Captain Nunez walked around the corner on the main road leading into town. It was still early and the town was quiet. As he walked up the steps onto the train platform he saw Karl across the way . He was with someone Nunez never saw before. He appeared to be Karl's deputy. As he looked Frank over he quickly dismissed him in his mind. He knew one of Karl's deputies was killed by Lee when he walked in on him killing Hammer. He just figured this man was his replacement and didn't think much more about it. Karl saw Nunez as well but pretended not too. Nunez walked into the trading post and out of sight. Nunez and Karl had a communication system in place. It was basic and rudimentary but it worked well. When one wanted to meet with the other he would place a sealed note on the bulletin board in the trading post. It was addressed to someone who did not exist. Names that both men had committed to memory. Nunez placed his note on the board and checked to see that there was none from Karl waiting for him. He knew Karl saw him go in and would check when he could. Each man checked the board every other morning so they usually requested meetings a couple days out from when they posted the note. However in this case Nunez wanted a quicker meeting so he made sure Karl saw him go in and he tipped his cap brim as he walked out. A signal to Karl that a message was posted. Now he would get his coffee and make his daily check ins and just go back to his camp and get some rest before going to the requested rendezvous to meet Karl. Frank looked over at the trading post and took notice of Nunez. “Sheriff”, he alerted Karl. “That guy over there coming out of the trading post. That's the same guy I saw double timing it up the trail away from the burning truck the other night”. Karl looked over at his friend, captain Edwin Nunez. “Are you sure that's the man”? Karl asked . “I'm sure”, responded Frank. “He passed within feet of where I was hiding. Its definitely him Sheriff”.
Karl was a little shocked and his mind went in several different directions at once. What was going on here he wondered. What did Nunez have to do with all this? With Lee? Why would he kill him? Who's orders was he acting upon? Frank broke his thought when he asked, “should we pick him up and question him”? Karl immediately answered, “No, I'm going to follow him and see where he goes. You stay here and man the office. Ill be back as soon as I can”. With that Karl jogged over to the trading post and retrieved the note from Nunez off the bulletin board. He stuffed it in his pocket and set out following Nunez trail. He wasn't worried about losing him. He knew exactly where and when he could find his friend. As he followed Nunez up into the hills he kept his distance. He struggled to figure out how his friend figured into all this. Every possible scenario he came up with led to a conclusion that was not good. This threw Karl and it was obvious to him that it distracted him when Nunez jumped out of the underbrush and pushed Karl off his horse. Nunez reached out a hand to help him up and said, “Brother, whats going on? Are you following me? You know better than that. And speaking of better than that, how on earth did you let me get the drop on you like that. Your getting old Bro”. Karl took his friends hand and accepted the tug up to his feet. “yeah guess so. Just kinda day dreaming. What the heck did you knock me off my horse for”, he asked. “Just messing with you Bro. Still haven't told me why you are following me”. “Well”, Karl said. “I got your note and it seemed important. I cant meet when you requested so I figured id come up to your camp. Whats up anyway. Everything OK with you”? Karl had held out hope that Nunez was forced to kill Lee for some legitimate reason. That he would explain it all to him and it would make sense. That everything between them would be OK. “Yeah everything fine”, reported Nunez “Just routine stuff Bro. We haven't talked in a while and I just wanted to make contact. Nothing urgent. Sorry you followed me all the way out here. And sorry I knocked you down. I never really thought you wold let me get that close”.
Nunez still had not decided how much of what he knew about Stillman to reveal to Karl. He meant to brief him at their meeting but still hadn't had time to prepare. Now he was even more unsure. He could sense something off with his friend. The two men made a fire and put some water on to boil. They would make some soup from some dehydrated veggies and seasonings Karl had in his saddlebag. They would ave their meeting there and then part ways. There was now no need for Karl to ride al the way up to Nunez camp. Sitting there across the fire from each other Karl looked over at his friend. “Cap, he said. “Did you kill my prisoner the other night”? Nunez was caught off guard with that. “What, where did that come from”. “Well I mean ,,he went missing right after you left that night. And you burned the truck and fled on foot. What was that about? I have to admit I would not have suspected you. The murder itself was a little sloppy. Not your usual work at all. But then again if you wanted to avoid suspicion I guess that was the point wasn't it”? I just cant figure out why. To what end. Who ordered it Cap”? Nunez sat silent for a moment before responding. “Karl, there's things here at play that you don't know about. That you cant know about”. He looked up and into his friends eyes. “Just trust me on this one Bro. You need to forget what you think you know about it. Just forget it. Please. I need to know you are hearing me on this. I need to know you can let this go”. “How Cap? How can I just let this go”? “Karl, its simple man. Just forget about it. We compartmentalize details all the time. You know how this game is played. We never each know the whole story Bro. This is no different”. Karl looked at Nunez. “This is different cap. We don't keep secrets from one another. At least I didn't think we did. I don't. In this business trust is almost impossible to find. I trusted you and to me there is no more valuable asset to what we do. I cant just put this little nugget of info in a room in my find and forget about it. You know me. You know I cant do that and just move on together like nothing happened. It will just be like it is with everyone else. Every time you tell me something ill wonder if its true or if its complete. I cant do it cap”. “Well”, said Nunez . “Im sorry to hear that Karl. Real sorry”.
He rose to his feeet and drew his 45 from his belt. He pointed it at his friend and ordered him to take out his side arm and toss it in the brush. He reached over and picked up Karl's rifle as well. He dropped the mag out and ejected the round from the chamber and set the rifle down away from Karl. Nunez knew at that point he had to kill his friend. With every fiber of his being he did not want to do it. But he knew he must. He ordered Karl down on his knees and told him to place his hands beside his head and interlock his fingers. Karl knew the drill. He made a last attempt to reason with Nunez. “You don't have to do this cap”. “Yes I do Karl. I wish I didn't but I do. I think I knew you couldn't just forget about what you think you know. I just hoped somehow, some way that you could. I'm sorry brother. You don't know how hard this is for me”. Karl looked up at Nunez. There were tears streaking down his face . He walked back and forth trying to summon the courage to do what needed to be done. Then he stopped and again said, “I'm sorry Brother. Forgive me”. He raised his 45 to the side of Karl's head. Karl started to say something barely audible. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staf they omfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presen e of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my up runneth over. Surely goodness and mer y shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. As he strated to repeat it Nunez smashed the but of the 45 against his friends head kno king him over bloodied, to the ground. “Shut up “, he demanded. Nunez stepped forward towards Karl and again raised the 45 and pointed it down at him as he lay bleeding in the dirt. He cocked the hammer back and released the safety. He extended his arm out straight and rigid. He slid his fnger inside the trigger guard and with Tears running down his fa e he repeated “Im sorry Brother”. The sound of the shot sent a flock of birds desperately into fight out of the tree form where they rested. It e hoed throughout the valley. A good man lay dead in the dirt. Blood pooling up around his lifeless body.
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