Publisher's Synopsis
Nolan Crosson knows all too well that trouble lies ahead-the kind of trouble that can land a man six feet under. The murderous gang he is trailing for the army is stealing women. So far, all the bodies they've buried along this bloody path have been men and children.
A hound dog is exactly what Nolan has been called by many, sought out by the army for his reputation of always treeing his man. Except Nolan didn't count on finding a witness-a haunted little boy who stirs up violent memories of Nolan's past.
Nolan Crosson is a man whose family was killed by a gang of outlaws. That day in Northfield would never leave his mind. He had read the reports, learning the facts. But it wasn't till he saved a wily and insecure little boy that Nolan truely heard the story of how his wife and son had been murdered. The truth put a wedge, a great devide, between he and the boy. Nolan needs to forget the kid and foucs on tracking down the evil bunch who had wiped out the wagon trail the boy had been with, and those were the same women stealing cutthroats the army aimed to hang. The mischievious imp was a distraction that might get them all killed. But there was just something about that kneehigh peck of trouble that Nolan liked. He hand't been a father in a long time. He and Kate, if she would have him, could show this boy a whole different life. First, Nolan needs to fulfill his obligation to the army, but he can't take the kid with him and he didn't consider that the kid would run after him. To lose one son was bad enough, a hell that Nolan had barely fought his way through. His past came alive as he held the little boy, shot and bleeding, in his arms. The women were still in the posession of a purely evil man and his gang, and half of Captain Farnsworth's men had been killed in the battle. Nolan couldn't fix this, any of it, not now- but one person came to mind and he knew where he needed to be. If anyone could help the child, it was Kate. Could Nolan get to her ranch for the boy perished? Time was against him. As soon as he could he would rejoin the captain. Hell was about to rise up against those who had been leaving the carnage behind, those who had put two bullets in the boy, leaving him for dead. There wasn't a prayer strong enought to save those bastards.
