Tashi turned off the flashlight, her eyes adjusting to the dim light, and reached down to an upright cabinet, her foot nearly stepping on what she thought was a big black rubber hose. And then the hose moved and raised up its thick, squat head. The snake’s skin a dark color, the air smelling of a musky scent. “Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit!”

“What?” Jessica said, walking up. She gripped Tashi by the arm and pushed her back behind her. Jessica picked up a fallen piece of wood and went straight for the snake, clubbing it with a rage Tashi didn’t know Jessica had. She finally stepped back, blue hair scattered, face and long, bare arms glistening with sweat. Jessica’s eyes were wide. “Damn,” she said. “Glad you saw it coming. It was a big one.”

“Oh my God,” Tashi said. “Did you really kill it? You did. You killed a fucking snake.”

“Yeah?” Jessica said, breathing heavy, looking as if she’d surprised herself. “I guess I did. I killed the bastard. OK. Now let’s get back to work.”

“Were you recording?” Tashi asked.

“We’re always recording.”

*   *   *

Quinn moved the Cherokee out front where he could watch Maggie seated at a booth in the truck stop, studying the menu, not even contemplating that fine T-bone steak deal. He’d shifted Lee Hazlewood out for some Tyler Childers, listening to the new song, “Honky Tonk Flame,” spotting the DeSoto County SO marked unit cruise the pumps and then roll toward a nearby strip mall. Quinn let down the window and started up a cigar, watching the front door and the back, getting a decent view of the wide entrance feeding into the restaurant. Maggie still alone, sitting behind the fogged glass, waiting for some crazy person who probably wouldn’t have the guts to show. If she felt in the least uncomfortable, she’d hit the call button on her cell. But if not, she’d sit there and listen to what this person had to offer.

Quinn could call DeSoto dispatch and run into the restaurant. He could make the arrest and hand whoever this was to the locals.