With an Apache killing spree setting Texas afire, big Bass Giles saw opportunity riding at him hard and fast. Kiannatah's renegade bronco warriors were tearing up the territory, running Col. McCabe's horse soldiers ragged. Now there was no one to stop Giles and his owlhoots from bleeding the frontier town of Furnace Creek drier'n dust. Add to their ill-got booty a poke illegally earned selling purloined Sierra Line livestock to the rampaging redmen, and it appeared Kiannatah's war with the "white eyes" had the Giles gang sitting hog-high.
Clay Colbry had played hands on both sides of the law. Now the cavalry was sending the ex-scout to Furnace Creek alone in the middle of the bronco uprising to see about re-opening the Sierra stage line. But the confirmed hardcase was going for reasons of his own. Seems an old enemy name a' Bass was lording it over the now near-ghost town. And Colbry reckoned the time was ripe for a payback...in blood!
1989 by Jason Manning Zebra Books (New York) 220 pp ISBN: 0-8217-2632-3
This novel that launched my writing career in earnest, earning me a five-book deal with Zebra Books. I combined a couple of the things I liked most, Texas and Apaches, and the book opened with the best one-line hook I ever produced, in my opinion. Have considered writing shorter stories about Clay Colbry and the Sierra Line for this website.