Brother's Keeper (20 page)

message at the hotel for them. As they arrived at the Connor residence, Heath Connor was sitting on his porch with his chair turned towards the end of the main street. They could see why. Just as instructed, the sheriff had placed Aker’s corpse spread eagle just outside the end of town. Far enough to keep the smell from bothering anybody and yet close enough to allow Heath Connor to watch the vultures and coyotes pick his bones clean. Connor was actually looking through the telescope when the three of them walked up to the porch. Carl and Murry had a strange look on their faces but Jess smiled as if he understood in some strange way. As soon as Connor noticed them he put the telescope down and stood up to greet them.

“Good morning, gentlemen. I’m so glad you agreed to accept my invitation to join me for breakfast. I have the best cook in town in my house and she has whipped up some mighty fine food. The dining table is already set and I believe she is ready to serve it up anytime we’re ready.” The four men went inside and sat down at the dining room table and they had no sooner taken off their hats when a woman with a smile as wide as the Mississippi waltzed into the room with a hot pot of coffee.

“Good morning men,” she said in a somewhat melodious tone. “Anyone want coffee?” They all nodded in the affirmative and she went about pouring the coffee. “There’s cream and sugar as well as some honey on the table if you want it,” she added as she swept back into the kitchen.

“That is Wanda Dopkowski,” said Connor, “and she is probably the best cook in town. She is a polish immigrant who showed up here about five years ago and has been working at a little café just around the corner from the hotel. You are going to love her cooking.”

Before Jess or Murry could add their two cents worth she came bustling back into the dining room with a huge plate of flapjacks in one hand and a heaping pile of bacon in the other. She plopped those down and returned a few seconds later with a pot full of scrambled eggs and a large platter of freshly baked biscuits and cornbread. That was followed by a large plate of ham along with a platter of eggs done over easy and one of her polish dishes called potato pancakes. The butter, syrup and all the other fixings were already on the table. Murry, Carl and Jess were so overwhelmed by all of the wonderful food they simply stared at it. Wanda put both of her hands on her hips and looked at them as if trying to break the spell.

“I cooked it, but I ain’t gonna put it on your plates, gentlemen. Now, dig in, I have a nice chocolate cake waiting its turn on the table for dessert. They all dug in as they were instructed. They were passing around the plates to one another and they ate more than their share of the food. As soon as they finished and each one of them made the claim that they couldn’t eat one more bite, Wanda came in with four plates, each with a large slab of chocolate cake with some type of chocolate syrup on it and it was absolutely delicious.

Murry stopped cramming the cake in his mouth and lifted his head, which was about two inches from the plate. “This is one time I have to agree with my partner, this is wonderful. Wanda, you want to go back East with us? We can set up a little shop and you can make cakes and whatever you make. We can sell them to all the restaurants in the area around where our establishment will be.” Wanda put her hands back on her hips, which was what she always did when she was trying to make a point.

“That’s a nice offer, gents, but there are too many people back there in the East. I like it fine out here. Some of the people out East are a little too fussy for me. I want people to appreciate the food I cook and out here, they really appreciate a fine meal, when they can get one.”

“Well, that is exactly what we had here,” said Jess, as he finished his last morsel of cake off the plate. “I hate to admit it Wanda, but this was every bit as good as my ma used to cook.” Heath Connor had told Wanda about Jess and how he had lost his family so Wanda understood how meaningful the comment was. She gave Jess her best smile and looked him in the eyes with a motherly look.

“That’s about the best compliment any woman could get, Mr. Williams. I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s too bad you gentlemen can’t stay for supper. I could make you some of my polish dishes. You would love them I’m sure.”

Heath Connor broke in. “Thank you Wanda for another fine meal. As for the supper offer, that would be wonderful but these men have to leave this morning. Okay men, the trains waiting for you. It was scheduled to leave an hour ago, but I told them to sit still until we get there.” The four men got up and headed out towards the north end of town and arrived at the train station. Jess was almost laughing at the sight of Carl and Murry. Both of them had bandages wrapped around their arms and Murry was still limping from his sprained ankle. They loaded up what few things that Carl and Murry had to take back to New York. The most important thing was the large bank draft from Mr. Connor. Murry had that in his shirt pocket. He wasn’t about to let it out of his sight.

“Well, I guess this is it,” said Murry, as he shook hands with Jess and Mr. Connor. “I appreciate everything you did for us, Jess, and we won’t forget it. You will have to come out East and see your investment sometime. We discussed it last night and we are going to have a wooden J hand carved out of the finest wood and hang it over the door of Murry and Carl’s. When people ask what it stands for, we’ll tell them all about you. And, once a week, everybody in the place will get a free drink and we’ll tell them it’s from our silent partner, Jess Williams.”

