One Mans Revenge (Leave feedback)

One Mans Revenge
A novel set in the west.

Update, July 2024: It has been at least three years since I have been on this site. I have slowly been changing things and moving things around in the book. ALso, I am now reading Preacher, The First Mountain Man by William W. Johstone and have 13 of his books as well as other westerns to read. Much has changed in the book since the initial writing on this site.

Book premise: The setting is 1868, Grant is no longer president. The Civil War is long since over. Nick has settled in Patience Arizona.
Nick Richmond and his wife Judith settled on a 2000 acre plot of land. They receive unwelcome visitors on a dark night and are gunned down and left for dead. Nick survives and sets down a dark path to find his wife's killers. Armed with a Remington revolver, a Winchester Rifle and a military background, he sets out for revenge.

The goal was to have the book written and published by April of 2018. Obviously I was struggling with my transition at the time. There is no time frame to get the book finished. The past two months I have immersed myself in the culture. It started when I was watching a documentary called, "Heroes of the Old West." This documentary was on Wyatt Earp and has the tour guide in it that I met when I was in Arizona. It also had the entire cast of the O.K. Corall shoot out who I had a very interesting conversation with. I then started thinking that maybe a western would help me get out of my writers block, and thus, the book was born. I am currently reading "Blood Valley" by William W. Johstone and already have his next book ready to go. I also have books on gun fights, guns of the era as well as the civil war.

When a man with a .45 meets a man with a rifle, the man with a pistol will be a dead man.
~ Frank Chandler







Working on where to place this:

Just after dawn four riders rode into the town of Patience Arizona, reigning their horses in front of the saloon. Each man wore a grey duster that was synonymous with standard issue confederate uniforms.() dismounted first and signaled that the others stay put. () made his way to the bank and looked in through the window as he passed by. He turned back to the three men who dismounted and entered the saloon.
Al, the bartender finished cleaning the glass in his hand and slung the towel over his shoulder and smiled at them as he placed both hands on the counter.
“What’ll it be boys? I got whiskey, dry rum, beer and I even got some see-gars.”
James looked at Kenny who smiled.
“A bottle a’ whiskey and 4 of your finest see-gars mister.”
Al placed four whiskey glasses on the counter along with the bottle of whiskey. Al took a few steps to the right and pulled out a cigar box and handed each man a cigar.
“That’ll be 6 dollars gentlemen.”
() swallowed his second shot of whiskey and pointed his gun at the bartender.
“Now now boys, we don't want any trouble here in Patience.”
All four men turned to the dark corner behind them. The isolated figure pulled the hammer back and showed the barell end of a Winchester double barell. The man stood up, his rifle still fixed on the four men. As he stepped out of the corner, the bartender breathed a sigh of relief.
“You seem like four very smart young fellows and your clothes tell me you ain't hurtin for money. I suggest you pay up and be on your way.”
An older man with a grizzly, unshaven face, a rawhide vest, checkered shirt and tan trousers stepped out of the shadows.


Nick looked at Sheriff Thompson.
"Goddammit now Sheriff, you said we were square back at the bank this mornin'!"
Thompson placed his boots on the desk and take a draw off his cigar with a sly grin.
"I never said we wasn't now did I Nick?"
"But you just tol' me that you plan to let the railroad come through my property."
Thompson held his hands out.
"It's business Nick, plain and simple."
"I worked 7 years and saved 5 to get that land."
The sheriff stood and slammed his hand on the desk, the cigar in his mouth.
"Don't you talk to me about work. What do you think your'e the only one who works. I gave you an entire year to pay half of what you owe and I haven't got anything close."
Nick turned to walk out of the sheriffs office.
"Have the $50 to me by next week or the railroad will be coming through that nice piece of land.
Nick hung his head as the rain fell from the night sky. The saloon was just enough to cover from the elements. He walked out into the pouring rain, his duster covering his Winchester rifle that was cocked and ready to fire.
“Palmer!” He yelled. “Come out here and fight me you son of a bitch!”
Two of Palmer's gunslingers walked out onto the street the rain meeting them as they paired off against Nick.
“Palmer says you best be leavin’ this town ‘for he has you killt’!”
The words barely left his mouth and Justice fired the Winchester into the belly of the man on the left. He then pointed it at the man on the right.
“You wanna speak for Palmer?”
The young man raised his hands, shaking his head, and ran from the street and into the mayor's office.
Nick stepped back onto the boardwalk and reloaded his Winchester knowing it was a matter of time before Palmer would come out of his office.

It would be two hours before Palmer exited his office, flanked by the younger man that barely escaped death earlier and a much larger man who seemed unbothered by the brewing storm. Nick drew on the small cigar in his mouth and stepped out into the street as the wind picked up. Nick stood in the middle of the street and called out to Palmer.
"Palmer!"
Palmer turned, his white handlebar mustache glistening in the moonlight.
“I’m going to kill you.” Nick said.
Palmer put his hand on the bigger man's chest with a pat and nodded at him before stepping into the moonlight.
“Seems I underestimated you, Richmond.” He said, flipping his rolled cigarette to the ground.
Nick shook his head slowly.
“That man is dead.” Nick said in low voice.
Palmer laughed.
“Planning your own funeral Richmond?” He asked.
Nick stepped forward and raised his head, looking at Palmer. Palmer shivered but didn’t lose his composure.
“You are a dead man!” Palmer said sternly.
“I've got nothing to lose.” Nick said with a smirk.

1862


The church was dark, only the light from the midday sun shone through the windows above the parish. The man in the front row sat with his head bowed. The padre knew there was no prayer involved but solace from the fighting that had ravaged the village in the past 8 days.
"Nicholas," the padre said placing his hand on the man's shoulder "there is forgiveness for all the sins committed by the men you seek vengeance on."
Without raising his head, the man responded in a low, gruff voice.
"A mí pertenece la venganza y la recompensa; Su pie se deslizará a su debido tiempo; porque el día de su calamidad está cerca, y las cosas que vendrán sobre ellos se precipitarán."(1)
The priest, clad in white, stepped back, removing his hand from the man's shoulder as he stood and placed his hat on his head.
"Dios te bendiga padre. Ore por mí mientras busco venganza en aquellos que hacen daño a otros." (2)
"Nicholas, you can still be redeemed from sin." The father called after him.
The church doors opened and light flooded in. Nick raised his head and saw the silhouette of four men.
"¡Venga, cobarde! ¡No hay redención aquí! ¡La iglesia no puede salvarte de tu muerte!" (3) Came the call from the man in the middle.
"Soy un siervo de Dios y tú eres el siervo de la serpiente el diablo. ¡Estoy aquí para salvar a esta ciudad de tus malas acciones!" (4) Nick answered.
"You speak good Spanish for a gringo no?" The man said with a laugh.
Nick raised his head and looked at the four men at the church doors.
"I am not here to save myself from you, but to save you from me. Leave this town and never come back. I give you until sundown."
Nick lowered his head and pulled his pocket watch from his vest.
"You have 5 hours El Malhechor." He followed.
El Malhechor laughed.
"You have two hours El Bendecido." His thick Mexican accent laced with anger. " I will see you at the noon hour and I will kill you before all the people you hold so dear. If you don't come, I will come, and I will kill your friend the padre and you will watch him die."


To be continued.........

(1) To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. (Deuteronomy 32:25)
(2) God bless you, father. Pray for me while I seek vengeance on those who seek to do harm to others.
(3) Come out, you coward! There is no redemption here! The church can not save you from your death!
(4) I am a servant of God and you are the servant of the serpent the devil. I am here to save this city from your evil deeds!