“Better ask your Uncle Van,” Boom said, coming back from under the hood, wiping his prosthetic hand with a dirty blue rag. “He and J.T. play in that gospel group with Diane Tull. What do they call themselves?”

“The Revelators.”

“Yeah,” Boom said. “Right. I like that name. Diane Tull sounds just like Jessi Colter.”

His prosthetic hand had been specifically fitted by the VA for his job, holding a variety of tools while he worked. At the moment, he had a crescent wrench fitted snug into its base. He removed the wrench and plugged in a screwdriver, going back in for more. It was early afternoon, a little after one, and the sun was high and hot over the cotton fields, the stalks growing brown and brittle, October and harvest coming soon. You could hear the wind in the dry leaves, rustling like paper, the radio going inside the cab of the truck. Boom had tuned to a station out of Tupelo. Classic country all the time. He and Quinn had a severe hatred for most modern country, Boom calling Jason Aldean the Anti-Hank.

“How’d it go down in Jackson?” Boom asked.

The radio station played Waylon singing “Rainy Day Woman,” one of Caddy’s favorites. The old music reminding her of good times on the front porch with her Uncle Hamp and Aunt Halley.

“Fine.”

“Just ‘fine’?”

“Maybe better than that,” Caddy said. She and Boom kept few secrets from each other. She maybe trusted him more than her own brother. Boom knew what it was like to be in the goddamn black hole that could eat you alive. And he was the kind of person who never leveled a judgment against you.

“OK, then,” Boom said. “No drama?”

“No drama.”

“All those rich folks treat you right?”

“I was surprised, but I liked them,” Caddy said. “They can’t help they have money. Most of them seem to want to do some good with it. They wanted to know all about The River and the work we do in Tibbehah County. I told them about folks who volunteered their time and talents.”

“Time and talents?” Boom said. “Sounds like I’m not getting paid.”

“I brought you catfish.”

“You looking at a whole tune-up,” Boom said. “Front and rear brakes. Only thing I can’t do is the tires. The tires is on you.”

“I can handle the tires.”