When the land goes bad, men turn sour and mean…and that is just whathappens to Vale Tanner, a poor Texas cattle rancher who is watching hiscattle die in an unrelenting drought. With his mentor, Red Bailey, thetwo manage to move the few head that have survived, finding a lush valleywhere they can graze. But all is not what it seems in this area, as theman who owns the land is scheming and stealing from others. As thismerciless prairie tries to take his cattle, Vale's past and presentcollide in a hail of betrayal, love lost, bullets, cattle theft, and more.

DEATH WAS NEVER FAR AWAY FOR RIGDON PIERCE Rigdon Pierce was sent to ride south to the Texas-Mexico border in search of a missing ramrod, Monte Davis, and to scout new cattle trails and steers. Soon he found out just what kind of trouble a man can get into, especially in Texas—trouble that nearly claimed him and Monte. Upon returning to Montana, Rigdon learned that he had been given a half interest in the Crooked J cattle herd by Clete Nolan, the man who raised him. Then danger and death showed up on the trail, along with word that Nolan, a man known for his abstinence, was on a bender and likely to give or gamble away ownership of the Crooked J. Rigdon had to convince other ranchers to make a stand and help him take down a scheming sheriff who wanted all the land. After becoming the owner of the Crooked J, Rigdon found that he once again had to fight to stay alive. While fighting off a traitor from the past and his band of outlaws, he found some redemption and perhaps happiness. Yet, as was the norm in his life, death continued to follow him.

When the land goes bad, men turn sour and mean…and that is just whathappens to Vale Tanner, a poor Texas cattle rancher who is watching hiscattle die in an unrelenting drought. With his mentor, Red Bailey, thetwo manage to move the few head that have survived, finding a lush valleywhere they can graze. But all is not what it seems in this area, as theman who owns the land is scheming and stealing from others. As thismerciless prairie tries to take his cattle, Vale's past and presentcollide in a hail of betrayal, love lost, bullets, cattle theft, and more.

DEATH WAS NEVER FAR AWAY FOR RIGDON PIERCE Rigdon Pierce was sent to ride south to the Texas-Mexico border in search of a missing ramrod, Monte Davis, and to scout new cattle trails and steers. Soon he found out just what kind of trouble a man can get into, especially in Texas—trouble that nearly claimed him and Monte. Upon returning to Montana, Rigdon learned that he had been given a half interest in the Crooked J cattle herd by Clete Nolan, the man who raised him. Then danger and death showed up on the trail, along with word that Nolan, a man known for his abstinence, was on a bender and likely to give or gamble away ownership of the Crooked J. Rigdon had to convince other ranchers to make a stand and help him take down a scheming sheriff who wanted all the land. After becoming the owner of the Crooked J, Rigdon found that he once again had to fight to stay alive. While fighting off a traitor from the past and his band of outlaws, he found some redemption and perhaps happiness. Yet, as was the norm in his life, death continued to follow him.