Willie sat up, pulling the IV lines and cables taut. “You saying somebody’s trying to kill me? Who the hell would wanta do that?”

“You’d know that better than me, Willie.”

“I doubt somebody’s coming after me for my double-wide, guns and hunting bows. Other than that, I ain’t got much.”

“Forget the money factor. Anybody have a grudge against you?”

“’Bout what?”

“Did you tick somebody off? Steal somebody’s girl?”

“I had a girl,” Willie snapped. “But she’s dead.”

“Debby Randolph?”

“How did you know that?”

“Small town. I heard she committed suicide.”

“Yeah, that’s what they say.”

“You think different?”

“What the hell reason did she have to commit suicide? Tell me that.”

“I saw some of her work at the craft shop. She was talented.”

Willie’s face assumed a proud look. “She could draw and paint. And make stuff out of clay. She had a studio set up in a storage shed behind her parents’ house. That’s where her momma found her,” he added quietly. “That’s why I took some sick leave. I went back to work after the funeral, but, man, my head was all messed up.”

“I can understand that, Willie. I really can.”

“You wanta see a picture of her?”

Stone nodded and Willie reached into the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out his wallet. He slid a photo out and passed it over to Stone.

Willie and Debby were standing next to each other. The tall Willie towered over the petite Debby. She had dirty blonde hair and an infectious smile with eyes full of warmth.

“You can tell from her face she’s just a really nice person.”

Willie slowly nodded as he stared down at the dead woman’s face.

As Stone gazed at the picture, an obvious point clicked in his head. “She doesn’t look like someone who would kill herself.”

“I’d asked her to marry me and she said yes. Happy as can be. Then the next thing I know she’s dead.” His face trembled and the tears started to slide down his thin, pale cheeks. “That’s why I got back on the drugs after she died. I had nothing left.”

“Did you tell people she and you were getting married?”

“No, I asked her not to till I had time to get a ring. I wanted to show her momma and daddy that I was serious. I’d saved up ’bout all I needed. Then I’d just come off the shift at the mine when I heard. Couldn’t believe it.”

“What time was she found?”

“Early in the morning. She’d been dead awhile they say.”

“And no one heard the shot.”

“They live in a little holler, nobody close.”

“But you said it was in a building behind the house.”