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You all dont be makin light of the dead thataway, Bell said.
Wendell nodded. Yessir, he said. You're right. I might be one myself some day.
Driving out 90 toward the turnoff at Dryden he came across a hawk dead in the road. He saw the feathers move in the wind. He pulled over and got out and walked back and squatted on his bootheels and looked at it. He raised one wing and let it fall again. Cold yellow eye dead to the blue vault above them.
It was a big redtail. He picked it up by one wingtip and carried it to the bar ditch and laid it in the grass. They would hunt the blacktop, sitting on the high powerpoles and watching the highway in both directions for miles. Any small thing that might venture to cross. Closing on their prey against the sun. Shadowless. Lost in the concentration of the hunter. He wouldnt have the trucks ru
He stood there looking out across the desert. So quiet. Low hum of wind in the wires. High bloodweeds along the road. Wiregrass and sacahuista. Beyond in the stone arroyos the tracks of dragons. The raw rock mountains shadowed in the late sun and to the east the shimmering abscissa of the desert plains under a sky where raincurtains hung dark as soot all along the quadrant. That god lives in silence who has scoured the following land with salt and ash. He walked back to the cruiser and got in and pulled away.
When he pulled up in front of the sheriff's office in Sonora the first thing he saw was the yellow tape stretched across the parking lot. A small courthouse crowd. He got out and crossed the street.
What's happened, Sheriff?
I dont know, said Bell. I just got here.
He ducked under the tape and went up the steps. Lamar looked up when he tapped at the door. Come in, Ed Tom, he said. Come in. We got hell to pay here.
They walked out on the courthouse lawn. Some of the men followed them.
You all go on, said Lamar. Me and the sheriff here need to talk.
He looked haggard. He looked at Bell and he looked at the ground. He shook his head and looked away. I used to play mumbledypeg here when I was a boy. Right here. These youngsters today I dont think would even know what that was. Ed Tom this is a damned lunatic.
I hear you.
You got anything to go on?
Not really.
Lamar looked away. He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. I'll tell you right now. This son of a bitch will never see a day in court. Not if I catch him he wont.
Well, we need to catch him first.
That boy was married.
I didnt know that.
Twenty-three year old. Clean cut boy. Straight as a die. Now I got to go out to his house fore his wife hears it on the damn radio.
I dont envy you that. I surely dont.
I think I'm goin to quit, Ed Tom.
You want me to go out there with you?
No. I appreciate it. I need to go.
All right.
I just have this feelin we're looking at somethin we really aint never even seen before.
I got the same feelin. Let me call you this evenin.
I appreciate it.
He watched Lamar cross the lawn and climb the steps to his office. I hope you dont quit, he said. I think we're goin to need all of you we can get.
When they pulled up in front of the cafe it was one-twenty in the morning. There were only three people on the bus.
Sanderson, the driver said.
Moss made his way forward. He'd seen the driver eyeing him in the mirror. Listen, he said. Do you think you could let me out down at the Desert Aire? I got a bad leg and I live down there but I got nobody to pick me up.
The driver shut the door. Yeah, he said. I can do that.
When he walked in she got up off the couch and ran and put her arms around his neck. I thought you was dead, she said.
Well I aint so dont go to slobberin.
I aint.
Why dont you fix me some bacon and eggs while I take a shower.
Let me see that cut on your head. What happened to you? Where's your truck at?
I need to take a shower. Fix me somethin to eat. My stomach thinks my throat's been cut.
When he came out of the shower he was wearing a pair of shorts and when he sat at the little formica table in the kitchen the first thing she said was What's that on the back of your arm?
How many eggs is this?
Four.
You got any more toast?
They's two more pieces comin. What is that, Llewelyn?
What would you like to hear?
The truth.
He sipped his coffee and set about salting his eggs.
You aint goin to tell me, are you?
No.
What happened to your leg?
It's broke out in a rash.
She buttered the fresh toast and put it on the plate and sat in the chair opposite. I like to eat breakfast of a night, he said. Takes me back to my bachelor days.
What is goin on, Llewelyn?
Here's what's goin on, Carla Jean. You need to get your stuff packed and be ready to roll out of here come daylight. Whatever you leave you aint goin to see it again so if you want it dont leave it. There's a bus leaves out of here at seven-fifteen in the mornin. I want you to go to Odessa and wait there till I can call you.
She sat back in the chair and watched him. You want me to go to Odessa, she said.
That's correct.
You aint kiddin, are you?
Me? No. I aint kiddin a bit. Are we out of preserves?
She got up and got the preserves out of the refrigerator and set them on the table and sat back down. He unscrewed the jar and ladled some onto his toast and spread it with his knife.
What's in that satchel you brought in?
I told you what was in that satchel.
You said it was full of money.
Well then I reckon that's what's in it.
Where's it at?
Under the bed in the back room.
Under the bed.
Yes mam.
Can I go back there and look?
You're free white and twenty-one so I reckon you can do whatever you want.
I aint twenty-one.
Well whatever you are.
And you want me to get on a bus and go to Odessa.
You are gettin on a bus and goin to Odessa.
What am I supposed to tell Mama?
Well, try standin in the door and hollerin: Mama, I'm home.
Where's your truck at?
Gone the way of all flesh. Nothin's forever.
How are we supposed to get down there in the mornin?
Call Miss Rosa over yonder. She aint got nothin to do.
What have you done, Llewelyn?
I robbed the bank at Fort Stockton.
You're a lyin sack of you know what.
If you aint goin to believe me what'd you ask me for? You need to get on back there and get your stuff together. We got about four hours till daylight.
Let me see that thing on your arm.
You done seen it.
Let me put somethin on it.
Yeah, I think there's some buckshot salve in the cabinet if we aint out. Will you go on and quit aggravatin me? I'm tryin to eat.
Did you get shot?
No. I just said that to get you stirred up. Go on now.
He crossed the Pecos River just north of Sheffield Texas and took route 349 south. When he pulled into the filling station at Sheffield it was almost dark. A long red twilight with doves crossing the highway heading south toward some ranch tanks. He got change from the proprietor and made a phone call and filled the tank and went back in and paid.
You all gettin any rain up your way? the proprietor said.
Which way would that be?
I seen you was from Dallas.
Chigurh picked his change up off the counter. And what business is it of yours where I'm from, friendo?
I didnt mean nothin by it.
You didnt mean nothing by it.
I was just passin the time of day.
I guess that passes for ma
Well sir, I apologized. If you dont want to accept my apology I dont know what else I can do for you.