“That’s right, Jess,” Carl added, as he too shook hands with both men. “Everyone who comes into Carl and Murry’s will know all about you and what you did for us. We were lucky to have run into you and that’s a fact.” The train whistle blew loudly.

“Time to board the train you two,” Connor said. Carl was helping Murry step up into the train and Murry was moaning about the pain in his ankle.

“Well get you ass up the step before the train leaves without us,” Carl replied.
“It ain’t leaving without us, and I thought we had agreed to call our place Murry and Carl’s?”
“I never agreed to that, you just kept saying it. Besides, Carl and Murry’s sound real nice to me. It kind of rolls off the tongue right nice, don’t you think?”
“I’ll roll your sorry ass off this train once it gets going a little faster and you can walk back to New York!”
“If I get off this train that bank draft is going with me!” yelled Carl.
Murry finally got on the top step and they entered the train. Jess and Connor watched as they walked back and sat down at a table by the window facing them. The window was open and Connor and Jess could hear the argument still going on. As the train pulled out all Jess could see was Murry and Carl locked in another heated debate with each other.
Jess shook his head. “I’m damn glad we got them on the train. I don’t think I could’ve taken much more of that. I think I would’ve had to shoot at least one of them.” They both laughed.
“They damn sure do argue a lot, that’s a fact,” replied Connor. The two men walked in silence back towards the livery. Jess retrieved Gray and the newly named packhorse, Sharps and then they walked back to Connor’s house.
“Thanks again, Mr. Connor,” said Jess, as he shook Connor’s hand one last time.
“No, I’m the one doing the thanking here,” said Connor, as he looked out at the now half eaten body of Lloyd Akers. “You gave me what I needed and I will never forget it. You have a friend for life, Mr. Williams. You ever need anything, you let me know.” Jess got up in the saddle and tipped his hat at Connor.
“You think those two will make it to New York alive?” asked Connor.
“Yeah, but not before they drive a few people to jump off your train though,” replied Jess as he turned Gray towards the end of the town. Connor watched as Jess headed out and then turned north, heading back in the direction of Black Creek, Kansas. He watched as a few vultures flew off when Jess went by. He smiled as they returned to continue picking at Aker’s body again. “Keep eating till it’s all gone,” he said, to no one but himself. He sat back down in the chair on his porch and continued watching the vultures with what could only be described as a look of satisfaction on his face.

Jess headed a little west first, looking for the trail he had come south on since he knew there were a few good creeks along the way. He found a nice spot to take a break around the middle of the afternoon. He made some coffee and was chewing on one of the biscuits that he had willingly taken from Wanda when he left the Connor house. He saw a dust cloud off to the north, probably a mile away or so. He got out the telescope he had bought in Holten and opened it up. He saw a single rider coming at a pretty good pace and a spare horse behind him with a saddle on it. Someone’s in a hurry to get somewhere, he thought to himself. He removed his shotgun from his sling and sat it down on the boulder next to him. He didn’t know if the man meant trouble or not but he would be prepared for it anyway. Jess was only about twenty feet off the trail so unless the rider took a turn east or west, he would ride right by Jess. He stood as the rider approached and slowed after seeing Jess. He waved as if to let Jess know he was friendly but that did not make Jess relax yet. The rider dismounted about fifty yards from Jess and walked his horses the rest of the way.

