The Litter of the Law by Rita Mae Brown Read Free Book Online

people, your world becomes very narrow. I guess I thought about it as a kid because I had a great-uncle like that. After all these years, I now believe that trust is the bedrock of a community and it’s the only way we can progress. Each of us doesn’t have to invent the wheel.”
    “Harry, how do you think of this stuff?” He took off his ball cap, revealing tightly curled jet-black hair.
    “On my tractor. Bouncing along jogs my brain.”
    He chuckled. “I’m on my tractor more than you, and I think about how dry the soil is, what is the soil temperature, should I check it, and what’s the chance of rain.”
    “Yeah, but your tractor is like a Rolls-Royce. Doesn’t bounce.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it while they both had a laugh.
    Hester returned just as Tazio Chappars drove onto the crushed-stone parking lot. Brinkley, her yellow Lab, sat in the car, with the windows rolled down.
    Tazio, now in her early thirties, became more lovely with each year. Harry liked her very much but had to wonder what her secret was: great bone structure or an unerring fashion sense? Whatever it was, Harry felt she didn’t have it, but she muddled along and in extremis would smack a full coat of makeup on her face. Fortunately, she, too, had good bone structure.
    “Taz!” Harry waved as the gorgeous architect walked in. “It is true! Hester attracts the best people.”
    Under his breath, Buddy muttered, “And the most beautiful.”
    “Why, thank you, Buddy.” Harry punched him lightly in the stomach.
    “Violence! No violence at my stand.” Hester joined in the fun.
    “You look happy,” Harry remarked to Taz.
    “I just got the green light to redesign the Western Albemarle High School library.” As she looked Hester’s way, Tazio’s gorgeous features displayed the beauty of her African Italian heritage. “And I thank you for that,” she said.
    The older lady smiled. “I didn’t do a thing.”
    “Yes, you did. You fought for me to work on the new Crozet Library, and what a difference that has made in my career. I thought I’d be knocking out development houses forever and then I prayed I would be once the crash came. I can never repay you, Hester.”
    “Sure you can. Buy a pumpkin.”
    The neighbors and friends laughed, and Brinkley barked from the car, which set off Tucker in the Volvo.
    More cars pulled in.
    “Wow. Big day,” Harry noted.
    “I’d better go inside and help out Lolly at the cash register,” Hester said. “She’s easily overwhelmed.”
    With a pumpkin in the back of the Volvo, Harry smiled all the way home. She glanced in her rearview mirror to see Hester stilltalking to Cindy and Heidi. Obviously, the good woman hadn’t made it back into her store nor could Cindy get in her car.
    Later that evening, Cooper turned in to the driveway to Harry’s farm. The lights were still on. She stopped her SUV at the barn just as Tucker rushed out to greet her. Both Harry’s station wagon and Fair’s truck were parked by the barn.
    As Tucker accompanied her, she opened the screened porch door, then knocked on the kitchen door.
    Within a minute, Fair, smiling, opened the door. “Hello, neighbor.”
    “Hi, Fair. Forgive me for not calling first.”
    “Are you just coming home from work?”
    “Long day, but you know all about long days.”
    He nodded. “Madam is in the living room and I’m on my way to the barn, if you need me.”
    Cooper entered the simple well-proportioned room with high ceilings. The fireplace gave off an inviting scent: burning pear-wood. The cats lounged on the back of the sofa.
    Harry, board on her lap, was drawing.
    Setting that aside on the coffee table, she asked, “Are you still mad at me?”
    “No. I got over being mad at you when you showed me the scarecrow at Number 9.”
    “Any luck?”
    The taller woman shrugged. “No, but I didn’t expect the decorator to come at me with a meat-ax. She was quite nice, actually.”
    “Isn’t that weird? I mean, the exact