*1. This short story started tossing around in my head after reading another piece of fan fiction. When I watched Velvet Trap the other day, it started yelling at me.

2. I will be giving proper thanks later to the fellow fan fiction writer whose piece I read…for allowing me to borrow from it when I emailed her. I would do it now only…I don't want to give anything away. Also, while I do have a beta reader who would beta this for me if I wanted, I would like to see how I did on my own. If there is any major errors, feel free to email me. If it's just minor? I'd rather not hear about it.

Man of His Word

1/3

The sheriff was talking, then his brothers, but Nick didn't respond. She'd lied to him and used him to get rid of her boyfriend's "enemy", a bounty hunter. At least, that is what they claimed. Were they right? Were they wrong? He had to know either way. Without a word, he picked up his hat and walked out the law office door; his mother followed, scared to death for her son.

"And then you'll be dead…" his mother's words rang in his ears as he left the hotel. Sabrina had checked out and ran. They were right. Now, he had a job to do, one that the bounty hunter started. He, Nick Barkley, would finish.

"You want us to follow him?" Jarrod asked his mother as he, Heath and the sheriff stepped out of the lawman's office. A part of him knew better than to ask such a question; still he did. He wasn't surprised when Victoria turned her head and nodded.

"Please," Victoria looked at Jarrod and Heath, "do just that only," she paused, sighed and then added, "don't let him know you're following if you can. You know how stubborn and ornery he can be." She might not have asked them to follow her hot tempered son, but she had to. She couldn't help but shake the feeling Nick would need his brothers nearby, and that made her nervous.

"Come on, Heath." Jarrod hurried down the street and to the stable; Heath did the same. The sheriff was not far behind them. Victoria walked slowly towards the surrey she'd driven into town and prayed. What else could she do?

0000

Mile after Mile Nick rode. The farther he rode the madder he got. He had trusted her; he'd felt sorry for her, and he wound up killing a man for her. All right, in the eyes of the law it was self-defense. It didn't matter. The bounty hunter never would have done what he had if Sabrina hadn't set the two of them up. And for what? A low down, no good, murderer!

"Boy Howdy!" Heath exclaimed as he, his brother and the sheriff did what they could do keep up with Nick without being seen. That wasn't easy to do as Nick had always been one to quickly pick up on the fact he was being tailed. As it was, Nick was so bent on finding Sabrina and her wanted boyfriend that he didn't notice anything but what was in front of him.

Nick pulled on his reins and stopped his horse. He could see the stagecoach that had left Stockton not that long ago. Sabrina had to be on it! He spurred his horse onwards! He had to talk to her, make her talk!

"There was a woman and a man…" Nick listened as the driver spoke. It was Sabrina and the man he now sought to bring to justice. He just knew it. "Sorry for bothering you, *Sam." Nick mounted his horse and rode on.

"Like I told your brother," Sam looked at Nick's brother and the good sheriff who had lost Nick, "A man and woman got off. They said they had horses waiting for them. He took off that way." The driver pointed in the direction he'd seen Nick ride when he left him.

"Thanks." Jarrod said as he, his brother and the sheriff too rode away. Somehow, all three men knew Nick would find what he was looking for. That fact alone had them worried enough to push their horses as hard as they could. They were more than grateful when Heath was able to pick up Nick's tracks once more.

"We've got to get catch up to him soon." Jarrod said as they rode through the country, going through more than one bush and around more than one tree. "I don't like the feeling I'm starting to get." It was a feeling of dread, impending danger and an extremely strong sense of urgency. He took it to mean only trouble for his brother.

"Tell me somethin' I don't know." Heath replied in a tone that sounded of one who knew what their odds were and didn't like it. Why did Nick have to get it into his head to play bounty hunter? It wasn't his fault Sabrina had turned out to be so bad. Why couldn't he just accept his, Heath's, invitation to go and get a drink?

0000

Nick seethed with anger as he saw Sabrina and the man he hunted embracing on the porch of a home. If they thought they were getting away with anything, they were wrong. He waited until Sabrina was lying, alone, on the grass before he made his presence known. He kept the amusement he got over the shocked looked on her face to himself.

Desperate to stop Nick, Sabrina begged, "Listen to me…"

"I listened…" Nick spoke abruptly as he told her what he was doing there and then he began walking.

Sabrina yelled to warn her boyfriend, "It's Nick Barkley…"

"The fool!" the sheriff had to bite his tongue as he, Jarrod and Heath had finally caught sight of Nick and where he was heading. They were too far away to do any good should anything happen. "Come on, let's get moving!" It was a statement Heath and Jarrod didn't argue with.

Nick moved quickly, yet carefully, after having taken a number of shots at the wanted man and dodging a few bullets himself. Unbeknownst to Nick, though he should have known she would, Sabrina had ran into the house and got a rifle.

Jarrod swore as he saw Sabrina go into the barn. Heath did the same, and the sheriff wasn't exactly letting out the best language himself.

Nick was moving around, taking shots and dodging them. He wanted to take the man in alive. If he could just wound him, he would be able to do it.

"No, you don't!" Sabrina, who had slipped quietly into the barn, aimed the rifle at one very surprised Nick. Just as Jarrod, Heath and the sheriff busted in through the door, she pulled the trigger.

*If Nick didn't call the driver Sam, then I really need to listen better…as I saw the episode on the TV not You Tube.