“Where’d you get the truck?”

“My brother’s. You like?”

Leo shrugged and nailed off another cap.

“Your line’s off.”

“How come you’re not on the run like your two buddies, Floyd?”

“Never run if you can walk, I say.”

“Walk where?”

“It don’t matter where. What happens happens, man.”

Leo had two more caps to go. He laid them down and nailed them, then he twisted around for the leftover bundle draped over the ridge and dropped it off the side to the ground.

“You can catch a ride with me if you want. The air conditioning’s free.”

Floyd handed Leo a cool can of beer as soon as Leo pulled the door shut. The top of the windshield was tinted and Leo felt like he was sitting behind a big pair of shades. Cold air blew over his pants to his bare stomach and chest. He put on his shirt but left it unbuttoned, then popped open the beer and drank off half of it.

“You should play ball.” Floyd took the turn down the hill for the river. Leo asked him what he meant.

“Your swing, man. If Dewey was a stitch ball, he’da scored you a fuckin’ homer.”

“He all right?”

“Nah, those busted ribs are gonna kill him dead.” Floyd laughed and drove faster.

The skin of Leo’s back felt pinched and he had to sit forward and put his hand on the dash. “I got too much sun.”

“Drink a six in a cold bath. Free advice from Pretty Boy Floyd.”

Leo finished off his beer. He remembered taking that bath with Allie after making love all afternoon. He dropped the empty can down on his sneakers. “You almost killed him, man.”

Floyd stopped the truck at the bottom of the hill. He rolled the window down and blew smoke outside. “Eye for an eye, man. Teeth for teeth.”

“Oh sure, he breaks one thing of yours and you break about five of his.”

“Yeah well, you mess with the best, you lay with the rest. You know?” Floyd handed Leo another beer. Leo drank off half right away.

“So how come I haven’t heard from the smokeys? Chick coming after me himself, or what?”

“Forget it. Chick told me he feels bad he ever hit you.”

“You’re dickin’ me.”

“No way, soon as he’s better, he’s moving up to Vermont. The whole frigging family’s moving up.” Leo swallowed more beer. He thought how Floyd was right, a cold bath was going to feel good.

“Your girlfriend too?”

“Hey I don’t give a shit. She fucking does what she wants anyway.”

“She fucking does?” Floyd stuck his finger in his closed hand and pulled it out and pushed it in slow. He raised his eyebrows, making ridges all up his forehead.

Leo smiled. “Does a saw cut wood?”