by Bill Crider
“What if the home invaders come tonight?” Nadine asked.
“It won’t go anywhere if you leave it with us,” Billy said. “You can come get it anytime you need it for testing.”
Rhodes passed the gun back to him. “All right, but keep it handy.”
“We always do,” Billy said.
Chapter 7
The Jolly Tamale wasn’t crowded, so Rhodes and Ivy were able to get their favorite booth near the back. While Ivy looked over the menu, Rhodes told her a little about what he’d been doing that day.
“I’ve already heard about your heroic takedown of the robber,” she said. “I read it on Jennifer Loam’s news site. I’m surprised she hasn’t put something on there about the murder.”
“She’s usually right on top of things like that,” Rhodes said. He’d already decided on a chile relleno and didn’t need to look at the menu. “I’m sure it’ll be there tomorrow.”
Ivy closed her menu. “Anyway, we know who did it.”
Rhodes looked at her. “We do?”
“The wife,” Ivy said. “When the husband is killed, it’s always the wife.”
“It is?”
“You need to watch some true crime shows on TV,” Ivy said. “It’s always the wife unless she’s the one who’s killed. Then it’s the husband.”
“Not always,” Rhodes said.
Ivy just smiled at him as if she knew she was right. Rhodes didn’t try to change her mind. That was always a losing proposition.
The server brought some chips, salsa, and water and asked if she could take their order. Ivy ordered veggie enchiladas, and Rhodes asked for a chile relleno. The waitress left. Rhodes took a chip and dipped some salsa, which turned out to be just right, not too hot and not too bland.
“If it’s not the wife,” Ivy said, “then who is it?”
Rhodes finished chewing and wiped his mouth with his napkin, a real cloth one, an amenity that a lot of places in Clearview no longer provided.
“I’ll let you know when I find out,” he said.
“When will that be?”
“Eventually,” Rhodes said, thinking of Hack as he dipped another chip into the salsa.
“What about Billy Bacon?” Ivy asked. “Is he a suspect?”
Rhodes crunched the chip, chewed, wiped his mouth, and drank some water. “You know what I always say. Everybody’s a suspect at first. Have you heard anything at the Beauty Shack that I should know about Melvin’s wife?”
“No, not a thing,” Ivy said. “Nobody’s ever exchanged information about her.”
“What about Nadine and Billy Bacon?”
“Everybody admires Billy for the way he’s stuck by Nadine. Some people think her problems are psychological. Even the doctors, or so I’ve heard.”
“What do you think?” Rhodes asked.
“The doctors haven’t found anything, but that doesn’t mean there’s no problem.”
Rhodes didn’t ask about the prescription drug addiction. Ivy would have mentioned it if it had been discussed. Maybe Nadine’s personal life wasn’t the open secret she thought it was, and since Rhodes had promised not to say anything, he kept his mouth shut.
“Sometimes she looks a little out of it,” Ivy said. “I think she’s on some kind of medication.”
Rhodes nodded and was glad to see their server arrive with their meals. She warned them about touching the hot plates. Rhodes looked at his chile relleno with eager anticipation, but he didn’t dig in. It would have to cool off for a short while before he ate. If he burned his mouth, he couldn’t enjoy the food.
Just as he thought the food had cooled to the correct temperature for eating, his cell phone rang.
“You’d better answer it,” Ivy said. “It’s probably an emergency.”
“If it’s Hack, it’s an emergency,” Rhodes said, digging the phone out of his pocket. “With him, it’s always an emergency.”
Sure enough, it was Hack, and it was an emergency.
“You need to get to the Lansen place right now,” Hack said.
“I’m about to eat,” Rhodes said.
“That’s a shame. Kathy Lansen called. Somebody’s broke into the house, and Rex’s gone after ’em with his gun. I’d send Andy or Duke, but they’re out on patrol in Milsby and Thurston. You’re the one that’s left. You can get out there quicker than they can.”
“Buddy and Ruth are left.”
“Yeah, but they’re off the clock. The sheriff is the one who’s never off the clock.”
