“Pelham.” Terry had several days’ growth of a white speckled beard but his hair was combed, slicked back off his high forehead.

“Estus. Didn’t mean to sneak in on you.”

Terry spat. “I heard you coming. It’s not many would risk a shiny thing like that machine to this road.”

Jamie grinned. “Federal men maybe.”

“Federal man can’t find his ass with both hands, I tell you what.”

“You need to get yourself two-three of these rigs, Terry. Get out of the horse business. Speed things up.”

Terry worked his hand on the horsehide. “Not come winter it wouldn’t. Although that day’ll come I expect. But it’ll be a younger man than me. I’m used to the pace of a team.”

“Don’t talk like a old man. You change with the times; there’s always an easier way to get things done.”

Terry shook his head. “Tell you what. There’s always some younger fella coming around with some faster smoother way and it’s them you need to watch out for. Times, those fellas can be too fast, too flashy. I got some money for you.” He snaked a purse on a chain from a front pants pocket.

Jamie put his hand up. “I don’t want it, Estus. I heard you got him doctored. There wasn’t any call for you to do that.”

“Shit boy, he’d already paid me what he owed when you thrashed him. That’s what there wasn’t a call for.”

Jamie shook his head. “Last I’d heard, he owed. And even not, it’s not a good idea people think they can be slack. With me. Or you.”

“There’s a difference between making a point and meanness. What I saw how you left him was plain meanness. I don’t like it.” Terry looking now full at Jamie, his face hard cast like something from a furnace. Terry went on. “He was other than who he was I’d cut you loose. Liquor’s like spring water in the north country, you know where to look. You get over sure of your importance you’ll fall flat. Or worse will happen. You got to keep in mind there’s far more people aware of you than you might care to think. Once you get outside the lines you got to walk it straight and tight. You got to remember you’re not the first pup with a bright idea. Not the last either. You keep that in the front of your head you’ll be all right. Now here, you take this and we’re square and we go on from here.” And unzipped the purse and counted out banknotes from a roll and held them out.

Jamie stood very still. “No. I screwed up it shouldn’t cost you money.”

And Terry stepped away from the horse and came very close to Jamie and reached up gently and slipped the folded notes into Jamie’s shirt pocket and leaned his face close and said, “You fuck with me I’ll pound you into the fucking ground you hear me.” And then stepped back and locked his hands behind his back, studying Jamie.