THE SNITCH

AS  sam led the bay that was covered with caked and dry sweat to the back door of the barn his mind was on that snug pair of wranglers strolling across the  yard. the half empty beer dangled from his left hand as he passed a dark corner a soft HOLA came from the darkness. his hand  dropped to the chap pocket . the voice almost whispered as the speaker stepped into the light.
  " that's not needed patron" the young man faceing sam was well dressed if dusty. he held his hands out to show he wasn't armed.
 " who are you nino? why you hiding in my establo?"  sam relaxed seeing the boy wasn't more than sixteen or so.
  " my papa was the man you found dead.  the man in mexico he worked for is a bad man. he is trying to make my brothers work for him and my sister a puta.  I am here to tell you this man will be meeting with the American called farmer at a cantina called the cozy spot. they plan your death and they want to bring more of the bad money. my tio told me to bring this to you. " he held out a folded crumpled paper. it was torn from a brown paper bag. a letter in Spanish was scrawled on it.
  sam took the letter as he looked the boy over. " you walked a long way to bring me this. why?"
 "  you sent my papa home , your A GOOD MAN. YOU TREAT MEXICAN PEOPLE WELL. ?

 sam turned the bay horse loose after washing his back and cooling him off. he then took the boy to the house. eppi stood as they approached the porch. "find a stray sam?" he asked
  sam nodded then turned to sissy " this young man is hungry, can you feed him?"

  sissy took the boy in the house and sam sat down in the chair she vacated. he had read the note but he passed it to eppi.  the capitan read slowly then looked up." this meeting is tomorrow . do we know what this guy looks like?"
  " I hoped you did, I think somebody needs to set in on that pow wow. could be a chance to clean up this mess. " sam answered
  later that day eppi , Ralston and the kid left the ranch. Ralston would return the kid to the border. eppi and sam had hatched a plan that neither coaly or sissy liked. but sam and eppi were determined to put a stop to the counterfeiting and human trafficking.  people were risking their lives to help him, coaly and sissy. it was a chance to settle this once and for all.