Brother's Keeper Read Online Free PDF Page A

door to the study, which was partially open. “Mr. Carter, sir? You sent for me?”
    Hanley was nervous and Carter could sense that right away and knowing what he was going to ask Hanley to do, he wanted to put him at ease right away. “Yes I did, and don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble. I’ve lost cattle before and I’ll lose cattle again. Some of the other boys are taking care of that little problem.” Hanley knew exactly what that meant and he suddenly had a vision of men hanging from tall oak trees with their tongues all swollen and hanging out. “Anyway,” continued Carter, “that ain’t why I called you in here. Would you like a glass of this fine brandy? It’s really quite good.”
    Hanley went to ease right off. “Yes I would, sir, and thanks for letting me know right away about not being in trouble. I need this job and I was thinking that maybe I’d lost it. I appreciate you going easy on me.” Carter poured him a full glass of brandy and Hanley took a nice sip of it and it went down really smooth.“Damn, I don’t get this kind of stuff often. I think this is just about the best brandy I’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping.”
    “I have that brandy shipped in by the case all the way from New York. It’s expensive brandy for sure but it’s worth every damn penny.”
    “Too rich for my blood,” said Hanley, taking another slow sip.
Carter smiled. He always enjoyed showing off that he had more money than most men could count. Hanley sat there for a minute or two slowly sipping the fine brandy and then, his curiosity finally got the better of him. “So, why did you call me in here, sir?”
Carter sat down in a plush leather chair and motioned for Hanley to do the same. Hanley sat in the chair and the leather seemed to wrap itself around him with a comfort he had not felt before. “I have a very important job I’d like you to do for me,” said Carter, his smile now turning towards a more serious look. “It pays a nice bonus, along with your normal pay, and its easier work than busting your ass herding cattle all day.”
“Sounds interesting, but will I live through it to get my bonus?” Hanley asked, wondering if Carter was going to ask him to go into Black Creek for the big showdown.
“Hell yes you’ll live through it. I’m not talking about tomorrow when I kill that little no-good son of a bitch of a kid that murdered my only boy. I’m talking about you taking a letter personally to a man for me.”
“What letter, and who do I deliver it to?”
“It’s a sealed letter and it’s only to be read by the person you’re going to deliver it to. Only he can open the letter, understand?”
“What if I can’t find this man you’re talking about?”
“Then bring the message back here to me. And if for some reason you can’t do that, I want you to destroy the message. Burn it.”
“Who is this person you want me to deliver it to?”
Carter poured them both another glass of the fine brandy. “His name is Tim Sloan.” Hanley looked at Carter as though he recognized the name. “Did you say his last name was Sloan?”
“Yes. Why, do you know him?”
“I’ve heard of Eddie Sloan. He’s one mean son of a bitch and they say he’s damn quick with a side iron. I heard he outdrew two men at the same time in a bar over in Abilene. The way I hear it, he’s one of the best.”
“You’re right on both counts, but the man I’m sending you to see is his son, Tim Sloan. They say he’s just as fast as his old man, and probably faster since he’s got youth on his side.”
“Never knew Sloan had a kid. Where do I find this Tim Sloan?”
“The last place he was seen was in a town called Holten; about three days ride south of here. That was about two weeks ago. I wired the sheriff there and asked him that if Sloan was still in town, to give him a message to wait there and that a man was coming to hand-deliver him a letter.”
“What makes you think that this Tim Sloan will wait around