The Homeplace: A Mystery by Kevin Wolf Read Free Book Online Page A

expensive camo Elmer Fudd had bought at the sporting goods store was lawfully covered with a bright orange vest that matched the ball cap on his head. Silly. But men liked their toys.
    And Elmer, or whatever his name was, had dropped the hammer on a nice four-point buck just inside the fence line. Birdie might have spooked the deer his way when she drove her truck in. The hunter didn’t seem nervous. He wasn’t looking around to see who was watching. He leaned his rifle against the fence, took out his knife, and went about dressing the deer. Good signs. Meant he was legal.
    Birdie had about decided that spotting Ray-Ray in the Notch wasn’t going to be as easy as she had guessed. Her best chance would be catching him between here and his home. She stood up and dusted off the seat of her britches. She’d walk back to the truck, go check the hunter, maybe give him a ride to his vehicle, and then circle around to the other side of the Notch and see if she could find any sign of Ray-Ray.
    Another shot sounded in the bottoms.
    Not a crack like the first. No, this was more of a boom. Came from a cannon like Ray-Ray carried.
    Birdie slipped her Glock from the holster on her hip. She pulled back the slide just enough to be sure there was a live cartridge in the chamber. Then Birdie started down the hill. If she found Ray-Ray, she wasn’t sure what she should do. The sheriff just wanted to talk to him, that was all. Ray-Ray wouldn’t like that.
    And if she did find him, Ray-Ray might shoot her. Or ask her to come to dinner. He was crazy that way.
    Oh well, it would give her something to think about on her way down the hill toward the boom of the big rifle. One thing was for sure. Birdie hated walking.

 
    CHAPTER SIX
    Chase, Mercy, Marty, and Paco stood in a shady spot on the steps outside the café. Mercy rubbed her hands over her bare forearms. They’d said goodbye to each other, but no one was ready to leave. A burst of wind from a passing semi brushed Chase’s face and rattled the front windows of the café. Without saying a word, Marty dove behind the wheel of the Sheriff Department’s car. Paco Martinez jumped for the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. Tires spun and gravel flew as Marty backed away from the restaurant onto the highway and hit the gas. Red and blue lights flashed, and the deputies chased the speeding truck out of Brandon.
    “Happens almost every day,” Mercy told Chase. “Truckers don’t slow down for this one-horse town.” She fanned the dust from Marty’s car away from her face and looked up at Chase. “Come back in for another cup of coffee?”
    “Naw, I’ve got an appointment at the bank to go over some things about the ranch. Maybe I’ll stop by again later on.” He tried to think of a reason he wouldn’t want to see her again, but couldn’t.
    Mercy pushed the hair away from her eyes. “There’s a pancake supper over at First Methodist tonight. They make it a big deal. Feed the visitin’ hunters. Money goes to the town. We’re closin’ early. How about you take me? Whole town will be there.”
    “I don’t know, Mercy.” Chase wasn’t sure what the folks in Brandon thought of him now. He knew now he’d made a mistake going to the ball game on Friday. Finding Mercy back in town complicated a part of his life he wanted to stay simple.
    “Come on, people will want to see you. By then everyone in the county will know about the Riley kid.” Her green eyes pleaded. “It might take their minds off of some of the bad if you’re there.”
    Chase shook his head. “Ah, okay.” Chase gave in too easy. He always did with Mercy.
    “Pick me up at my folks’ house at six. Like you used to.”
    *   *   *
    The bank manager pointed to a chair, and Chase settled in across the desk from the woman. Chase knew his father never would have done this kind of business with a woman.
    The banker pointed to a stack of file folders on her desk and said, “It’s nice to do this in