Lu Eller lifted his shoulders. He seemed relieved that Grantham didn’t want him. Raven came in and shut the door. He put a slip of paper on Grantham’s desk silently.
Without touching it, Grantham read it. It was in Mendetta’s handwriting.
“Is he dead?” Grantham said. His voice was very low.
Raven sat down and looked round the office. “He had a little accident,” he said. “Things’ll be very different now.”
“What are you going to do?” Grantham studied the shabby figure sitting before him.
Raven settled back in his chair. “Plenty,” he said. “This town was too small for Mendetta and me. One of us had to go. Now I’m takin’ it over.”
Grantham licked his dry lips. “Mendetta had plenty of protection,” he said. “You won’t get far without that.”
Raven inclined his head. “I’ve thought of that,” he said softly. “That’s where you come in. You’re going to be my front, Grantham. I’ve got it all worked out. I’ll tell you what to do an’ you’ll do it. You’ve done the same thing for Mendetta, so you can do it for me. The difference is that I’m goin’ to make more money than Mendetta ever did, an’ you’re goin’ to do a lot more work.”
Grantham didn’t say anything.
“Don’t think you can get out of it. I haven’t the time to play around with guys. If you don’t like it you’ll run into an accident too. Get it?”