Bob’s features turned dark as he bit into his donut. “It was because of Josh’s death. He wasn’t even supposed to be hunting that damn day. Shirley had been nagging him about not killing any deer that season. Now, Josh was a good hunter, but the truth was Shirley didn’t give a crap about eating venison. Couldn’t cook it worth nothing, all gamey. It was just her way of cutting Josh down. Well, she wouldn’t stop nagging and Josh finally headed out that morning by himself. He was real upset.”

“How’d you learn all that?”

“Josh called me when he was driving over to the woods and told me what had happened. Hour later my boy was dead.”

As the two men parted company, Stone glanced over at the courthouse. There was a white Cadillac parked in front with the license plate HCDJ. Then Stone froze when he saw her.

Why was Shirley Coombs going into the courthouse?

Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

AFTER A LONG DRIVE Annabelle and Caleb had arrived in the town where Stone had gotten off with Danny. Annabelle had done a quick recon of the small downtown area and then settled herself at the counter of the venerable One T. A few other butts were parked next to hers, all of them male. She got more than one look from some of the younger men at the counter. She shot back a smile here, a nod there to keep the interest stoked in case it came in handy later.

“Where you coming from?” the waitress asked her as she poured coffee into Annabelle’s mug.

“Winchester, Virginia.” To Annabelle, mentioning that area was good enough to give her a bit of rural cred.

“Got a cousin lives up that way. Horse farm.”

“It’s pretty country,” Annabelle agreed, sipping her coffee and ordering off the menu. “Kind of reminds me of around here, only a little flatter.”

The man next to her chuckled. He was big and broad and wore a checkered shirt, jean jacket with Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s image on it and boots with all the shine worn off. “Just about anything’s flatter than ’round here.”

“You been out to see the Rockies?” Annabelle said.

“No, ma’am, can’t say I have.”

“They’re a lot bigger than these mountains, but not nearly as pretty. Just chunky and brown with a top hat of snow. Not many trees. These mountains are green.”

“You just passing through or looking to mark yourself out a piece of green?” said the waitress, coming back to them after placing Annabelle’s order.

“Neither, really. I’m looking for somebody. Maybe you’ve seen him?”

The waitress and Annabelle’s stool mate glanced at each other.

“Who might that be?” said the man warily.

“Son of a bitch ex-husband who skipped town owing a year’s worth of child support for our two kids.”