Page 67 of Sterling Clay

Judd tips up his chin. “Yeah,” he mumbles before straightening the crossbody computer bag against his chest and leaving my office.

I collapse back into my chair and stare after his exit, hoping he really will be okay one day.

+ + +

As I’m crossing through the merchandise section of Sylver Seed & Soil, Perry nearly knocks me over, stepping into my path. We stare at one another for a hard minute. His mullet hairstyle is dated and a mess. Underneath his eyes are purple bags, like he hasn’t slept in days. His flannel is wrinkled and open, exposing a white t-shirt with a coffee stain on it.

Perry Foster and I became friends by default. When Stone first went off to college and I remained behind, I’d needed an occasional break from Dad. Like me, Perry took over his family’s business, renaming it Perry’s Towing. His farm property hosts an annual country music festival every June. Because we didn’t do the college thing, living in our small hometown while others our age left, we gravitated together, becoming tighter friends than we’d been before.

“I’m gonna need some time from you,” I tell him.

“Time.” He snorts. “That’s all you’ve taken since that woman came into town.”

I blink at his edgy tone. “Didn’t know you and me were dating, Perry?” I bitterly joke. “And that I owed you an explanation of where I’ve been.”

Perry and I spent plenty of time together, shooting the shit and drinking at Milton’s, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. He was good people, most days. And like me, he didn’t have a steady woman in his life.

“How’d you know that guy?” I tip my chin, implying the dickhead hanging out with him at Knox’s place. I’d been surprised to see Perry there. He didn’t live in town, so he wasn’t exactly a neighbor of Knox and Halle. He also wasn’t one to frequent family-centric parties, preferring the public, single scene of the local bars.

“Just met him at Milton’s.” Perry shrugs, glancing to the side a second. “He was asking around about Mavis and the kid. Told him I’d been invited to the party, and he could find them there.”

“What’s his name?” I snap, hoping I have something I can give Stone to follow up on.

“I can’t remember.” Perry lowers his head, eyes avoiding mine, his answer implying he was too drunk to remember. I’d like to hope he realizes how stupid his decision had been to invite someone he didn’t know to a community party.

“Why would you do that? Bring a stranger to a neighborhood affair, one with families and kids?” Why hadn’t he told me how he felt about us not spending time together, and then told me about some random guy inquiring about Mavis and Dutton?

Perry awkwardly looks left again, twisting his lips side to side, making his moustache wiggle. He might not be the brightest, but he wasn’t typically this reckless, careless, stupid.

“Where is the guy now?” I straighten, suddenly concerned for both Dutton and Mavis. Who was this guy? What did he want with them? What’s he doing here?

Perry shrugs again, hanging his head. “I haven’t seen him since the other night.”

I shake my head, so disappointed. Perry doesn’t have a mean streak in him, but this is kind of low for him. And I need him out of my space for a while, like I said.

“He’s only a little boy,” I remind Perry. “That a grown man nearly drowned in an apple barrel.”

Perry closes his eyes, hopefully realizing how bad things could have been. Picking up strange men to hang out with can be just as dangerous as picking up strange women for a night.

“I’ll call you, Perry,” I state, dismissing him, passing him with a stiff clap to his shoulder.

“But will you?” The question stills my retreat and I spin around, facing him once more. “You’re different with her.”

“That’s what a good woman can do for you.”

Perry scoffs. It’s not like either of us has avoided love, just didn’t think it was in the cards for either of us. Perry had his heart broken hard when we were younger and he’s hesitant about the emotion.

“You’re serious.” He stares at me, like he can’t believe what I’ve said.

“As a dead horse.”

Perry gasps, knowing I’d never be sacrilegious about an animal or wish ill-will on a living creature.

Another moment passes between us, staring at one another, maybe wondering who the other is anymore, before I mutter, “I’ve got to work.”

Perry nods, twisting a worn ballcap in his hand before replacing it on his head. “See you around, Clay.” Melancholy fills his tone. Unfortunately for him, he might not see much more of me if he keeps bringing strangers near Mavis and Dutton.

Once Perry leaves, I head to my office and call Stone. “We need to talk.”