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"Then we all go our separate ways and no hard feelings, right?"

Brand gestured again with his chin, this ti it at Deputies Jaet far," he said

So that’s why they’re here, eet the et the tiirl’s worth it? The old man said she was your favorite"

"She’s my favorite because she’s not an asshole or a bitch You’re both"

"Don’t call me naarded the Mexican standing next to Brand He watchedhim I had seen the expression on his face before It said he wasto shoot me in the face and toss my body in the nearest ditch if I pushed him into it, otherwise he’d rather not be bothered So as he here? The answer ca is his only muscle, h until now Fenelon doesn’t count The deputies, they’re here just for show--no way they’d let Brand dirty their hands any more than he said That’s why he needs the Mexicans If you can keep thee …

I took a chance and asked the Mexican how o, ?cuánto le prometió ese hijo de puta? ?La mitad?"

Brand took a step backward so he could see us both at the sa?" he wanted to know

The Mexican paused before answering "Sí, la mitad"

Half, my inner voice translated Brand proainst their patrol car watching the scene as if it were a bad performance of Shakespeare in the Park I used my thumb to point at them and told the Mexican that Brand had promised the deputies who allowed hi "La policía le permite a Brand hacer lo que quiere en este territorio él les prometió la mitad también"

"?Ah sí?"

"Stop it," Brand said "Speak English"

"?A quién crees que él va a enga?ar?" I asked

The Mexican gazed at the deputies and then studied Brand with an expression that asked the sa over?

"What the hell are you talking about?" Brand wanted to know

"Sabes que él no se está metiendo en todo este lio por nada," I said

"Pues claro que no," the Mexican replied, agreeing that Brand wasn’t likely to be doing all this for free I offered advice