JOHNSTONE COUNTRY. GET TOUGH OR GET OUT OF THE WAY.

In this hot-blooded new series from the bestselling Johnstones, a young deputy sheriff earns his badge the hard way-with six cutthroat killers out for his blood . . .

As the deputy sheriff in a small Missouri town, "Slick" Parker Jones doesn't have much to do except get drunk and chase saloon girls. Life is pretty dull in Rory's Junction-until Slick sees the wanted poster for a notorious train robber.

Parker's never met an actual outlaw before. He's never faced any real dangers, to be honest. But when that wanted man staggers into Parker's nightly watering hole-half dead, with a hole in his gut and a bloody map in his hand-the young deputy's life takes a wild turn . . . quite possibly fatal.

It starts with the dying man's final words: "The gold." Which leads Slick Parker to one conclusion: The map leads to the stolen gold from the outlaw's latest, greatest train robbery. Instead of calling the marshal, Parker decides to hunt for the gold himself, earn his badge the old-fashioned way, and become the kind of lawman he always knew he could be. There's just one problem. Parker isn't the only one searching for the gold. A vicious gang of six barbaric killers are looking for it, too-and they're gunning for the man with the map.

By the time Parker realizes what he's up against, it's too late. He's already halfway to hell. . . .