"And one more thing," Wheeler said. "I need you to make a list. People you've had a falling out with. Potential clients you've turned down. Old grudges. Anything at all. Doesn't matter how small or how silly it sounds. Bring me the list with the laptop."
"Sheriff, I haven't had a falling out with a soul in this town."
"Give it some more thought and make the list anyway."
"All right. But I’m going to hand you an empty sheet of paper.”
They all stood, shook hands, and Wheeler walked them to the front door, where he buzzed them out.
In the lobby, Velma looked up from her crossword. "Four letters, blank-P-blank-blank-T. Means small fight."
"Spat," Reno said without breaking stride.
"That's it. Thanks, Hon."
He opened the door for her and touched the brim of his hat in a small salute to Velma on the way out. Grace registered that the courtesy was automatic from him, as if he’d been doing it since boyhood. She added learning about his childhood to the growing list of things she wanted to know about him.
The rain had stopped while they were inside. The line of rain clouds was breaking up, and bands of late-afternoon sun pushed through, making the wet street glitter like a mirror.
Reno didn't say anything as they walked to the car. She was glad. She didn't know what she would’ve said back.
He started the truck and headed for the Lawrence farm. The light pouring through the wet windshield was the color of honey. The lake, when they came back into sight of it, had long streaks of sunlight across it.
"Reno?"
"Mm."
It was such a Dillon sound that she laughed. His mouth twitch upward and he said, "Sorry. I've been around my brother too much recently."
"There are worse people to sound like."
"Speaking as his youngest brother, I have to respectfully disagree."
She smiled broadly, but then asked more seriously, “How worried do I need to be?"
"You should be careful. You shouldn't be terrified."
"There's a man in a hood with lock picks behind my shop at two in the morning, Reno."
"And he didn't get in. The locks held. More importantly, the sheriff takes it seriously and there will be a deputy in your alley tonight. That's a lot more than most people get when something like this starts. There’s no need to panic. It will only cost you sleep and do no good."
"You sound like you’ve said that before."
He glanced out at the water before he answered. "I've said it to a lot of people. I never had to say it to anyone I . . ." He stopped.
"To anyone you what?" she asked, gently.
"Cared about," he said, after a second.
She didn't answer, but something quiet landed between them in the front seat of the truck ,and she didn't want to move or disturb it.
When they pulled into the Lawrence drive, Lily and Loretta were in the front yard. Lily was leading the donkey by thick cotton lead rope draped around Loretta's neck. The donkey was tolerating it with surprising patience.
Tessa was sitting on the porch with a mug of coffee watching the proceedings.
"Loretta has a job now," Tessa called to Grace as she got out of the truck.
"What is it?"
