The Sheriff and the Brother

Both of their eyes locked hard on one another. The sheriff needed to talk with this grieving, vengeful brother. "Have a seat and a drink with me," the sheriff said to him. "I need to explain to you what actually happened, but before I reveal anything to you I need your word that this stays between me and you. If word of this gets out your brother is as good as dead." The brother paused for a moment and then he said, "You killed my brother," he said fighting not to cry. "No I didn't," responded the sheriff, "He's still alive. I killed the wrong man and claimed it was him. Your brother is on the run, but he's still living. All the residents of Fort Sumner are in compliance with me. They don't want to see your brother get caught or killed so they've sworn themselves to secrecy and have all signed affidavits certifying that the body buried at Fort Sumner is your brother. Your brother is deceased officially. This is your brother's last opportunity to go underground and live his life more meaningfully. He has agreed to go to Old Mexico and leave his beloved country where he was loved so by all who would know the company of he. Before he left though he gave to me this letter for his brother Joe to read." The sheriff handed him the letter, shook his hand and left. Joe opened the letter and this is what it read. "My Dear Brother Joe, I am still alive. Don't believe everything those newspapers write and contrive. It's so very difficult to let you all go but I'm starting my life anew in Old Mexico. Please know that loving thoughts of you will always be with me. Forever your brother, William H Bonney" The above is a fictional write that I did. Sheriff Pat Garrett did kill Billy The Kid. Joseph Antrim was Billy the Kid's brother and both he and Sheriff Pat Garrett did encounter each other. When Joseph was approached and asked what Garrett said to him, Joseph would always simply respond, "He explained to me what happened." This coming from a man who once lost in his grieving plight swore that if he ever encountered Sheriff Pat Garrett he would unmercifully kill him on sight, but who knows, a loud mouth coward may have been Joe, but I prefer the above pure fictional scenario. In any event, we'll never know.