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"The truth is I was going to leave your brother handcuffed in the back of the squad car with an irate deputy I took him with me because of the ed a finger in Skarda’s direction "Don’t think for a minute I’m not still annoyed about that"

Josie nodded her head, yet the expression on her face suggested that she wasn’t satisfied with my answer

"Haot out the sandwich fixings, Skarda disappeared through the doorhere Jill had first eed I took a look The front part of the cabin consisted of one large roo room The back had two bedrooms with a bathroom between them Skarda had stepped into a bedrooe metal locker The other bedroom had a queen-sized bed and a s roo, and I saw a couple of foam mattresses that werespace The cabin was small, yet apparently built by soht visitors

Skarda stepped out of the bedroo the county-issued sneakers in his hand He dropped them on the floor and kicked them beneath a sofa

"I need a shower," he announced

"That can wait," Josie said "Eat first"

Skarda sat at the table Josie slipped packaged ham, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato between two slices of white bread, set it on a paper plate, and slid it in front of him She served me the same Skarda ate as if he had just discovered food Me, not so much

"Coffee?" Josie asked

"Thanks, sis," Skarda said

Josie poured ayou could eat it with a fork I told her it was excellent just the saerator and the kitchen table He opened the refrigerator and produced a can of cheap beer, whichat me the entire time He opened the beer and took a drink, then sat at the table across fro I can do for you, Dad?" I asked

"You look like a narc to e"

The reht him by surprise It took him a few beats before he realized that I didn’t mean it In the silence that followed, Josie drifted to Jilance and disappeared into a bedrooht out the front door without a word He was carrying soht hand, but I couldn’t see what it was

"You want a beer?" the old man asked

"No, thank you"

"I don’t trust a "

"I don’t trust a ht long and hard about that before replying "Are you calling me a drunk?"

"Never crossed my mind" I don’t think he believedaround a mouthful of ham and cheese at the tirocery store heist"

"None of your business," Roy said He was sitting on a sofa in the living roo as sitting directly across fro straight ahead Her reazing at an iPod too long