Rockabye County

Brad Counter knew plenty about the theory of modern law enforcement. But before he had held his badge for thirty-six hours, he found himself up against a pair of professional killers who never hesitated to use their guns. Under those conditions experience counted, and theory was of little use. Because in a real gunfight, there was only one second prize awarded … death!

Gusher City, Texas: Two terrorists had seized hostages, demanding an aircraft to take them to Cuba. Then ‘Crazy Doc’ Christopher escaped from the penitentiary. And when Walter Haddon strolled into Gusher City, all four men found they were up against men like Sheriff Jack Tragg, Deputy Sheriffs Brad Counter and Thomas Cord and the rest of the lawmen of Rockabye County.

Jack Tragg, sheriff of Rockabye County, Texas, was a powerful, sun-bronzed six foot one. His gunbelt was a modern combat-shooter’s rig, with a single Smith & Wesson .41 Magnum. Like his Old West predecessors, Jack’s duty was to keep the peace and maintain law and order in his bailiwick. Tough—fast with a gun—Jack was the jet-aged lawman!

Tom Cord was within three months of retirement when bushwhack lead cut him down. No lawman ever allowed one of his fellow officers to be murdered without making every effort to get his killer. Together Deputy Sheriff Bradford Counter and Woman Deputy Alice Fayde began the hunt for Cord's killer. Could Counter's gun-skills match those of the professional killers when the time came?

A gang of killers puts Operation Scare-Off into action against the wives of peace officers. Sheriff Jack Tragg sets up Woman Deputy Alice Fayde and her partner, Deputy Brad Counter, as targets to draw the gang into the open. Faced with a member of the gang armed with a sawed-off shotgun, only Brad’s speed on the draw can save his life - either of them has only one quarter of a second left to live.

Deputy sheriffs Alice Fayde and Brad Counter looked at the body. It was that of a shapely, luciously-curved young woman. There were six bullet holes in the torso. And there was no face—only a hideously battered mass of blood and pulp. Sometimes the work of a modern peace officer can be even tougher than in the days of the Old West.

“Even with a psycho there’s a point of contact in the killings,” Sheriff Jack Tragg told Deputies Fayde and Counter as they investigated the third apparently unconnected murder in which the same gun had been used.Yet there seemed no point of contact between the victims.So the deputies searched and found it and the name of another possible victim … Woman Deputy Alice Fayde herself!

Armed with a long-barreled Colt Peacemaker, masked by a bandana and dressed like an old West cowhand, the Owlhoot robbed couples necking in cars on lonely roads. When woman Deputy Alice Fayde and her partner, Deputy Bradford Counter, stood looking at two dead bodies killed by .45 black-powder bullets, they knew the Owlhoot had changed his game. He had to be caught before he used the Colt again.

On vacation in Mexico, Woman Deputy Alice Fayde and her partner Deputy Sheriff Bradford Counter hoped for some R&R. Giving a lift to an English girl, they found themselves involved with hired killers and entangled in the world of international espionage. And so they began a desperate run for the border. The deputies would need all their gun-skill, courage and intelligence to survive!