“We’ve got to report Rusty to someone, Ledge.”

“I am. I will. But, first, I’m getting you on your way.” She looked prepared to argue, but when he chinned toward the bedroom and told her to hurry, she left him.

He called Crystal. She hadn’t even gotten out a hello before he asked if Rusty had stopped by her place that morning.

“Where did you hear that?”

“From him. He said you had told him—”

“I haven’t told him a damn thing. I haven’t even seen him.”

“I figured he was lying.”

“When did you talk to him?”

“Right before I called you.”

“What is going on? Are you all right? What happened after you and Arden left here last night?”

“I’ll fill you in later.”

“Marty and I were worried. I wish you had called and—”

“Crystal, stop. Listen.” He paused, took a breath. “Our interest in the night Foster died has made Rusty nervous. He may start hassling you again about that alibi business, remind you that you’re committed to covering for him.”

“He’ll get nowhere with me. I can handle him.”

“No, you can’t, Crystal. You can’t.”

“Okay, calm down. Warning taken. I’ll be careful.”

“Not good enough. This would be an excellent time for you and Marty to take a long weekend together.”

“First of all, it’s not the weekend. Secondly, we can’t just—”

“That dog attack last night? Rusty’s doing.” That silenced her. “Then he killed the guy who did it for him.”

He heard her exhale. “Good God, Ledge.”

“Yeah. So please don’t argue with me. Can Marty take off work?”

“I suppose. If she told them she was sick or something.”

“Impress on her that I don’t lose my shit easily, and I don’t cry wolf. Cancel your client appointments. Make up some excuse for having to close the shop for a few days. Then get out of town.”

“For how long?”

“Till I feel it’s safe for you to come back.”

“Rusty would have to be dead.”

When he didn’t respond to that, she said, “Ledge, that was supposed to be a joke.”

“I’ll call you when things have settled.”

“What about Arden?”

“Right now she’s with me, but I’m sending her packing, too.” Sensing her hesitancy, he said, “Crystal, you know how Rusty works. He won’t come after me. He’ll hurt the people I care about.”

Still sounding reluctant, she said, “I’ll text you where we are.”

He told her to be careful; she told him the same. They said goodbye. He gave himself a few seconds, then called Don, who launched into him the instant he answered.

“Ledge, what the devil? Dwayne Hawkins—”

“I’ve heard. Swear to God I didn’t kill him. Rusty did. He drove all the way out here to my place to deliver the news in person.” Talking in a shorthand he knew Don would understand, he summarized Rusty’s visit.

Don breathed in, breathed out. “Is Arden okay?”

“How’d you know—”

“According to several of Crystal’s neighbors who witnessed the whole thing, ‘the Maxwell girl’ saved the day by blasting the horn. You two were seen leaving together, and her car spent the night at the curb in front of Crystal’s house. What else do you want to know?”

“Goddamn it,” Ledge muttered.

“It’s been circulating so fast, the cell tower’s smoking. Folks don’t know what to make of it, considering you and Crystal and all.”

“I’ve got more important things than gossip to worry about. Arden is all right, but she was here when Rusty practically boasted of murdering Hawkins, which makes her vulnerable. I’m going to see her safely out of town.”

“Ledge,” Don said slowly, “sooner or later, even the dumbest detective will piece together that on the night you were attacked by a pack of fighting dogs, their trainer got choked to death.”

Ledge huffed a dry laugh. “Rusty got that across to me, too. As soon as I get Arden on her way, I’ll go see Uncle Henry. Just in case I’m unavailable for an unspecified period of time.”

“You really think Rusty will lay this on you?”

“Likely. I did go out there to Hawkins’s place.”

“Against my advice.”

“Don’t piss me off by saying you told me so.”

Don sighed. “We’ll take it up later. What do you need me to do?”

“Top priority, take care of yourself. Carry on like it’s any other day, but round up some longtime customers you trust. Good ol’ boys.”

“The ones who pack.”

Ledge appreciated that Don didn’t need it spelled out for him. “Nobody who has any ties or loyalty to Rusty or the late sheriff.”

“There are a few retired Texas Rangers around, any of which would’ve loved to have had a crack at the both of them.”

“Good. But no rough stuff unless it becomes necessary. Just have them hang around for a couple of days and nights, and keep their eyes and ears open. Have them covering your back and discreetly patrolling the property.”

“I understand.”

“Sleep with that shotgun.”

“Even with the scattergun, I can’t hit the broad side of a barn, you know.”

“I know, but whoever you point it at won’t.”

“What’s the plan after you’ve seen Henry?”

“To put Rusty out of commission.”

“How do you plan—”

“Gotta go.” He hung up before Don could ask how he intended to do that.

But Arden did. From behind him, she asked, “Are you going to do that by fair means or foul?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ll have to see how it plays out. You ready?”

She gave him a mutinous look as she shouldered past him and went out through the back door. He set the security alarm but, as he left, he wondered if his house and workshop would still be standing when he returned. Rusty might make good on his threat, except burn his house down rather than the bar.

By the time he got to his pickup, Arden had already climbed in. She sat as rigid as an I-beam, staring through the windshield, which was being speckled with fresh rain.

Ledge left her to stew and placed another call.

George answered with a cheerful, “Hey, Cap’n. How’s—”

“Cutting to the chase this morning, George.”

He reacted to Ledge’s tone immediately. “What’s up?”

“The dude?”

“With the boots?”

“I’ve got a situation with him.”

“Tell me where. Give me an hour.”

That was a friend. Ledge felt a tug on the inside. “Thanks, but I need you where you are. This asshole and I have a long history. He could soon drop a lot of shit on me, but he’ll do it in a roundabout way. His practice is to prey on the defenseless.”

“Like your uncle Henry.”

“I’m coming to see him as soon as I can. I’ll give you the background details then, but, George, I need you to keep a hawk’s eye on him. When duty calls, please assign a staffer you know and trust to sit with him. Nobody who isn’t authorized goes into his room.”

“On it. What else?”

“Let me know if the dude, or anybody who doesn’t belong there, shows up. I need to know immediately.”

“Copy that.”

“Thanks, man. Later.” He clicked off.

“George is also former military?” Arden said.

He nodded. “Hard core.”

“I could tell by the way you talk to each other.”

“How’s that?”

“Like combat soldiers.” She motioned to his cell phone, which he’d placed in the cup holder. “I believe you’ve covered everyone.”

“I haven’t covered anybody. But at least I’ve put them on guard until I settle this with Rusty.”

“What this, Ledge?”

Feeling the weightiness of her stare, he said, “I’ll tell you when we get to your house.”

The rain held off, but bluish, potbellied clouds made for a low ceiling and mistimed twilight. Arden unlocked her back door and went inside, but she didn’t switch on the overhead kitchen light, leaving the room appropriately gloomy.

She set her purse on the table and turned to face him.

“Do you want to sit?” he asked.

“No.”

“Well, I do.” He pulled out a chair, rotated it, and straddled it backward. He clasped his hands on the back of it and addressed them rather than looking at her. “I was in on the Welch’s burglary.”

A gust of breath escaped her, but she didn’t speak.

“Along with Rusty. It was his idea. He recruited the rest of us to help him execute his plan. That’s why our digging into the crimes has him off the rails.”

He looked up at her then, and she appeared to be on the verge of boiling over. Her chest was swelling and collapsing like a bellows. She had shut her eyes tightly. When she reopened them, they were shiny with tears of the furious kind.

“You…you—”

“I’m no hero. I told you that.”

“It’s the only truth you’ve told me.”