“All right, but you call Andy and tell him to get out there for backup. Milsby can patrol itself for a while.”
“I’ll do that, but you better get movin’ before Rex kills somebody.”
“I’m on the way,” Rhodes said.
He ended the call and explained to Ivy what had happened.
“Do you think this is connected to the burglaries at Billy Bacon’s place?” she asked.
“Bacon’s place is a long way from here, and it sounds like a different kind of burglary,” Rhodes said, “but you never know. Sometimes people change their methods. You go ahead and finish your enchiladas. I’ll come back for you when I get this sorted out.”
“That might take a while,” Ivy said. “I’ll get a ride home. I’ll take your chile relleno and save it for you.”
“Okay. I’ll be home when I can get there.”
“I know,” Ivy said, and Rhodes left.
For a long time after they’d married, Ivy had worried too much about Rhodes, but she’d finally begun to understand that he had to do his job and that so far he’d always managed to get back home. Sometimes he hadn’t been in the best condition, but he’d gotten there just the same.
The Lansens lived on a county road not far off the highway that led to Obert, a small town that Rhodes had visited many times in the course of investigations. In fact, the Lansens lived not far from Seepy Benton. Rhodes hoped Benton hadn’t managed to get himself involved in the current situation.
Rhodes put the flashers and the siren on as he drove out of the parking lot. Hack had made the situation sound urgent, and if Rex Lansen was chasing burglars and waving a gun around, it was. Rhodes roared across the overpass, past the community college building, and up a low hill before turning off the highway. He turned off the siren and flashers. He wouldn’t need them on the county road. It was likely to be deserted at that time of the evening, or just about anytime, for that matter, and Rhodes didn’t want to alert Seepy that there was something going on.
As he neared Seepy’s house, however, he saw that his precautions weren’t necessary. Headlights came on in Seepy’s driveway, and Seepy’s car pulled out into the road and headed in the direction of the Lansens’ place. Amateur interference. Just what Rhodes didn’t need, but he was going to get it anyway.
Seepy pulled into the unpaved driveway at the Lansens’ house, and Rhodes was right behind him. Seepy got out of his red Ford Escape that Rhodes knew he’d bought just recently, followed by a very large dog.
Rhodes knew the dog. It was a leopard dog, or at least partly, and its name was Bruce. Rhodes was the one who’d arranged for Bruce to live with Seepy, having more or less rescued Bruce from a couple of cousins who didn’t treat the dog well. While Seepy sometimes complained about the cost of keeping Bruce fed, it was clear that he’d bonded with the dog.
Seepy, with Bruce at his heels looking more like a small calf than a dog, walked over to greet Rhodes as he got out of the car.
“What are you doing here?” Rhodes asked.
“That doesn’t sound very friendly,” Seepy said.
Bruce didn’t say anything. He just sat back on his haunches and looked at Rhodes.
“There’s been a burglary reported here,” Rhodes said. “It could be dangerous. You shouldn’t get involved.”
“Rex called me and asked me to bring Bruce over,” Seepy said. “He thought maybe Bruce could hunt down the burglars.”
Rhodes thought that was a terrible idea, but befor
e he could tell Seepy that, Rex Lansen came around from the back of his house. He had a flashlight in one hand and a pistol in the other. He was a short, squat man with broad shoulders and bowed legs, and he was clearly upset.
“’Bout time you got here, Sheriff,” he said. “I was just about to go after ’em myself, with the help of Dr. Benton and his dog.”
“They might be more heavily armed than you are,” Rhodes said.
“It’s just some damn kids,” Rex said. “Me and Kathy came back from the Walmart and saw them run out the back door. Little turds had kicked it in. Gonna have to buy a new door now, plus replace whatever they broke. No telling what all they took. Got Kathy’s jewelry, for sure.”
“How many were there?” Rhodes asked.
“Looked like four of ’em.”
Rhodes looked around. He didn’t see a car. “How did they get here?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that they ran like racehorses when I drove up. Let’s go get ’em.”
“Not a good idea,” Rhodes said. “I’ll wait for my backup. When he gets here, we’ll look for them.”
