Devil’s Claw

Joa

“Does he have any family?”

“A daughter, Reba Singleton. She lives in California.”

“Have you been in touch with her?”

“We tried. I left word for her to call here if she wants additional information. There haven’t been any calls, have there?”

“Only from your mother,” Butch said. “I checked caller ID to screen the call. When I saw it was Eleanor, I decided not answering was my best bet. After all, what Eleanor doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

Joa

They went into the house. “I may be learning with your mother,” Butch replied, leaning against the dryer while Joa

“You did?” Joa

“By coming over to wait up for you. She was so bent out of shape when I showed up that for a while I didn’t think she was going to unlock the door and let me in. She thought you had sicced me on her-sent me out as an emergency baby-sitter. I finally managed to convince her otherwise.”

“How?”

“By telling her that baby-sitting was the last thing on my mind. That I had come out here primarily because I had designs on her mother’s body.”

Joa

Now it was Butch’s turn to grin. “I did,” he said. “Scout’s honor. Got me right out of the dog house. Turned us into co-conspirators.”

“Butch,” Joa

“Almost twelve and going on thirty,” he replied. “Believe me, that kid knows all about the birds and bees.”

“She shouldn’t,” Joa

“Maybe not, but she does. Now come on. You wouldn’t want to make a liar out of me, would you? Besides, you feel like a chunk of ice. I know just the thing to warm you up.”

Joa

“Come on, then,” she said. “Will you still be this horny after we’re married?”

“Absolutely,” Butch Dixon said, once again assuming his now lecherous grin. “I promise.”

CHAPTER 4

A tiny sound right next to Joa

“It’s about time you guys woke up,” Je

With that, Je

“Oops,” he said. “Bad move. I meant to be up and out by now. We must have overslept.”

“Overslept doesn’t quite cover it,” Joa

“Not just down,” he said. “Mine aren’t even within grabbing distance. Sorry about that.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. “I’ll get dressed right away.”

“Forget it,” Joa

She pulled a pillow up behind him. Once Butch leaned back against the headboard and drew the sheet back across his bare chest, she handed him his cup of coffee.

“Somehow it seemed like a better idea last night than it does now that the sun’s up,” he told her ruefully. “What do you suggest we do now?”

Joa

At that, Butch leaned over and planted a kiss on her bare shoulder. “By the way,” he said. “Did anyone ever tell you that you keep pretty ungodly hours-for a girl?”

The use of the word “girl” was standard fare in Butch’s unending lexicon of teasing. Most of the time Joa

“Wait a minute, pal. We’re not even married yet and already you’re complaining about my job?”

“Don’t get your nose out of joint,” Butch assured her. “All I’m saying is don’t expect me to wait up for you every night. Obviously I need more beauty sleep than you do.”

“Oh,” Joa

There was a knock on the bedroom door. “More coffee?” Je

“Hadn’t we better get up and take care of the animals?” Butch asked.

That’s when Joa

“No, thanks,” Joa

When Je

Joa

“The Secret of the Old Clock,” Je

Joa

“But that’s a station wagon,” Je

Joa

“Mr. Rhodes is dead, isn’t he?” Je

Joa

Je

“What clues are those?”

“Well, you went over to see him and didn’t come back for a long time. And then this morning. When I get up to watch Saturday-morning cartoons, Mr. Rhodes is usually already here, but today he wasn’t. I went outside and looked for his tire tracks, but there weren’t any. So I went ahead and fed the animals myself.”

“All of them?” Joa

“You didn’t think I’d let them go hungry, do you?” Je

Joa

“And after I fed them I made coffee for you.”

Joa

“So what happened to him?” Je

“He probably had a heart attack or else maybe a stroke,” Joa

“Grandpa George will have to do an autopsy, won’t he-to find out for sure?”

Je