This is a prequel(I think that's the right word) to Don't leave town. It isn't the full story of how they became brothers but it explains how Chris found out. Hope it makes sense. All errors are mine.
Vin was really happy, not that he would admit that to anyone. He had 6 people he trusted with his life, literally. He walked along the street smiling at Mrs Potter as she swept the sidewalk in front of her shop.
He walked to the livery and saddled Peso. He was heading out to the pool he had found whilst out riding a few days before. "Heading out Vin?" a voice said from behind him.
"Thought I'd do some fishing."
"Need company?"
"I'll be fine Chris." Vin rolled his eyes. Since he'd told Chris about the wanted poster with his name on it Chris had been keeping a closer eye on him.
"Be c.."
"I've been looking after myself since I was little. Quit worrying."
Vin swung up into his saddle and walked Peso out. "When will you be back?"
"Couple of days." He rode out. It felt funny having someone asking what he was doing and where he was going. He hadn't had to do that in a very long time, not since his Mama had died. He shut his eyes and her face appeared. Sometimes he wondered if the face was real or did he just see what he wanted to see. After all he had only been 5 when she died. Peso whinnied, not liking the slower pace. "Come on then," Vin said touching Peso's sides with his heels.
Soon he was sitting beside the pool, Peso resting in the shade of a tree. This was one of his favourite places. He could see the rings on the water where the fish had come to the surface. He was going to fish but first he was just going to rest. He found resting in town difficult. A man with a price on his head had to be vigilant, Vin smiled at the word he'd learned from Ezra.
Vin woke about an hour later. He jumped to his feet. Damn he was getting too comfortable. He scanned the area and then sat again. He made a fishing rod and sat at the bank.
He turned quickly when he heard a horse. Chris Larabee had better not have followed him. A large black horse came in. A huge man looked down at him. Vin's hand went to his gun. "Don't need to do that boy," the man said. "I just want to know if I'm anywhere near Four Corners."
"It's about 5 miles east of here," Vin said keeping his hand on his gun. Something about this man was menacing. "You looking for someone?"
"Aint none of your business boy," the man said.
"What if I'm making it mine?" The man laughed.
"You don't want to do this. I've swatted flies older than you."
Vin bristled. He thought that he hid his age well. "I'd like to know what you plan to do in town."
"You the law?"
"Sort of."
Vin didn't even see the gun come out of the holster the man was so fast. The only thing he managed to do was turn slightly and that saved his life. The bullet meant for his head grazed the side and he fell to the ground.
The man looked down at him. "Stupid boy." He rode off. He didn't need anyone to warn Chris Larabee that he was on his way.
Vin shook his head then regretted doing so. His head felt as if it was going to fall off. He managed to get to his knees before he was sick. He put his hand up to his head. The blood had dried. His hair was stuck together. He looked around, Peso was gone.
He had been so sure the man had come for him. God Chris was gonna be mad. He'd made a fool mistake taking on a man who was obviously so much faster than he was. He started to walk towards town.
He had barely taken a few steps when he had to sit down again. He felt something drip down his face. He touched it and looked at his hand. The wound had started to bleed again.
Maybe he'd best just wait until Chris showed up. Funny how he knew Chris would come find him. He'd never felt a connection like this with any other person, not even his grandfather who'd looked after him when his Mama died.
He went back to the pool and put his bandana in the water. He washed the blood away from his face. He felt better after sitting. He stood up and then started walking again. This time he felt a bit better. He winced as he put his hat on. He walked on.
This was harder than he thought. It felt as if he was walking through mud. His head was swimming. His eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground.
He felt someone lift him up. "Vin! Vin!"
"Hrrrrts!" he said. He tried to open his eyes but the effort was too much. He felt safe. "Chrrrriiisss!"
The next time he woke he was in a bed. He tried to push himself up. "Lie still," Nathan said.
"How'd I get here?"
"Chris brought you in 3 days ago."
"3 Days?"
"You've had a fever." Vin lifted his hand to touch his head.
"Leave that alone," Chris said.
"Drink this," Nathan said holding a cup to his lips.
"Nope," Vin said.
"It'll help the headache," Nathan said. "It won't make you sleep." Vin looked at him suspiciously. "I promise, it won't."
Vin glared at the cup. "Wish you could make it taste better."
"Just drink it Tanner before I make you," Chris said.
"Like to see you try," Vin said.
Chris got up. "Stop it Chris. I don't want him getting riled up. It aint good for him."
Vin took the cup and swallowed the contents quickly. A strange look crossed his face. "It tasted good."
"Nettie came in and added something to it. Said you were more likely to take it if it tasted of peaches."
"Could have told me," Vin grumbled. He settled back on the pillows.
"Want to tell us what happened?" Chris asked.
"Not really," Vin muttered.
"Well I'd like to hear it," Chris said.
"It weren't nothing," Vin said. Both men looked at him incredulously.
"You have a bullet wound on your head and you call it nothing," Nathan said.
Chris glared at him, "Explain."
"A man asked for directions when I was fishing. I didn't trust him. I thought he might be a bounty hunter looking for me but he didn't recognise me."