“Backup? Are you afraid of ’em? I told you they were just kids.”
“If a kid shoots you, you’re just as dead as if an old person does it,” Rhodes said. “Where did they go?”
“Off across my back pasture. Nothing back there but trees and weeds. They’re probably hiding in the trees. We could get ’em easy.” Rex looked up at the sky. “Nice full moon coming up, so we won’t hardly even need a flashlight.”
“Best you go back in the house and wait,” Rhodes told him. “The deputy and I will handle it when he gets here.”
Rex drew himself up to his full height, which still put the top of his head at about Rhodes’s chin. “This is my property. You can’t tell me what to do.”
“Sure he can,” Seepy said. “I took the course at the sheriff’s academy for citizens of the county. If you mess with him, he can arrest you for interfering with an officer performing his duties. Right, Sheriff?”
Rhodes wished Seepy had kept his mouth shut, but he said, “That’s right. Better go on in and let me take care of this.”
Rex gave Seepy a venomous look. “What about him?”
“He’s going home,” Rhodes said. “And his little dog, too.”
“You have me blocked in the driveway,” Seepy said, “and you might need Bruce.”
“Bruce?” Rex said.
“It’s a good name for a dog,” Rhodes said. He thought about mentioning that Rex was also a good name for a dog, but he was sure that wouldn’t help matters. “You go on in the house and start making a list of what was stolen.”
Rex turned and stomped away. He didn’t get far before his wife came out into the yard. She was shorter than Rex and just about as wide. It sounded to Rhodes as if she were crying.
“What is it?” Rex said.
“They got Papa’s ashes.”
“Damn,” Rex said. He turned to Rhodes. “We had Kathy’s daddy’s ashes in a little urn in the bedroom right by the jewelry box. It was a pretty little metal thing. They must’ve thought it was valuable.”
“We’ll get it back,” Rhodes said.
“What about Papa’s ashes?” Kathy said.
“Them, too.”
“They might dump them out.”
“Don’t worry,” Rhodes said. “We’ll get them back safe and sound.”
“You better,” Rex said. He put his arms around his wife’s shoulders. “Let’s us go on in and see what all else they got.”
Rhodes watched until they were inside, then asked Seepy, “Have there been any other incidents around here lately, strangers around, anything like that?”
“Not that I know about,” Benton said. “If any strangers come around my house, Bruce takes care of them. Right, Bruce?”
Bruce remained silent. He was a much better behaved dog than he had been when Rhodes first encountered him. As hard as it might be to believe, Seepy was a good influence on him.
“The Lansens need a dog,” Seepy said. “Or two.”
“They sure do,” Rhodes said. “I’ll suggest it. Meanwhile, you and Bruce can go on home. Rex won’t mind if you drive on his yard.”
Seepy started for his car. Bruce gave Rhodes another brief glance and went after him. Rhodes looked down the road and saw the light bar flashing on a county car. Andy was about to arrive. Seepy must have seen the lights, too. He got out of his car, leaving Bruce inside.
“I don’t want to get run over,” Seepy called to Rhodes.
Rhodes sighed. Andy turned into the drive and parked behind the Tahoe.
“What’s going on, Sheriff?” Andy said when he got out of the car. “Hey, Seepy.”
“Hey, Andy,” Seep said.
“There’s been a break-in,” Rhodes said. “Teenagers, probably. Four of them. They ran off through the back pasture.”
“You think this is connected to those burglaries in the southeast part of the county?”
“We didn’t see any teenagers on the video.”
“Copycats,” Andy said. “They heard about those burglaries and decided to try one of their own.”
“Maybe,” Rhodes said.
“They still out there somewhere?”
“Unless they had a car they could get to, or maybe some ATVs. I haven’t heard anything start up, though.”
“We going after them?”
Andy was always ready for action, maybe a little too ready. He wasn’t quite as eager as Buddy, though, and Buddy had been around for a while. Andy would be just fine.
“We’ll take a look, see what we can see.”
“Seepy going with us?”
