Page 100 of Death on Gallows Path

“That’s how they can alert to medical issues?” Teague asked.

“Honed by training. Some theorize dogs aren’t as good at picking up psychopathic tendencies because that’s associated with diminished emotional states. In other words, those with psychopathic tendencies tend not to give off the chemicals dogs pick up on, because they’re not feeling the emotions as much as non-psychopaths do.”

“Kit?” Teague asked in shorthand for whether I’d learned this from my great-aunt.

“A couple research events she included me in.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Clara said darkly, “because Lucifer isn’t comfortable with Pammy and she showed psychopathic tendencies last night.”

“She did?” Teague asked.

“She kicked Lucifer.”

“She didn’t actually kick him,” I objected. “True, her foot came in contact with him and used that to urge him forward, but it wasn’t a kick the way it’s being talked about around town. The sheriff’s department shouldn’t read deep meaning into it. It was more a butt-scooch with her foot.”

Teague was watching me. “First, you don’t need to defend her against me or the department taking rumors of her kicking her dog as gospel or—”

“I’m not defending—”

“—assuming they mean she’s guilty of murder. Second—”

“—because she didn’t kick—”

“—I’ve seen you try to butt-scooch Gracie with your foot and not only don’t you hurt her, but she thinks the sole of your foot against her butt is a pleasure.”

He was right.

“What you do with Gracie is nothing like what Pammy did.” Clara was indignant. At me.

Her sticking up for me against me was getting to be a confusing habit.

“That settles it.” I caught a thread of amusement in Teague’s response. “What else? Clara?”

Slowly, she said, “There was tension between Damon and Bryon. Damon clearly thought he was better than Bryon.”

“Sheila?”

I looked up at Teague’s voice to find them both watching me.

“There certainly was tension. And Damon tried the I’m-better-than-you swagger. But . . .”

Snapshots of their interactions, especially at that class, strobed through my memory.

“Nothing concrete, but I’d say Bryon was irked and we all saw it, because it was on the surface. Damon’s reaction was all the stronger for being partially suppressed. One of those guys — and it tends to be guys — who try to show no insecurity, ever, because they have no true confidence.”

Both of them stared into space a moment, considering what I said — Teague in the abstract and Clara in regard to the interactions we’d seen.

Slowly, Teague lowered his head in acknowledgment. “I see what you’re saying. There are guys like that.”

“Damon was one,” Clara said emphatically. “Sheila’s right. That’s why she’s a great writer.”

All that came to the mind of this great writer at the moment was, Aw, shucks.

Me and Shakespeare.

It wasn’t entirely to take the attention off me, though that might have tipped the scale.

I sent Clara a look to let her know where I was heading.