“I’ll tell Solly.”
“Do it yourself,” O’Brien said sharply. “Solly is to keep out of this. I’ll take him back with me. I don’t want him to know anything about it. Only you
and I are to know about it, Tux.”
Tux grimaced.
“That barrel’s going to be goddamn heavy. I can’t handle it alone. I’ll have to have Solly.”
O’Brien took his cigar from between his lips, stared at the glowing end, then said, “Please yourself, but if you have Solly, you’ll have to take care of him. He’ll have to go the same way.”
Tux was fond of Solly. Besides, Solly was as strong as a bull and as quick as a rattlesnake.
“He’ll keep his trap shut. You don’t have to worry about him,” he said.
O’Brien looked at him.
“If you don’t want to handle it my way, Tux, just say so.” The threat in his voice was unmistakable.