"Have you eaten?"

"I'm not hungry."

"That was not my question."

"No."

"Stay here."

A few long minutes pass and Henry comes back to his office with a plate filled with chips, a fresh egg salad sandwich and a sliced apple.

"Eat."

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep your strength. We have a long battle ahead of us." He plops down an iced bottle of water next to my hand.

"Do I have a choice?"

"I do not think so."

I start to eat the sandwich and it does taste good. I clean my plate.

"Happy?"

"No, but at least you have eaten."

"Listen Henry, you don't have to treat me like I'm some kid."

"I am not but you have to start acting like the man that I know you to be."

His words sting. They hit me between the eyes and I honestly want to punch him square in the jaw.

"Walter, I have always admired you because you make the right decisions even when I no one is looking. That is the man you are. I understand your hatred and it is warranted but you know that this will ruin all of the good in you and the fact that you know makes it worse if you allow it to. You are better than your enemies."

"I failed Martha when she needed me most, Henry. I can't fail her again."

"Do you think that taking Jacob Nighthorse's life or Barlow's life will not be failing her?"

He is right of course. I know he is right but it hurts. It goes to everything I am about as a man.

"I gotta go."

Henry stands up as if he is ready to pummel me so I can't get out of the door. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Relax, Henry. I'm going to pay a visit to Lucian. I think he should know about his brother."

He sizes me up, looking into my eyes, and slowly lowers that claw he calls a hand. I nod my head, a silent acknowledgement that he is right, and I make my way toward the door.

"Hey, thanks for lunch," pointing at the empty plate and drained bottle of water.

"Anytime, Walt."

As I head out to Lucian's retirement home, I still fight the urge to meet Nighthorse square in the face. Take out him and Malachi but even if I did, I owe it to Lucian to tell him the truth about his bastard brother. How could I have been so blind as to not see what was going on? I wonder if Lucian knew. No, he didn't know Martha had been killed. He seemed sincere in my office. Lucian and I have been so close and he loved Martha. No, that can't be possible.

A flash flood is on the horizon. The clouds gather as if for a union meeting at the teamsters lodge. Martha loved the random thunderstorms of Wyoming. On days we were home together we would sit facing the windows watching the violent flash of rain wash all the dirt away leaving behind a brilliant blue sky and fresh beginnings.

I make my way to Lucian's assigned room and gently knock. This is a conversation I do not look forward to having.

"Who the hell is it?"

"Me."

"Well open the door I'm not getting up and opening it for ya."

I let myself in and find Lucian in his customary position, in his easy chair, looking out of the window letting the world pass him by. It's almost as if he is in a self-assigned solitary confinement.

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you Lucian."

He turns to face me, looking a bit older than usual, but happy to see me just the same. I take my hat off and hold it in my hand already feeling terrible for what I am about to say."

"Spill it, boy."

"There's no easy way to put this. Barlow was behind Martha's murder."

Lucian's face contorted into confusion and empathy all at once.

"What?"

I explain the story with the pieces from Branch filled in.

"Did you kill him?"

I shake my head no.

"Saved him for me?"

I shake my head no, again.

"Barlow was always a worthless son-of-a-bitch but I swear Walt I never thought he was capable of this."

I remain silent.

"Where is my nephew?"

"At the hospital with Barlow"

"Do you think he knew?"

"No, not before he put the pieces together. I don't think he did."

"Jesus H. Christ."

I still stand in silence wondering if I feel worse for myself for worse for Lucian.

"I wish my Daddy were alive. He would put a plug in Barlow. That bastard. Makes me sorry to bear the same name."

"I just thought you should know and hear it from me."

"Well, Walt. I can't fix what he done. As much as I want to kill the shit head he is my brother but I stand by ya. I stand by ya 100 percent."

"I appreciate that Lucian."

He reaches out to shake my hand and I take it. To my surprise, he pulls me in and hugs me. It's a brief hug but a hug just the same. He whispers in my ear, "Don't do anything rash, son."

I look at him, "I won't if you won't."

He nods his head in agreement and I can see his eyes begin to moisten. I put my O'Farrell back on tug and square and head for the door.

"Walt, you let me know what I can do, hear?"

"Yup."