The Tamarack Murders by Patrick F. McManus Read Free Book Online Page B

planned on hunting for the whole week.”
    Tully dug out his pocket notebook. “Can you give me their names?”
    Shanks leaned back in his chair and peered up at the ceiling as if the names might be written there. “Oh boy, I’m terrible at names. Let’s see, the big one was Beeker and the shorter one, Dance. Horace Beeker and Ed Dance.
    Tully helped himself to another piece of banana bread.
    Gridley smiled. “I heard some talk today about the robbery, but it never occurred to me I might be involved. I try not to think too much about things that don’t involve me.”
    â€œSounds like a good idea,” Tully said. “Seems as if just about anything that happens in Blight County involves me.”
    â€œThat’s what you get for being sheriff. Now me, I hang out mostly with lowlifes. Hear lots of chatter about what’s going on in the criminal world. If ever I can be of any help, Bo, just let me know.”
    â€œThanks. Any help you can give me will be much appreciated. By the way, Grid, I understand from Sil you two are quite the birders.”
    Shanks face lit up. “I can’t tell you how much I hate that term ‘birder,’but I guess I am one. I love it. We’ve traveled all over the country looking for the little rascals, and I’ve life-listed every one in the country except, I think, the ivory-billed woodpecker. It’s supposed to be extinct, but a couple of fellows down in Arkansas claim to have seen one. One of these days we’re going to head down to Arkansas, Sil and me, and see if we can find one. You a birder, Sheriff?”
    â€œSort of. I go through periods of enthusiasm and even have a life list.”
    â€œAny other hobby?”
    â€œYeah, I do, but I’m afraid it doesn’t involve birds.”
    Shanks laughed. “Enough said.”
    Tully thanked Sil for the coffee and banana bread and stood up. “It’s already getting pretty late. How about if I see you at Slade’s about ten tonight, Grid?”
    â€œYou bet, Sheriff.”
    Angie got up and joined Tully at the door. She thanked Sil and shook Gridley’s hand.
    â€œBy the way, Mr. Shanks,” she said, “what do you do for a living?”
    Gridley thought for a moment. “Not all that much, ma’am. I’m what folks around here call a hustler. I buy cheap and sell cheap and pick up everything free I can. But I don’t steal, at least if there’s any other way. I get old cars and fix them up with parts from other old cars. Make a little profit. Mostly, I try not to need money. An awful lot of life is wasted in the pursuit of money, and I try to avoid that. Someday, though, I’m taking Sil on a trip around the world.”
    Angie smiled at Sil and said, “I’m going to cruise around the world someday myself, Sil. Maybe we’ll meet up out there.”
    Sil smiled back at her. “I hope so, Angie.”
    As they stepped outside Tully noticed that Grid had parked a bright red Cadillac sedan next to the Sheriff Department’s battered Ford Explorer. It had been a long while since he had seen tail fins.
    â€œI see you’re admiring my Caddy,” Grid said from behind them.
    â€œYes, indeed. Haven’t seen one like it in thirty years.”
    â€œYep, not many of them around anymore. I picked it up from a classic little old lady who got herself too old to drive. It wasn’t in much better shape than she was, but I restored what wasn’t. On the car that is. Less than ninety thousand miles on her—the car, not the old lady. Come to think of it, she’s probably got at least that much on her too.”
    Tully smiled. “I bet gas was about twenty-five cents a gallon when the Caddy was new.”
    Shanks laughed. “You got that right, Sheriff. It now costs me five dollars in gas to get to the end of my driveway. I don’t drive it much, except when I want to impress somebody, like a