Brother's Keeper by Robert J. Thomas Read Free Book Online

at his partner. They both had the same look; the look of fear. They both rode out of town.
    Jess’ plan was working so far. Two men down and at least four men run out of town. That in itself didn’t even the odds, but it certainly made them better. Hopefully, before the night was over a few more men would value their lives more than money or their reputation and leave town while they could still ride a horse sitting upright. At least he hoped so.
    “Well,” said Andy, “seems like you scared off a few of ‘em.”
“Looks like it.”
“Don’t get your britches all bunched up in the crack of your ass. There’s sure to be more of them coming into town tonight. You’ll have more trouble than an elephant tryin’ to use one of them typewritin’ machines in a few hours. Tomorrow will be worse for sure, I’m telling ya.”
“Boy, you sure do know how to light up a man’s life, Andy.”
“Just telling ya, that’s all.”
“Well, thanks for being ready with that scattergun back there. I appreciate the help.”
“Hell, you didn’t need my help. I reckon you could’ve taken all four of em by yourself.”
“Yeah, but it was the thought that counted,” Jess said with a slight grin. Jess finished his beer and headed to the livery, which also served as the blacksmith shop. He asked Tony if he could sleep in the top of the livery tonight and Tony told him he could have anything he needed. Jess had not wanted to stay with Jim and Sara since that might possibly put them in danger. He fully expected some of Carter’s men to come for him in the middle of the night and he didn’t want to risk their lives. He set himself up above where Gray was stabled. Then, he visited with Jim over at the store. “How’s business been?” asked Jess, as he found Jim stocking some ammo behind the counter.
“Business still ain’t what it used to be, but for sure a damn sight better. Some of my old customers are trickling in, one by one. The sheriff came by right after I saw him ride back into town, probably from visiting Carter and informing him that you were in town, but he didn’t come in like he used to. He just stood around outside and watched.”
“I warned him not to bother you or your store ever again. He obviously didn’t take me seriously or he has a hearing problem,” said Jess. “I suppose he needs a little reminder.”
Jess started for the door but Jim wouldn’t keep silent. “Jess, don’t go messing around with him,” Jim pleaded. “It’s not worth it. He didn’t say anything or bother the customers; he just stood outside and watched.”
Jess stopped outside the doorway and turned back to Jim. “It doesn’t matter, when I say something, I mean it and he understood exactly what I warned him about. He’s obviously decided to test me to see how far he can push me and he’s about to find out right now.”
Jess walked straight from the store to the sheriff’s office. He walked in and found the sheriff sitting at his desk with his feet propped up on the desk. There was another man sitting in the office with the sheriff. Jess figured him to be one of Carter’s men. “Sheriff, are you a patient of Doc Johnson?” asked Jess.
“Well, he is the only pill-roller in town so I guess so. Why?”
“Because you obviously have a hearing problem and since it’s going to start affecting your health, maybe the Doc can help you out with it?”
“Whatever do you mean, Mr. Williams? Is there some kind of problem?” asked the sheriff in a nervous but sarcastic tone of voice. He seemed a little braver since he had another man in the room with him. “And how would bad hearing, if I had bad hearing, affect my health anyway?”
The other man in the room began to stand up but before he got his rump off the chair, which was to the left of the sheriff’s desk, Jess glared at him with eyes that could bore a hole through a chunk of granite. “You sit your ass back down in that chair unless you’re ready to be fitted for a pine