“Yeah,” I said. “That’s it.”

Merker pulled into the Burger Crisp lot. There were three other cars there, and, best as I could tell, business was light. It was midafternoon, the lunch crowd had thinned.

“Check it out,” Merker said.

Parked down around the side of the restaurant was his Ford pickup. “We gonna get the truck back?” Leo asked.

“Fuck the truck,” Merker said. “We’re keeping this.” He had his left hand on the door handle, the gun in his right. To Leo, he said, “Keep an eye on him. Hang on to the belt. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

Leo grabbed the belt and pulled it taut as Merker got out of the car, leaving it running, and strode toward the Burger Crisp, the gun down at his side and slightly to the back.

“I can’t breathe,” I said, the belt cutting into my neck.

“Okay,” said Leo, loosening it only slightly. “I just don’t want you doing anything dumb. Gary’ll be really mad at me.”

“Leo, listen to me,” I said. “This is your chance. Let me go, and just walk away. The police are going to be after you guys, but especially Gary. He’s the one killed Martin Benson, right? He’s the one cut his throat.”

“Gary’s better at those kinds of things.”

Gary Merker opened the door of Burger Crisp and disappeared inside.

“Exactly,” I said. “You’re not like him, are you? He’s the violent one. The police will understand that, especially if you go to them, tell them what he’s done.”

“He’s my friend. He looks after me. I was riding with him one time, on his Harley, and he turned too sharp and I fell off and I hit my head and he’s been real good to me ever since then because ever since then things have been a bit cloudy, you know?”

“He’s a friend that’s getting you into a lot of trouble. You don’t kill people, do you, Leo? I’ll bet, when you and he found Katie, I’ll bet you didn’t kill those people who were looking after her.”

“I waited outside the barn when Gary shot them. I had Katie with me. I put my hands over her ears.”

“There you go. That was good of you. You see? You’re not like Gary. You’re actually a pretty gentle guy, am I right?”

“I like animals,” Leo said, still holding on to the belt but not quite as tightly. “I like all kinds of animals, but probably dogs the most. You like dogs?”