Hard Times — Darrel Sparkman

In the shadow of a deal with the devil, a retired lawman faces a killer's deadly game.Legendary lawman Coble Bray's world changes when he meets the fiery Maria. Leaving his gunslinger life behind, they settle into a peaceful existence on a small Missouri ranch. But tranquility is a luxury Coble can't afford for long.When an old comrade, Priest, arrives with news of a brutal murder, Coble's past beckons him back to the badge. The victim was found with a chilling message-a cross and key in her mouth, along with a note addressed to Coble, hinting at the work of a sinister figure connected to an unsolved murder the previous year.Driven by duty and haunted by the threat of a serial killer, Coble steps into the fray, where his quest leads him to Hard Times, Kansas-a town as foreboding as his circumstances. There, he finds himself alone, playing a perilous game with a murderer who's always one step ahead.Can Coble Bray outwit a devilish adversary, or will his final showdown cost him everything he holds dear?