“Not at all, help yourself to some coffee and a biscuit if you like.”
“That sounds damn good and mighty nice of you.” Hanley went about tying his horses to a branch on a tree and got out his coffee cup. He walked to the fire and filled his cup and grabbed one of the large biscuits. He noticed the double-barrel on the boulder next to Jess.
“You expecting trouble?” asked Hanley.
“Not really, but if it shows up, I’ll be here to greet it.”
“Well, just so you know, I ain’t it.”
“I figured as much, once I got a look at you.” Hanley was about to take a large bite out of the biscuit when he finally noticed it. He took one look at the pistol Jess was wearing and that caused Hanley to look at Jess a little more closely.
“I’ll be damned. I was hoping to get lucky but not this lucky,” said Hanley. Jess looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant.
“Might your name be Jess Williams?” Jess stiffened a little at the question. He had gained a reputation as a fast draw and he knew that men would begin to seek him out simply to try to outdraw him and prove that they were faster. For all he knew, this man was one of them. Jess slowly rose up and stood. It was then that Hanley noticed that the hammer strap was off Jess’ pistol.
“Who might you be and why are you asking?” Hanley could sense the danger.
“Hold on Mister, I ain’t no threat to you. I’m not a gunfighter looking to call you out. If you are who I think you are, I’ve been sent to find you and bring you a message.”
Jess relaxed and took another sip of coffee. He looked Hanley over for a moment. “Who sent you to find me?”
“So you are Jess Williams?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I’m Terrence Hanley and it’s an honor to share a cup of coffee with you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, but let’s get back to that part about who sent you to find me and bring me a message.”
Hanley filled his cup again and sat back down. “Cal Hardin, back in Black Creek, sent me to find you. He wants me to tell you that your brother, Tim Sloan, is back in Black Creek waiting for you.” Jess did not respond; he calmly listened as Hanley continued.
“It seems that Dick Carter, before his untimely death by your hands, sent a message to your brother. In the message was the offer to pay your brother the sum of ten thousand dollars to kill you. Carter gave the money to Cal Hardin to hold. Hardin promised Carter that he would pay the money to your brother once he brought your dead body to Hardin to identify.”
“I thought the bounty Carter had on my head was three thousand dollars,” replied Jess.
“There’s still that too, but Carter must’ve figured that hiring your own brother to kill you was worth a whole lot more money. Hell, Carter was crazy with hate for you. He probably would have paid anything to see you dead by your own brother’s hand.”
Jess thought for a moment about what Hanley had said before responding. “So, if Hardin is supposed to pay off my brother for killing me, why did Hardin send you to find me and warn me?”
“Because Hardin don’t like any of this one bit. He figured he owed Carter and he made a promise, but he will only keep the promise he made to Carter and he never promised not to warn you.”
“Why did he pick you to find me? I’ve never met you before. How would you even know what I look like?”
Hanley went silent for a moment and swallowed hard. “I’ll tell you, if you promise to keep that pistol holstered.” Jess grinned and nodded in agreement.
“I work, well…did work for Carter. Now I work for his widow, at least I did when I left. I’m not sure I’ll be working for her by the time I get back, but that don’t matter none since Hardin offered me a job. Anyway, I was the one that Carter sent to find your brother. Since you and your brother look a lot alike, Hardin figured I might be able to pick you out. I want you to know that I never read the letter that I delivered to your brother but I knew that it involved money and that your brother would collect it back in Black Creek. By the time I got back to the Carter ranch, you had already killed Carter so I kind of figured the whole mess was done with. When I accepted this job with Hardin, he told me the whole story. I guess that’s the whole of it, in a nutshell.”
Jess didn’t respond right away. He sat there and thought about what Hanley had told him. He thought about the evilness of Dick Carter’s plan to have his own brother attempt to kill him. Again, destiny seemed to be playing a role in Jess’ life. It was almost too much to take in and grab hold of. Here he was, looking for his brother when his brother was looking for him. He wondered if there was some unknown force that was working to bring the two of them together or was it just the way things were supposed to work out. Less than six months ago he learned about the brother he never knew he had and then he found out that his brother had been spotted with one of the killers of his family, Blake Taggert. Now, his brother was being paid to kill Jess and for no other reason than money. Then he remembered the lesson that his pa had taught him. You have to play the cards life deals you. You can’t change it and you can’t run away from it.
Hanley watched as Jess was thinking about all that Hanley had told him. He had watched the expressions on Jess’ face as it went from puzzlement to anger and finally to a look of determination. He could see darkness in Jess’ eyes. It was a darkness that he had not seen in a man before. It was something that you could actually feel if that was at all possible. It sent a chill down Hanley’s spine. Then, in an instant, Hanley could see calmness come over Jess as Jess got up to fill his coffee cup again.
“Well, it seems that my brother and I finally have something in common.”
“What would that be?”
“It seems that we are both out to do the same thing, except he’s being paid a lot of money to do it.”
“Ten thousand dollars is a whole lot of money,” said Hanley.
“Yeah,” agreed Jess, “but he won’t be collecting it, you can be sure of that.”
“I saw your brother kill a man back over in Holten over a card game. He’s pretty fast with that left hand of his.”
“He’ll need all the speed he can muster when he faces me,” replied Jess.
“I’m thinking’ you might be right about that, and thanks by the way.”
“Thanks for what?”
“For not shooting me like you did Deke Moore.”
“Deke Moore got exactly what he deserved. Besides, you’re just the messenger. And I guess Cal Hardin is trying to make something wrong a little more right, I have to give him that much and I’ll tell him so when I see him.”
“He’ll appreciate that and I know it for a fact. He ain’t like Carter, I can tell you that.”
“Well, seems like you will have some company on your ride back to Black Creek, Mr. Hanley,” said Jess.
“Terrence will do just fine, Jess,” replied Hanley, “and I can’t think of any man I’d rather have riding next to me.”
They broke camp and mounted up and started their ride back to Black Creek. It was a quiet trip, neither man talking. Terrence Hanley was thinking about what was going to happen when they got back to town. He would glance over at Jess once in a while. He felt sorry for the horrible turn of events that had changed this young man’s life so dramatically. And yet, he seemed to have taken it all in stride, dealt with it, and survived to be a honed mankiller and he was young enough to be Hanley’s son. Jess’ thoughts were on something else though. He was asking himself one question over and over in his head—Why had Tim Sloan been riding with Blake Taggert?