“Well, you tell Danny he needs to start telling me the truth. He’s the way we get to the bottom of all this. I’m convinced of that. And once his story comes out, those boys won’t go after him again.”

“I’ll tell him.”

As he was walking out, Stone noticed a long-barreled shotgun resting on a table with a tag on it.

“What’s that?”

“The shotgun Debby was killed with.”

“Do you mind?”

“Go ahead.”

Stone picked up the gun, first holding it by the stock and then by the muzzle. When he laid it back down his face was puzzled.

“What?” asked Tyree curiously.

“Not sure. I’ll let you know.”

Actually Stone was sure. He was six-two with exceptionally long arms. He had gauged that with the muzzle perched in his mouth he could have managed to pull the trigger. Barely. He thought back to the photo of Debby that Willie had shown him. There was no way the petite Debby could have done it.

Someone had killed her.

Stone walked outside. That’s when he noticed the sign on the one-story building across the street.

Peterson’s Accounting Service.

He crossed the street and peered in one of the windows. He saw a desk, file cabinets and shelves and a dead corn plant. Other than that the place looked to have been cleared out. There wasn’t a computer, printer or fax machine in sight. He noticed some people passing by on the street who were staring at him. He smiled at them and ambled off. Crossing back to the other side of the street, he pretended to be window-shopping. He passed by the bakery and decided to go inside when he saw Bob Coombs standing at the counter.

“Hey, Bob, how’s Willie doing?”

Bob smiled and said, “Docs say he’ll be coming home real soon.”

“I’m going over to see him today. I’ve been using his truck. Hope it’s okay.”

“After what you did, you can use anything of his you want.”

Bob bought a cup of coffee and some donuts while Stone admired the half-finished mural of a country meadow scene on the wall behind the cash register. Bob offered to buy Stone a coffee but he declined.

The two men walked outside where Stone said, “I ran into your daughter-in-law the other night. She told me that the whole town blames her for something. Any idea what?”