Dex stood there in a sort of half slump, still panting, his long hair wet from sweat and pasted to his cheeks and neck. He glanced at Ricci a moment, and then cast his eyes down at some indeterminate patch of ground between them.

Ricci stepped closer, pushed the muzzle of the gun against the underside of Dex's chin, and forced his head upward.

"Look at me," Ricci said. And pushed his chin further up with the muzzle. "Look me in the eye."

Dex again did as he'd been told.

"First thing," Ricci said. "You're a greedy little slug."

Dex was quiet, his lips trembling. Perspiration streamed from under his watchcap.

"Second," Ricci said. "You're a would-be murderer."

Dex started to say something, but Ricci silenced him with a prod of the gun barrel.

"I can make it so there's nothing left under that hat of yours besides mush," he said. "Better you let me do the talking."

Dex shut his mouth.

They faced each other in silence. The interwoven branches overhead blocked out most of the morning sunlight and cast lacy patterns of shadow over both their features.

"We always split the take right down the middle, and that was fine by me. Didn't matter I took the chances, long as you did your job and watched my back," Ricci said. "But then you went behind it instead. Got down with Cobbs and Phipps on that pinch the other day. Fixed the pressure gauge so I wouldn't know when my tank was out of air. Emptied my spare. Rather than coming to me when Cobbs laid some heat on you, telling me so we could put him in his place, you cuddled up with him and tried to kill me."

Ricci was silent again. From behind him near the slab of rock, he could hear Cobbs's whimpering sobs.

"I owe you, Dex," Ricci said. "You deserve for me to pull the trigger, and better believe I'm tempted to do it."

Dex tensed, his breath coming in staccato bursts. Small blotches of red erupted on his cheeks.

Ricci held the shotgun steadily up to his chin for another second, then shook his head and lowered its barrel toward the ground.

"Relax," he said. "You, Cobbs, and all your other pals won't have to worry about me anymore. Wouldn't have even if nothing had happened today besides us striking the mother lode of urchins. Because I got an offer from somebody out of town and decided to take it. All you would've needed to do to know that was wait till this afternoon, when the for-sale sign goes up in front of my house."