Page 109 of Taken Away

The old cattleman stood on the far side of a split-rail fence, one boot planted on the bottom rail while he worked a pair of fencing pliers through a stretch of barbed wire.

A battered ranch truck sat nearby.

Several black Angus cattle grazed beyond him.

Red never looked up.

Luke parked.

Killed the engine.

Still nothing.

The man either hadn’t heard him or was pretending not to.

Luke suspected the second one.

He climbed out.

“Morning, Red.”

“No, it ain’t.”

Luke smiled.

“Glad to see you’re still pleasant.”

Red tugged another section of wire tight.

“I buried my best friend this week and now I’m answering questions from deputies. How pleasant do you expect me to be?”

Luke walked closer.

“You know why I’m here.”

“Because Burke ran out of people to bother.”

Luke stopped beside the fence.

Red finally met his eyes.

Weathered face. Gray beard. Sun-baked skin.

The old rancher looked exhausted. Angry.

A combination Luke had learned never to underestimate.

“We’re talking to everybody.”

Red snorted.

“Funny.”

“What?”

“Didn’t see this many deputies around when Mabel was alive.”

Luke ignored that.