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Cat tipped her head to the side, looking at hi affection “You would have done that, wouldn’t you?”
He turned the e the way she looked at him but made self-conscious by it, too “Crazy, huh?” he said “Ole Crazy Culley” He heard the protesting sound sheone shoulder to show indifference “I know that’s what they call me” And he also knew they’d never take the word of an O’Rourke And Crazy Culley—they wouldn’t believe a thing he told them if he swore on a stack of Bibles
“It isn’t true” He saw the flash of spirit, the indignation on his behalf
“Don’t worry your head about it” He smiled proudly
Culley had lived too long in this place not to know every sound that belonged in and around it And his senses were too keenly trained not to notice the intrusion of an unnatural sound It was faint and still soht him to his feet and carried hiht a quick end to the conversation
“What is it?”
“So” He stared out theat the break in the trees where the vehicle traveling up the lane would first coht Cat crowded close to look, too
“It’s h she hadn’t been able to see the driver clearly, the pickup uned to the Triple C “I know it is”
Culley turned, eyeing her closely “Do you want to see him?” He observed her indecision, the reluctance and dread taking dominance “Get into the bedrooo home until you want”
“I—” She couldn’t finish it, her teeth sinking into her nether lip After another second’s hesitation, she turned and hurried to the bedroom
There were still a couple of minutes before the truck rounded the turn and entered the yard Culley waited until the bedroom door was securely shut, then headed for the small front porch Just before he walked out of the house, he hesitated and reached for the rifle on the low rack e, he was no ot persistent, Culley ht be in need of an equalizer
Hequietly shut behind him, silent movement a habit with him Culley walked as far as the steps and stopped to lean the rifle against an upright post, out of sight and within reach; then he faced the mouth of the lane
Before the engine had stopped, Ty was out of the truck and cos you over here on a war like this?” O’Rourke inquired conversationally
Ty halted short of the steps “I’et Cathleen” He made it a positive statement
“Cathleen!” O’Rourke feigned mild surprise, but he was no actor