“I wouldn’t go that far. Besides, it’s more likely than not that he’ll be gone again before too many more suns come up. Won’t break my heart again, at least I keep telling myself that.”

“Has he left before?”

“Talked about it a lot, but never pulled the trigger. I guess I’d made up my mind it always would be talk. Then he threw me a curve.” Her voice shook a little as she said this last part.

“Any particular reason he decided to do it this time?”

“It’s hard to tell why Danny does anything. Bullheaded, just like his father.”

“Danny said he died in the mines.”

Abby took her time putting the last forkful of pie into her mouth. “He did. You said you lost a child. How about your wife?”

“Died too. Long time ago.”

“What’ve you been doing with yourself since?”

“This and that. Never stayed in one place too long.”

“Did you get out of the army right after Nam?”

“I hung around for a while. Nothing too exciting.”

“No pension from Uncle Sam?”

“Didn’t stay long enough.”

Their conversation trailed off and a while later Stone took his leave, resisting her invitation to drive him back to town. There was sorrow in that house, despite the luxury and designer touches, for one simple reason: the source of the wealth was death.

“I guess you’ll be heading on soon,” she said as she stood by the front door.

“I’m a lot older than Danny and I still haven’t made up my mind what to do with the rest of my life. So I think I better get to it.”

“Thanks for helping my son.”

“He seems like a good young man, Abby. Just needs a little direction.”

“It would’ve been real good if the direction had taken him out of here and kept him there.”

She closed the door, leaving Stone standing there puzzled. Telling himself again that this was not his business, he walked out to the road and made his way back to town. The sky was lit with stars, which was the only light there was. As he drew closer to town, he heard something. At first it seemed to be the moan of an animal and it occurred to him that in this part of the country it would not be unheard of to run into a black bear or maybe even a mountain lion. As he continued to walk along the moan became more recognizable.

Stone picked up his pace. The church and the graveyard were just ahead.

He cut across the road, entered the churchyard, made a beeline for the graveyard, and then stopped when he saw it. Or rather him.

The sobs racking him, Danny was lying sprawled on top of the fresh grave of Debby Randolph.

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23