“Don’t be cute,” Decker said. He petted Ginger and walked over to Abel, stood over him. “Let me see your driver’s license.”

Abel looked up. “What?”

“Let me see your driver’s license.”

“You’re shittin’ me.”

“The license?”

Abel hesitated, then reached in his pocket and threw the license on the floor. Decker picked it up, looked at it, and handed it back to him. Abel pocketed the card.

He said, “You know, I once had a good friend, but he turned into a cop.”

“Yeah, well, yesterday, you didn’t call the friend, you called the cop.”

“Well, maybe it was my mistake to call him at all.”

Neither one spoke for a moment. Abel continued tugging up on the floorboard.

“Your ceiling don’t look that hot, either,” he said. “You can see daylight through the rafters.”

“You’re going to roof my barn, Abe?”

“All I have to do is screw my leg into a scaffold jack, and a tornado couldn’t dislodge me.”

“Abe, you don’t have to do this….”

“Yes, I do, Doc. Yes, I do indeed have to do this. It serves a right fine purpose for me.”

“I never expected you to pay me back.”

“Well, you see, Pete,” Abel said, “that’s where you and I differ. I always intended on payin’ you back in one fashion or another. Ain’t got no money on me. But I sure as hell have time.”

“Let me ask you this, Abe,” Decker said. “What if I find proof-positive evidence that you did what you’re accused of doing?”

“What if?”

Decker chewed the corner of his mustache. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and kneaded it. He said, “I’ll nail you, buddy. I swear to God, I’ll nail you.”

“You find any evidence that I hurt that lady, and I’ll give you the hammer. So do your job. It don’t worry me any.”

Ginger jumped onto Decker’s chest again and panted.

“I think the critter’s hungry,” Abel said.

“Yeah,” Decker said. “C’mon, girl. Let’s eat breakfast. Are you hungry, Abe?”

“Nope.”

“Look, don’t be shy—”

“I ain’t hungry.”

“You want some coffee? I always make extra.”

Abel said, “If you come back out, you can bring me a cup.” He looked at Decker’s cigarettes. “You gonna smoke them, or just giving the cellophane a massage?”

“Take the whole fucking pack,” Decker said, tossing them over.

“No need for profanities,” Abel said. “Got some matches, or should I eat them raw?”

Decker gave him a book. “Don’t burn the place down.”

“Depends how much it’s insured for.”

“Not enough,” Decker said. He went inside and fed the dog. He fixed two more pieces of toast and brought them along with two cups of black coffee. “Just in case you changed your mind about being hungry.”