“You’re clearly no country bumpkin,” said Stone, and Tyree gave him an appreciative look.

“Does Danny know about Willie?” asked Stone.

Abby nodded. “He was so upset they had to give him something to calm him down. He was bawling like a baby.”

“No more California dreams,” said Stone.

“What?” asked Tyree.

“Long story,” replied Abby.

“We need to get to work, Tyree, before somebody else gets killed.” Stone started to get up again.

Tyree pushed him back down. “Whoa, now. You just got yourself nearly blown up and the doc says you need to stay quiet for a day or two.”

“We don’t have a day or two.”

“I’m going to poke around some. With what you told me I got some new angles I can work.”

“Danny and Abby need protection,” said Stone.

“Me?” said Abby.

“Look at what happened to Bob. They don’t care who they kill.”

“I agree,” said Tyree. “I got a couple of men I’ve deputized in the past. I’ll have one here with Danny and another with Abby.”

“Tyree, you don’t have to do that.”

“But we’re gonna do it, Abby. Anything happens to you, I couldn’t live with myself. I mean, well, it’s just not going to happen. Understand?”

The strength of his words seemed to surprise even the sheriff. He reddened slightly.

“Okay,” she said meekly.

Stone said, “What are you going to do?”

Tyree sat down and drew up a chair. “You said three men beat up Danny. Now, he won’t talk to me about it but I think at least one of them was a miner.”

“Why?” asked Stone.

“When I came to see Danny at the hospital like I said he zipped his mouth. But that didn’t stop me from looking at his clothes. They had coal dust on them. I figure it came off at least one of the boys who jumped him ’cause Danny’s never been in a mine that I know of.”

“That’s true,” said Abby. “But why would a miner go after Danny?”

“Damn, I knew I’d seen him before,” exclaimed Stone. They both looked at him. “The first day I was at your restaurant. Tyree had left, and Abby, you’d gone in the back. Danny had finished eating and was leaving when this big guy blocked his way. Asked Danny if he was going to stay this time or run out on them again. He’s one of the guys with the baseball bats.”

“This guy have a name?”

Stone thought for a moment. “Lonnie.”

“Lonnie Bruback?”

“Describe him.” Tyree did. “That’s him,” said Stone. “He’ll have a wound on his face from my belt.”

“Lonnie works a floating shift at the Cinch Valley Number Two Mine. I didn’t even know he and Danny hung around with each other.”