"I knew it wasn't safe for you to be riding around on your own," Chris said.
"He wasn't after me. Aint sure he was after anyone. I told him I was the law around here. He pulled his gun and shot me.
"Was this a big man on a black horse?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"He challenged Chris 4 days ago. Seems he was after the person that had shot his brother."
"Had no idea who he was or his brother," Chris said. "Must be someone out there using my name. Didn't matter to him though. He drew on me and I shot him."
"He took Peso," Vin said.
"It was Peso that found you. We found him tied up at the livery. JD tried to get him into the stall and he pulled away. We just followed him."
"He deserves an apple," Vin said. "Can I leave now?"
"You'll leave when I say," Nathan said. "You try sneaking out of here and I'll set Nettie on you."
"You wouldn't," Vin said hesitantly.
"And just how many clothes do you need?" Nathan said. "I took three shirts off you."
"I get cold," Vin said.
"And the big coat?"
"A friend made that for me. Kept me warm for many years that has. Hope you aint damaged it?"
"Needs a good wash," Nathan said.
"I don't criticise your clothes," Vin said.
"Vin, how old are you?" Chris asked.
"Old enough," he said and crossed his arms. That was the end of the conversation as far as he was concerned.
Chris glared. "Let him be for now," Nathan said.
They both walked out on the small wooden balcony. "He's fine Chris, he just needs some rest." He laughed. "He won't go anywhere, he's too frightened of Miz Nettie to leave."
"I wish he was more frightened of me then. Boy just won't take a telling."
"He's young. Did you listen to your elders when they warned you about doing things they thought were dangerous?"
"Nope, ended up leaving home and looking after myself after an argument with my father."
"Well don't push him, you don't want him leaving town."
"No I don't."
"You could get him some clean clothes from his wagon. I sent his to the laundry."
"Sure Nathan."
Chris walked to where Vin usually parked his wagon. It was just about falling to pieces but Vin would not part with it. Said it was the only home he owned. Chris climbed in. He lit the small lamp hanging from a hook. There wasn't much in it, a mattress and a small chest.
Chris opened the chest. He lifted a pair of trousers and a clean shirt. Then he spotted a Bible at the bottom and a few letters. He knew he shouldn't look at them, after all they were Vin's personal possessions.
However he couldn't stop himself. He knew Vin wouldn't tell him. He opened the Bible. It was quite old. There were a few names in it, Vin's being the last. He couldn't believe what was written there. He sat down on the mattress and stared at the name at the bottom, Vincent Tanner Larabee. Larabee wasn't a common name, there must be some connection. He was damn well going to find out. As he moved one of the letters fell out of his hands. He picked it up. It was addressed to Rebecca Tanner. He started to read it. Once he'd read the first one he read the other two. The last letter he read was not opened and was addressed to his father John Larabee. He opened it. It must have been the last letter Rebecca Tanner had written. She told him about their son, Vinny. About how she was ill and she wanted John to come and get him before it was too late.
A brother, no wonder he felt such a close connection to him.
But why had Vin kept it a secret, hadn't he a right to know. He jumped down out of the wagon clutching the Bible and the letters. He strode over to the clinic and climbed the stairs.
Nathan came out, "Did you get his clothes?" Chris shook his head. "He doesn't need them just now, he's just gone to sleep but you'd best bring them later.
Chris nodded. He looked down at the things in his hands. Now that his anger had calmed down he didn't know what to do. If Vin didn't trust him enough to let him know he was his brother then maybe their relationship wasn't what he thought it was. He made his way to the saloon.
Buck was sitting at a table with a couple of girls on either side of him. "Chris," he shouted. Chris went over. "Vin alright now?" he asked. Chris nodded.
"He's fine. "
"Not like you to leave him on his own."
"He's a grown man," Chris answered.
"What's wrong?" Buck pushed the two girls away.
"Nothing Buck." Buck looked at the Bible and letters in his hand.
"Those yours?"
"Nope. I'd best put them back." He got up.
"Chris what is it?"
Chris sat down again. "Do you think I place too much trust in Vin?"
"Vin! No. Chris, what's Vin done?"
"Nothing. I'm just being stupid. I'll come back later. Get a bottle for me."
Buck looked worried. Chris hadn't been drinking heavily at all since Vin had joined their group. He had been good for Chris. "Vin is alright?"
"Course he is." Buck grabbed the book in his hand. He opened the front cover.
His face went white, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know, Buck. He didn't tell me."
"Where'd you get this?"
"In his wagon. In that chest he had."
"You went through his things? He'll not like that."
"I was looking for his clothes. Nathan said he needed clean things. He should have told me."
"Yes he should. You need to ask him. Find out why."
Chris stood up. "I thought he trusted me. Thought he was my friend."
Ezra came over. "I couldn't help hearing what you said," he told them.
"Listening in to other's conversations could get you in trouble," Buck said.
Ezra laughed. Then he turned to Chris. "There may be another reason he didn't tell you."
"And what could that be?" Chris asked.
"He doesn't know."
