Dead to Rights

“But we hardly ever have real meals anymore,” Je

In the months since Andy died, eating at the dining room table by themselves was something Joa

Mentally calculating what staples she still had at home, Joa

As Je

“Sorry,” Joa

Matkin, stacking typical bachelor fare of frozen TV di

He didn’t smile in return. “It’s okay,” he mumbled. “No harm done.” For a moment it looked as though he was going to say something more, then he changed his mind. With his face flushing beet-red, he turned his attention back to the frozen-food case.

“What was the matter with that man?” Je

“What makes you think he was mad?” Joa

Je

“That doesn’t necessarily mean he was mad,” Joa

“Maybe it means he likes you then,” Je

Joa

“But it could happen, couldn’t it?” Je

Unsure how to answer or even if she should answer this unforeseen dating question, Joa

Joa

TEN

Halfway home, with the groceries safely stowed in the back, Joa

“Did you catch him?” Je

“Catch who?” Joa

“The guy who killed Dr. Buckwalter.”

“No.” Joa

She realized as she said the words that she wasn’t giving Je

Driving through the last glimmers of twilight, Joa

“It’s my birthday pretty soon,” Je

Mistakenly assuming this was nothing but another one of Je

“What are you going to get me?” Je

Joa

“Well,” Je

“What?”

“What I told you before-Dr. Buckwalter’s horse. Kiddo. Daddy said I could have a horse someday. He promised. Besides, Kiddo will be lonely without someone to love him. What if he gets sold for dog food or something?”

“Je

“That’s not true!” Je

“It is true,” Joa

“Not that,” Je

Moving as far away from her mother as possible, Jena scrunched up against the passenger’s door and stared wordlessly out the window. Joa

Parenting, Joa

“I want a horse,” Je

By then they were coming down High Lonesome Roar and slowing for the turnoff that led off into the ranch itself. There was nothing Joa

Joa

Without a word, Je