Book excerpt: In Killing Plain, Ralph Cotton displays the striking combination of gritty authenticity and lyrical beauty that has earned widespread critical acclaim. Ranger Sam Burrack has never had a partner before, but Hadley Jones has more than proven his mettle, and Burrack can tell they’re cut from the same cloth. But two lawmen might not be enough to stop Lonzo Greer and his Black Moon gang as they blaze a bloody trail of murder and destruction across Arizona Territory. Even worse, the cutthroats have a personal vendetta against the rangers for killing one of their own. If the straight-shooting peace officers aren’t careful, they might end up as vulture bait under the hot desert sun.