"How could he not know?" Buck said.
"He can't read," Ezra said quietly.
"What?"
"He never learned to read."
"And how do you know that?"
"He asks me to read things for him. He didn't want anyone to know. He's embarrassed about his lack of education."
"But surely his mother must have told him," Chris said.
"She died when he was young, maybe she didn't have to tell him."
"The letter addressed to my..our father wasn't posted. I don't think even he knew about Vin. She asked him to come and get Vin and look after him."
"You need to speak to him, find out what he knows," Buck said.
"And listen to him," Ezra said. Chris glared at him.
Chris got up and headed back to the clinic. Vin was still asleep. He sat in the seat next to the bed. He set the Bible and letters on the table.
"What the hell are you doing with my stuff?" Vin shouted.
Chris woke with a start, he'd fallen asleep in the chair.
Vin was getting out of bed. Chris pushed him back down. "Just sit still," Chris said.
"Sit still? You've been looking through my things. You aint got no right to do that."
"You're right about that but I'm glad I did."
"Glad? How'd you like it if I did that to your things."
"Why didn't you tell me you couldn't read?" Vin went red.
"Aint none of your business," Vin said angrily. "Ezra had no right telling you."
"He did it for a good reason."
"I trusted him."
Chris picked up the Bible. He opened it to the first page. He pointed to the writing. "Do you know what that says?"
Chris could see by Vin's face that he had no idea what it said. "That's my name," he said pointing to the word Vin.
"And the rest?"
"I …. Just cos you were lucky enough to go to school, don't mean the rest of us were."
"I'm not blaming you Vin."
"Sure looks like it to me. My Mama used to read her Bible every day. She'd point to the words and tell me what they said. She told me that was my name."
"Did she ever read your full name?"
"It says Vin Tanner."
"No Vin it says Vin Tanner Larabee."
"What?" he squealed. "Larabee. It can't be. She'd have told me."
"How old are you?"
"None of your business Larabee. Get the hell out of here. I don't want to hear any more."
Nathan came in. "Chris what is going on?"
"I need to ask Vin some questions."
"And I don't want him here."
Chris showed Nathan the Bible. "I need to talk to him."
"Okay," Nathan said.
"You'd throw me out if'n I was causing trouble," Vin complained.
"All I want to know is if you knew?"
"Do you honestly think I wouldn't have told you? Is that all you think of me?"
"No. But I don't understand. Your mama had written a letter to m..our father but it was never posted. She asked him to look after you."
"I don't know. I found those things in the chest after my Grandpa died. I kept them but I didn't know what they said."
"According to this date you're 20 years old."
"So?" he said angrily. "I've been looking after myself since I was 11. Grandpa left me with his Kiowa family when he went away to hunt and he didn't come back."
"Your grandfather was Kiowa?"
"His mother was. They looked after me until the army came and took me away. They put me in an orphanage but I ran away. My grandfather's sister kept my things for me and I joined some buffalo hunters and worked for them."
"I wish I'd known about you."
"How did your Pa not know about me?"
"I don't know but I'm going to find out. You were born about a year after I left the ranch. I had a huge argument with my dad and I left. I didn't speak to dad for about 5 years. He never mentioned you so he must have had no idea he had another son. I'm sure if he'd known about you he would have come for you."
"What did you and your dad fall out about?" Vin asked.
"We butted heads a lot. He wanted me to be a rancher, I didn't. He was always telling me what to do and I didn't like it. I was 17. One day he was getting on at me for not doing my chores and he threatened to take his belt to me. I'd had enough of being treated like a kid so that night I left."
"What made you get in contact with him again?"
"Sarah. She said she wanted Adam to know his grandfather. I wrote to him and he came for a visit. I realised that we were more alike than I thought. Having a child made me realise that Dad was just trying to look after me."
"What's he like?"
"I look like him. He's got grey hair. He's a good man Vin."
"Good! He left my Mama pregnant. He must have known what he was doing. He aint stupid."
"There must be a reason, Vin. Let me talk to him, find out what happened."
"You're making excuses for him," Vin said.
"I just don't think he would have let your mother leave knowing she was pregnant. There must be a reason."
"I don't care. He obviously didn't want me so why should I care."
"Vin I don't believe that's true but even if it was you're my brother."
"It doesn't matter."
"Of course it does. I always felt a connection to you and now I know why. I still intend to find out about your mother and our dad."
"You can do what you want Chris."
"Our father wrote letters to your mother. I've read them. He was in love with her. Her wouldn't have abandoned her."
"Can you get me my clothes?"
"I'll get them for you. Let me look after you."
"I can look after myself. I've done it for years." Vin saw the hurt cross Chris' face.
Soon Vin was dressed and ready to leave. Nathan said," I'll only let you go if you promise to stay in the boarding house."
"Fine. I'll stay there for a couple of nights. Okay?"
"That'll do."
Chris helped Vin over to the boarding house and settled him in his room. Afterwards he went to the telegraph office and sent a wire to his father. He wanted him to come to Four Corners as soon as he could. He needed to get this cleared up as soon as possible.
The End (TBC)