“He’s going home,” Rhodes said. “Right, Seepy?”
“Right,” Seepy said, not sounding any too happy about it.
He got in his car but didn’t close the door. He turned and looked back at Rhodes. “You want to take Bruce? He might be able to sniff out the culprits.”
“You take Bruce with you. I’m not sure he likes me enough to help out.”
“I could go, too.”
“Home is where you’re going,” Rhodes said.
“Right.”
Seepy pulled the door closed, started the car, and backed out into the yard. He turned the car around and drove away, waving as he passed Rhodes.
“You didn’t wave back,” Andy said.
“I was preoccupied,” Rhodes said. “Let’s get our flashlights and take a walk down through the pasture to see what we can find.”
“Wild hogs, most likely.”
“I sure do hope not,” Rhodes said.
Chapter 8
The moon was rising higher, and it was bright enough to throw shadows on the pasture as Rhodes and Andy walked through the weeds that swished against their pants legs. They didn’t need the flashlights.
“Hunter’s moon,” Andy said. “Or close to it. I don’t think whoever named it that had hunting burglars in mind, though.”
The night air was turning cool, and Rhodes wished he’d brought a jacket.
“Better burglars than hogs,” he said.
“You think they’ll be armed?”
“The hogs?”
Andy laughed. “The burglars.”
Rhodes had mentioned the possibility to Rex, but he didn’t think it was likely, not if the burglars really were kids, as Rex had said. It was always better not to take a chance, however. In Texas even the kids were sometimes armed.
“They might be,” he said. “We’d better be ready for them in case they are.”
Andy drew his service weapon, a .38 revolver. Rhodes stopped walking, bent down, and got his Kel-Tec from its ankle holster. He’d taken a lot of heat for the ankle holster, but as the sheriff he had a lot of contact with citizens who might be spooked if he carried a handgun openly. Even in Texas there were a few people like that around. Not many, but a few, and Rhodes didn’t want to scare them when he was talking to them about a case. The little pistol held seven 9 m
m bullets, which Rhodes considered adequate for any situation he was likely to encounter. The only problem was getting to the pistol. He wouldn’t have had to throw a loaf of bread at Rayford Loomis if he’d had the pistol in a handier spot.
As they approached the trees that marked the end of the pasture, Rhodes put a finger to his lips, and Andy nodded. Rhodes didn’t know if the burglars were somewhere in the trees or if they were still running, but the best approach was to assume that they might be lurking nearby.
It wasn’t easy for Rhodes and Andy to walk quietly once they entered the trees. Sticks and leaves lay all around, and Rhodes worried that any minute some feral hogs would break from cover and trample him. He’d had too much experience with the hogs to doubt the possibility. It was much darker among the trees than it had been in the pasture, but Rhodes didn’t want to turn on the flashlights and warn the burglars they were coming.
After about five minutes of walking, Rhodes heard something ahead. He stopped and held up a hand. Andy didn’t ask why. Both stood quietly, listening. Rhodes could make out talking, and he moved forward as quietly as he could. He stopped again when the voices became clear, and Andy stopped beside him.
“It’s drugs, that’s what it is,” someone said.
“Meth?” another voice asked.
“Maybe. Could be coke.”
“I didn’t know old people snorted that stuff,” said a third voice.
Andy nudged Rhodes in the ribs with an elbow. Rhodes held up a hand and shook his head.
“Let’s try it and see.”
“What if they come after us?”
Someone laughed. “They’re too old to come after us.”
Someone didn’t know Rex Lansen very well, Rhodes thought.
“I’ll try it,” the first voice said. “Hand it here.”
Leaves rustled, and then Rhodes heard a couple of loud sniffs, followed immediately by a hacking and coughing fit.
“Come on,” he said to Andy, and he walked toward the coughing. Within twenty yards he came upon four young men sitting near a big tree trunk. One of them was struggling to recover from the coughing fit while a second pounded him on the back. They didn’t notice Rhodes, but the other two did. They jumped up and started to run, darting among the tree trunks as agilely as squirrels.
