I nodded, smiled. “Hope yours was better.”
“Hooch and I went to Kings Mountain.”
“The national park?”
“The Yanks kicked some serious British butt there, right, podna?” He scratched Boyd’s ear. Boyd laid his chin on Ryan’s chest.
While I was up to my elbows in putrid flesh, these two were strol ing down history lane. At least someone had enjoyed the day.
Ryan palmed chips into his mouth. Boyd’s eyes fol owed his hand.
“Hooch kicked some serious squirrel butt.”
I crossed to the couch. Ryan drew back his feet, and I dropped into the spot Boyd had vacated.
Boyd sniffed Ryan’s chip bowl. I nudged him and he turned and gave me the eyebrows.
Lucy and Ethel were hiding in a closet, trying to change out of work clothes. Lucy was cautioning Ethel not to tel Ricky.
“Why doesn’t she just get a job?” Ryan asked.
“Ricky won’t let her.”
I thought about Ricky Don Dorton.
“Turns out the Cessna belongs to a local bar owner who’s probably running drugs on the side.”
“Who’s that?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I wanted no comments on the naming preferences of my Dixie brethren. “The plane was clean and the owner wasn’t flying.”
“The fine citizen’s aircraft was stolen.”
“Yep.”
“I hate it when that happens to me.”
I cuffed Ryan on the chest and gave him the spare-me face.
“Who was on board?”
“Don’t know. The NTSB investigator is liaising with the cops. They’l check their missing persons, then run our descriptors through NCIC.” Ryan fought back a smile.
“But you already know that.” I scratched at a mosquito bite on my elbow. “I’ve got some bad news.” Boyd shifted his chin to my knee.
“Remember the animal bones I mentioned?”
“I do.”
“Rin Tin Tin here actual y discovered them. They were buried on farmland out in the county. I was pretty sure the stuff was animal, but I brought it in to the ME office just in case. I spent most of Sunday going through it.”
Lucy was on her bum. Ethel was trying to pul the coveral s over Lucy’s shoes.
“And?” Ryan coaxed.
“Today I found a pair of human hand bones.”
“Mixed in with Smokey.”
I nodded.
“So tomorrow’s going to be another special day.”
“Unfortunately. Look, I’m real y sorry. You know I would much rather be with you.”
“And Hooch.” Ryan flicked his eyes to the dog, then back to me.
“And Hooch.” I patted Boyd’s head. “By the way, I real y do appreciate you looking after him.” Ryan raised palms and eyebrows in a gesture ofc’est la vie.
“If Hooch has unearthed a homicide, you don’t want the perp relocating his vic.”
Boyd transferred back to Ryan.
“No,” I agreed, with an enthusiasm I reserve for Pap smears and rectals.
“You gotta do what you gotta do.”
“Right.”