New Release — Wary Partners by J. L. Guin

When Larry Creed shoots and kills a man in a saloon altercation, his father hires bounty hunters Judd Jacoby and Faye McJunkin to help prove his innocence. But with a saloon full of witnesses and Creed holding the smoking gun when the law arrives, the case seems to be open-and-shut.

Thomas Creed will not allow his son to go to prison—or hang—for something he knows he didn’t do. Larry is not a murderer. Can Thomas Creed convince Judd and Faye to take the case? There is one witness who has fled—a soiled dove, Lanie Brooks. She holds the key to Creed’s son being convicted of murder—or going free.

As Judd and Faye set off in search of Lanie, Creed tags along with them, determined to see his son gets a fair shake. Everything depends on Judd and Faye tracking Lanie down and convincing her to come with them to testify—or bringing her with them by force. Armed and desperate, Lanie could prove to be a bigger challenge than they ever expected.

Will Larry Creed hang for a crime he might not have committed? His life hangs in the balance, based on his father’s determination and the bounty hunters’ skill. How long can Lanie run from these WARY PARTNERS?

EXCERPT

The other man, also wearing a badge, stepped behind Larry and stuck the barrel of his six-gun into Larry’s kidneys, while the red-bearded man snatched Larry’s pistol from the surprised youth’s fist.

When Larry twisted to protest, the man behind him slammed the butt of his six-gun to the back of Larry’s head. Larry toppled to lie on the floor. A moment later, the officers cuffed his hands behind his back.

The beefy deputy then talked to the bartender and several of the bystander witnesses for a few minutes. No one mentioned Lanie Brooks by name, only that a girl, a soiled dove, was nearby when the shooting happened, but had now disappeared.

Each of the deputies grabbed Larry by a shoulder and dragged him out of the saloon, more or less carrying the youth to the jail, a half-block away.

     

New Release — C.C. Crane: Bounty Distractions by J. L. Guin

Hoping for a better life ahead, young C. C. Crane leaves Arkansas and heads west with no particular destination in mind. In Kansas, he lucks into his first job as a deputy sheriff under the seasoned sheriff of Sumner County, E.D. Johns, who shows him the ropes—and how to keep himself alive.

As their duties take them on a manhunt into Indian Territory, C.C. questions straying so far from their own county. Sheriff Johns is a dedicated lawman who isn’t about to let a border stop him from getting the men he’s after, and C. C. realizes he has the chance to make his own mark as a lawman if he can manage to keep dodging bullets.

When the sheriff is ousted from his position, C.C. must face a crossroads, as well. He accepts the position as a deputy U.S. marshal under Judge Isaac Parker’s jurisdiction in the most lawless area of the United States—Indian Territory. Then, after three years of dealing with the worst criminals in the nation, C.C. knows he’s ready to use his skills in another area of law enforcement—bounty hunting.

But C.C.’s decision to strike out after lifelong criminal Rudy Barrett could cut his bounty hunting days short—with a bullet. Barrett has been on the run since he was a teen, and he’s as mean as they come. With a long list of crimes to his credit—the latest a vicious murder—Barrett isn’t afraid of anyone. His reputation as a fast gun should have any lawman running scared…but not C.C. Crane. He’s learned from the best, and it’s time to bring Barrett to justice.

C.C. Crane is just the man to do it…

EXCERPT

The elder Barrett hollered out, “Rudy!” as he rode into the yard. Rudy apprehensively stepped out of the barn as his father slid from his saddle, with a scowl on his face. The man busied himself removing his belt from his trousers as he spoke.

“I heard in town you was seen last night going through the pockets of a fallen-down drunkard, behind The Three Aces Saloon. Milt Ames told me. He’s the one that seen you do it! You know better than to steal—been told so time and time and time again, but still, you sneak around and do it anyway!”

Rudy swallowed hard. He had done it, alright, but was surprised and unaware that anyone had seen him. He had believed that he would never be caught. Rudy often waited until his father had passed out from the cheap rot gut whiskey he swigged, seemingly constantly, then stole into town, sticking to the shadows, watching for any opportunity to sneak food or anything of value into his pockets. He had become quite good at it, and had a few dollars stashed away secretly. Now that he’d been observed and his old man knew, there’d be hell to pay.

