J. A. Johnstone

William W. Johnstone

Colton Gray doesn't look like your typical deputy marshal. He's too young and good-looking for a West Texas lawman. At least that's what his boss thinks. As captain, Marshal John Timmons feels this new kid Colton isn't up to the job—at least not yet—so he sends him on minor assignments to keep him out of Boot Hill. But to everyone's surprise, young Colton manages to track down Eli Doolin and Casey Tubbs, the notorious "Old Man Bank Robbers." Not only that, he claims he gunned them down in a shootout, earning high praise from the West Texas chief marshal's office. And a legend is born . . .

But there's a hitch to the story: Colton Gray lied.

Truth is, he never killed Doolin and Tubbs—not after learning the righteous reasons behind their crimes. Instead, he let those good old boys go free, as long as they promised to stop robbing banks. Sure, Colton may have bent the rules a little. But Colton knows he did the right thing. Sometimes a man has to forge his own path on the road to justice—even if that means going outside the law. Or lying to your boss. In his heart of hearts, Colton Gray knows he was born for the job of US deputy marshal. And sometimes that job gets a little dirty . . .