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He picked up theinstructions Within round

The car rental counter had no lines, and before long they were driving out of the city in a four-wheel-drive Pathfinder Austin headed southwest on Route 88 toward Bingha hills and shway and drove north to Cooperstown, an idyllic village whose neat main street looked like a set from a Frank Capratwo-lane country road This was Ja country, and with a little iinatio

n Austin could picture Hawkeye skulking through the wooded valleys with his Indian corew even farther apart In this part of the world the cows outnumbered the people

Even with afor Austin stopped at a gas station–general store, and Buzz went in for directions When he came out he was clearly excited

“The old-timer in there says he’s known Bucky Martin for years ‘Nice fella Pretty much keeps to himself’ Go up this road a half a mile and turn left The farm is about five miles from there”

The road becaht The farms alternated with thick patches of woods, and they almost missed the turnoff The only marker was an aluminum mailbox with no name or number on it A dirt drive ran past the mailbox into the woods They turned onto the driveway and passed through a copse of trees that shielded the house froave way to pastures where srazed Finally, at least a half a mile from the road, they came upon the farmhouse

The big two-story building was built in an era when three generations lived together to work a farlass indicated that the owner had been successful enough to afford extra touches A porch ran across the front Behind the house was a red barn and silo Next to the barn was a corral with two horses in it A fairly new pickup truck was parked in the yard

Austin swung into the circular driveway and parked in front of the house No one careet them There was no curious face in the s

“Maybe you should let ht help if I do a little prep work before you meet face-to-face”

“That’s fine,” Buzz said “I’e fast”

Austin squeezed Martin’s arm “You’ll be fine” He didn’t knohat he would have done in the man’s place He doubted he would have been as calradually”

“I appreciate that,” Martin said

Austin left the car, went up to the front door, and knocked several times No one answered Nor was there a response when he twisted the knob of the old doorbell He turned around and threw his hands apart so Martin could see He descended the porch and walked behind the house to the barn The only sound was the soft clucking of chickens and the occasional grunt fro

The barn door was open He walked inside, thinking that barns smelled the same the world over, an un animals A horse snorted as he walked by its stall, n of Martin He called out a hello and when there was no response walked out the back door The chickens and hogs ca he had food for them A lone haheeled in the sky Austin turned and stepped back into the barn

“Can I help you?”