The gal answered, “so you’re the famous Coop—an ethical bounty hunter that historically precedes you. My name is Elle Belton, ‘E-double L-E,’ and you’ve already met my guard dog, Browny.”
“Yes Miss, my full name is Ray Cooper, but I prefer being called Ray—that’s Ra with a ‘Y.’ Ray by instinct stepped up and handed the gal his hand. She responded as both seemed to linger. Browny came over to certify that he was the gal’s private bodyguard as he pushed his way between her legs. To carry a conversation he said, “do you know what happened in there?” “Yes, there was a bank robbery by the Hollister gang, a cashier was killed when President Willis refused to open the vault, and after he opened it he was pistol whipped. Doc Summers is now attending him.” “How much was taken?” “$35,000 plus change as it was the payroll week for the entire ranching community.”
Ray was going to follow up with another question when the sheriff came out and said, “I want a twelve-man posse ready to meet here in 15 minutes—men able to ride hard and shoot to kill. We’re going to run this gang down once and for all.” Speaking to himself he said, “ oh boy, that is not good. This gang is known to hold up down the road and pull a lethal ambush.” Despite the sheriff rushing to get his gear and horse, he did manage to warn the sheriff.
Standing by the boardwalk, he and the young gal watched the posse take off with a bunch of town dandies. Elle could not resist and said, “you don’t think they will all come back, do you?” “No Miss, half will be across their saddle and a couple will have serious gunshot wounds.” “So what are you going to do about it?” “I am going after them, for that is what I do—as dangerous as it is!” “But Mister, you are alone, the outlaws are close to a half-dozen, and you don’t even have a backup shooter.” “It is what it is,” as he started to walk away.
Elle raised her voice as she said, “let Browny and me come along. I am very deadly with my modified coach shotgun plus Browny can disable or kill any attacker. Let us be your backup!” “Wow, I certainly appreciate the offer and I am sure you and Browny have much sand. Yet I cannot risk a woman’s life by placing her in danger—for these outlaws want only one thing, to kill anyone who wants to arrest them.”
Elle said nothing more but thought, “now there goes a man with a work ethic and respect for human life. Well, he is going to find out that this woman can hold her own and is willing to put any outlaw down that is trying to kill him or me or Browny!”
*
Ray politely doffed his hat and said goodbye to the gal named Elle. Arriving at Zeke’s General Store, he purchased vittles for the trail and a change of clothes. Stepping outside, that gorgeous brown-haired gal with a friendly wolfdog, was sitting on a boardwalk bench. Loading his goods onto the extra-large saddlebags, he then addressed the waiting lady. “Well Miss, when I return, I would love to see you and learn your story to the present. Could I call on you, Elle, E-double L-E. “You may, Ra with a Y—if you ever return going after six killers without a backup?” “Well, let me tell you a secret, ‘some people are not meant to die young, heh?’” Elle selected her response by saying, “precautionary measures can enable that fatalistic attitude to come to fruition, heh?” Ray nodded and stepped into the stirrup and mounted while doffing his hat for the second time today.
As soon as Ray was out of sight, she got on her horse and headed home at a full trot. Browny kept up and was on her house’s front porch as she tied the reins to the railing. Inside she exchanged her revolver for her dad’s 41 long colt with hot loads, and picked up her tricked 12-gauge double barrel shotgun with the extra hot OO Buckshot loads. With some extra clothes and some rain gear, she took off with Browny at her side. On the trail, she stopped to see one of her neighbors and arranged for him to feed and water the chickens, for the eggs he would gather, until her return.
Meanwhile, Ray was following the posse tracks