    

New Release -- RELUCTANT PARTNERS by J. L. Guin

 

Bounty hunter Judd Jacoby has been doing things his own way for many years—up until now. He’s got a reputation for always bringing in the outlaw he’s after—and doing it alone. But when Judd is dealt a serious head injury, he’s reluctantly forced to accept a partnership with Faye McJunkin, a young woman he rescued when pursuing criminal Lonnie Sims.

When Judd and Faye track two ruthless bank robbers to a cabin, they must confront the men after dark. Faye comes up with a plan to get them in close proximity of the cabin door, but what might happen next is anyone’s guess—and the stakes are all or nothing. 

As time goes by, Faye proves herself time and again, but can Judd accept needing an unwanted partner? If he doesn’t, will he have to give up bounty hunting entirely? There might be an unexpected, surprising solution to the unusual dilemma for both of these RELUCTANT PARTNERS…if they live long enough!

EXCERPT

It was three days later when Sturgis paid Perkins a visit. He grinned when he came in and sat down in a ladderback chair next to the bed where Perkins lay. “You're looking better, Dan. Your coloring is starting to come back.”

Perkins blinked his eyes open. “Hurts like hell, but the doctor left a bottle of some foul-tasting stuff that I sip from time to time. It deadens the pain some but mostly puts me to sleep again. I think I'd rather drink whiskey.”

Sturgis laughed. “There will be plenty of time for that after you heal up. Did you notice my new addition?” He leaned forward and took a hand to pinch up the badge pinned to his shirtfront.

Perkins glared at the badge in astonishment. “What the hell is that?” Perkins knew that Carl Sturgis was a reckless man, reckless with his own life and reckless with the law. Together, they had been in enough tight scrapes for him to know that Sturgis, as well as himself, were anything but honest men.

“Why, it's my badge! I'm the new marshal of Stanley, appointed by Mister Avery Belk, unofficial mayor of the town. The badge and the job are legit, gives me something to do while waiting for you to heal up enough to ride. Part of the package he offered includes the care you receive, however long it takes. I get a hotel room, all my meals, and forty dollars a month. On top of that, I have free run of the town.”

This time, Perkins managed a grin. “Kinda like bringing a fox to watch the chickens.”

     

New Release -- PUSHED TOO FAR by J. L. Guin #NewRelease #SundownPress @prairierosepub #western

James Stone has been on his own almost all his life after the death of his parents early on. Kindly neighbor Eldon Greyson takes young James under his wing, making him a partner in his freighting business—until the fateful night when they’re robbed, and Greyson is murdered by “Laird” a mysterious man James vows to find and bring to justice.

Though years have passed, James has not given up on finding his mentor’s murderer. When he is caught in the middle of a train robbery, he sets out after the outlaws to recover the money they’ve stolen from him. Tracking them leads him to the small town of Eaton, where a bank robbery takes place minutes after he rides in.

With the town’s lawmen killed and wounded, Stone takes over temporarily, but all hell breaks loose with the arrival of Ike Langley’s gang of thieves—and James Stone finds he’s been PUSHED TOO FAR…

EXCERPT

     Branson stepped forward and shook out a gunny-sack. “Toss everything in here.”

     An elderly woman seated in the front row, hiked her chin in defiance. “What if I don’t choose to give up my possessions?” When she looked behind her at the men, hoping for support and not one moved, her hopes sagged.

     Clint Easy pointed the six-gun at her. “Then I’ll just shoot you. Now, follow orders.” Color drained from her face. Her hands trembled as she dug into her bag.

     Murphy Branson stepped in front of her holding the sack and jiggling it until she dropped in a small wad of bills and some coins.

     Branson spied the gold band on her finger and ordered, “The ring, too!”

     Tears pooled in the woman's eyes as she worked the wedding band off her finger then dropped it into the sack.