When Peanut finished talking, he slapped Caudell on the shoulder and smiled. “This’s gone be like old times again, y’all. I can’t wait.”

He turned the volume knob on the stereo all the way to the right and jacked the music up. Hank Jr’s Alabama drawl echoed through the backcountry, and the Bronco bounced through every rut in the road, shaking me around the backseat, and Marshall kept an iron grip on the door handle. Caudell leaned back in his seat and never once got jostled by Peanut’s driving. The Bronco slowed to another stop, and we approached a chain-link fence. A couple of boys sat in a pickup truck parked alongside the road, and they got out when they saw us. They brought automatic rifles and walked over to the driver’s side. Peanut turned the music down and said, “What you know good, boys?”

One of them leaned into Peanut’s window. “Been a quiet night, boss. Fixing to fall asleep.”

Peanut leaned away from the kid and put a hand over his nose. “Goddamn, Wiley, when’s the last time you brushed your teeth? Smells like you let Tommy over there take a shit in your mouth.”

Tommy slapped the top of the Bronco and laughed at the insult, and Wiley wilted. He took a step away from the truck, and Tommy took his spot. Tommy said, “He doesn’t even like it when I wipe, boss. Likes to lick up them dingleberries and everything.”

Peanut pushed Tommy out of his widow. “Don’t be so goddamn crude, Tommy. You always take shit too far.” Peanut hitched a thumb in my direction. “Got a new face y’all need to remember. Y’all see him around, do me a favor, and don’t fucking shoot him. Understand?”

The boys nodded that they did, and Peanut motioned for one of them to open the gate. Tommy ran over to it, and Peanut said, “I’ll send Katie down with some Colgate, Wiley. Help that breath some.”

Wiley nodded. “I’d appreciate that, boss.” Then, “And, hey, Peanut?”

“Yeah, boy?”

“I ain’t never really actually let Tommy take a shit in my mouth.”

“Hell, I know that,” Peanut shifted the Bronco into drive, “I’m fucking with you. But, Wiley, one thing I ain’t fucking with you about is sleeping on the job. If I ever catch you, you’ll answer to Caudell.”

Peanut gunned the Bronco before Wiley could answer and waved at Tommy as we drove by. I turned to watch the boys roll the gate shut as soon as we were through. Neither of them could be older than sophomores and had no idea what kind of man they were dealing with. When I turned back, Peanut smiled in the rearview mirror, and I looked beyond him. The Bohannon home sat upon the highest point on the property and gave a pretty view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Floodlights lit the driveway up like a night game, and Peanut parked next to an Excursion. Peanut cut the engine, kicked the door open, and slid out in one smooth motion.