Declan hadn’t heard from Slater or any of his men and he was starting to get nervous. He entered his mansion at dusk and went to the study.
He was pouring the bourbon from his decanter when he realized a man was sitting at his desk. “Jesus Christ!” he shouted, spilling bourbon all over himself and the floor.
“Good evening, Senator,” Hollister said.
“Is that you, Hollister? What the hell are you doing here, trespassing in my house? By God, I’ll have you arrested!” His heart sank. If Hollister was here, then it meant Slater was probably dead. This was not good. Not good at all.
“I don’t think you’ll have me arrested. I don’t think you’ll do much of anything. In fact, in another forty-eight hours I don’t even think you’ll be a senator anymore.”
“What? Are you out of your mind? Get out of my house,” he said.
Hollister pulled a letter out of his vest pocket.
“I found this letter in Slater’s saddlebag. He’s dead, by the way. Pretty interesting, you transferring all this land and money to him, right before he comes trying to kill me.”
“That letter doesn’t prove anything,” the senator said. “I was simply rewarding an employee for years of loyal service.”
Hollister stood up and walked toward the senator, who instinctively backed up.
Hollister kept moving forward, the senator backpedaling until he was nearly standing in the fireplace.
“I think whether it proves anything or not isn’t up to you or me. I think I’ll send a copy of it to the governor and the president. Just for the hell of it, see what they think about it.”
“You-you-wouldn’t do that…” Declan stammered.
Hollister folded the letter back up and put it back in his pocket. “Your reaction tells me everything I need to know. Here’s what’s going to happen.”
Hollister stepped over to the table holding the decanters and poured himself a large glass of bourbon.
“First, you are going to get your son some help. Get him out of that bedroom, find an asylum or some doctors somewhere who will help him. Then you’re going to resign from the senate and you’re never going to run for any kind of office again. Ever. And third, you’re going to give back all the land you stole from the farmers and ranchers. Every acre. Give it back to the state, land grants, I don’t care. It goes back to the original owners if they still want it.”
“You’re insane,” Declan said.
“I am. If you’d seen what I saw, you’d be insane too,” Hollister said.
“I’m not doing any of these things.” Declan snorted.
“You will. You have two days.” Hollister put down the glass and walked back to where Declan stood. He drew his Colt, thumbing back the hammer. He put the barrel under Declan’s chin. The senator closed his eyes, tears escaping and running down his cheeks.
“You will do it, in two days. Or I”ll come back and kill you. Your choice,” Hollister said. “And don’t try sending anyone after me. Slater was as good as there was. Just not good enough.”
He left the mansion, the senator’s eyes still closed and tears cascading down his cheeks, long after Hollister was gone.