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“Well it’s been a long day Guess I’ll turn in See you boys in theMaybe that rifle will turn up tomorrow” With that he hobbled off the porch and headed for his quarters, the Border collie tagging along after him

Will rose, too “Maybe I’ll catch the evening news,” he said “Co, Beau?”

Seized by a sudden restlessness, Beau shook his head “Maybe I’ll drive into town”

“Suit yourself Just make sure you’re here tomorrow for the lawyer” Will vanished inside Beau hadn’t told him about his new relationship with Natalie, but it sees out on his own

Beau found the truck keys and backed the vehicle out of the shed, deciding it wouldn’t hurt to swing by Natalie’s house, just tothe truck around and headed toward the highway

Behind the wheel of the coht hiun in the vehicle, he’d be right back in jail But he couldn’t pass up the chance to dom come

He’d learned the hard way that he couldn’t beat Beau in a fistfight But he could sure as hell get the jump on him with the Sun the police had missed After the way he’d moved in on Natalie, Beau Tyler didn’t deserve to live

Slade had grown up in this country, and he knew all the back roads, including the ones on the Tyler place He hadn’t killed Jess, but when Stella had given him orders to du had been his choice—a gesture, like leaving a dead cat on the Tylers’ doorstep It worried hiuessed what he’d done Maybe the bastard was just taking stabs in the dark In any case, unless he’d told others, whatever Beau believed wouldn’t be a probleer

As he swung onto a narrow dirt road, Beau’s note crackled in his shirt pocket Slade planned to be at the bog well ahead of his ene in hen Beau appeared, all he’d have to do was aiainst the satisfaction of calling Beau out first But the safer strategy had won out Beau was a trained coo the wrong way

The heavy pistol on the seat beside hiistered in the US and couldn’t be traced to hi, he’d wipe it clean of prints and toss it in some ditch No one could connect him to the crime, except maybe that little worm Lute But Lute hated Beau, too, and even if he had proof, the kid would know enough to keep his mouth shut

He slowed down as he near

ed the bog The swampy area covered more than an acre, but the plan was to meet Beau where he’d dumped Jess’s body

The ht over the rank cattails Frogs croaked an eerie chorus in the shallows Clouds of gnats hovered above the ht in the tall mesquite, he picked up the pistol and stepped down froh cab Maybe when this was done, he should just take the truck and hightail it to Mexico Good idea, except that he was going to need cash If he could get to his secret bank account in Lubbock, maybe he could—

Slade’s last thought ended in blackness as a high-caliber bullet slammed into his skull

It was 9:22 p lot was al-screen TV blared froh, open s Inside, there was no place to sit Standing in the doorway, Beau surveyed the crowd The harried young waitress was rushing between tables, balancing trays of drinks Stella, looking frazzled, was tending bar If she noticed Beau, she gave no sign of it There was no sign of Nigel