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forcing Caleb to file police reports or asking the Quinns to get rid of bodies.
    “I get you,” Razio finally said. “I’ll ask around. See what I hear. Joe Russell, eh?”
    “I’ll text you a picture.”
    “You do that. What was his poison?”
    “Whiskey and cards. He was a pretty good cardplayer, but he got worse when he drank.”
    “He stay around here, or would he go up to Vegas?”
    Ollie thought. “Vegas is a possibility, but I think he mostly hung local.”
    “Fair enough. We’ll see what we see.” Razio banged his hand on the bar. “No girls tonight?”
    “Like I’d trust my servers around your boys.”
    Razio laughed. “Come on, man. We mostly behave.”
    “Only because I’m bigger and meaner than you,” Ollie said with a reluctant smile.
    “But isn’t that the way of things?” Razio’s black eyes gleamed. “Isn’t that just the way of the world?”
    Ollie paused, wary of Razio’s smile. “Drink up,” he finally said. “Tonight’s my night off, and I got nicer things to look at than you and your boys.”

Chapter Five

    “ARE YOU SURE YOU ONLY need one roll of chicken wire?” Allie asked, eyeing the plans Henry Quinn had laid out on the counter at Smith’s Feed. She ignored the obvious snake bites on the man’s arms and mentally calculated the perimeter of the enclosure he was building.
    For what? She wasn’t going to ask.
    “Ya know, I think you’re right. Maybe one more’ll do.”
    “Maybe two, and you’ll have a little extra,” she said, glancing at his hands. “Just in case.”
    He squinted and gave her a nod. “I see your meaning.”
    “Okay then. You want some help with that? Dad’s out back.”
    “I got it,” Henry said, picking up the roll and walking toward the door. “I’ll bring the truck around back and pull up. Just ring me up and—”
    “Henry.”
    “Yeah?”
    She smiled. “You know Dad’s gonna ask for the receipt before he loads you up.”
    “That was one time I forgot to pay!” He walked back to the counter. “One time.”
    “One time last month. It was another time six months ago.”
    Muttering, Henry pulled out cash and slapped it on the counter.
    “Hey now,” Allie said. “Don’t make me the bad guy. I’m just following the rules.”
    The grubby, middle-aged man leaned his elbow on the counter and winked at her. “Ever tempted to not follow the rules, Miss Allie?”
    She schooled her face and handed him his change. “I don’t know what you mean.”
    Henry scowled but grabbed the clutch of bills and stuffed them in his coveralls. “See ya later.”
    “Bye.”
    Ted walked in right as the older man was walking out. “Hey, Henry.”
    “Hey, Dr. Ted.”
    “You make that appointment yet?”
    He grumbled and slunk out the door.
    “Good prostate health is important for everyone!” she yelled out the door.
    Allie leaned her elbow on the counter, trying not to laugh. “Is that part of your job description? Embarrassing patients in public?”
    “One of the perks of being the only doc in town.” Ted raised an assessing eyebrow. “How you doing today, mama ?”
    “Good!” She picked up the two rolls of smaller gauge wire and put them back on the shelves. Then her smile fell as she realized why Ted might be there. “Did you hear something?”
    Ted shook her head. “No. That’s why I wanted to come by. I know it’s been almost a week, but I wanted to let you know they’ve been backed up because Larry was out of the office. He got a bunch of things slammed on him when he got back. He knew I requested he handle this case as a favor, but he can’t ignore the other stuff. He called me to apologize. He’s thinking beginning of next week they’ll know for sure.”
    “Okay.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. Not knowing if the body they’d found was Joe was giving her an ulcer. She’d been researching grief online and trying to figure out what to tell the younger kids even as she eased into the loss with the older boys.
    Was it