Free When the Women Come out to Dance (2002) by Elmore Leonard

You know what I mean?"
    "Ethiopian," Raylan said. "By way of Jamaica. I remembe r now on the news they said it was believed the people smoke d ganja as part of the service."
    "They smoked it, they sold it--the place was a dope stor e passing as a church. It blew," Art said, "there was free grass al l over the block. This was three days ago. Since then we got th e Cincinnati police to loan us Israel Fandi. He's in a holding cel l downstairs, but claims he didn't see the man's face had th e bazooka. I said to him, 'Israel, you see him in a lineup, th e man we know blew up your church, you might change you r mind.'"
    "The power of suggestion," Raylan said.
    "Without holding the marijuana over his head. We'll sav e it. Next thing is to pick up Boyd, if he's still around."
    "What've you got on him otherwise?"
    "The U . S . attorney wants to collect indictments under a charge of sedition. That he did willfully and knowingly e t cetera conspire to overthrow, put down and destroy by forc e the government of the United States."
    "But what've you got you can take to court?"
    "Only bits and pieces of evidence."
    "Then he's most likely still around," Raylan said.
    "Well, he's got sympathizers. Half the people living up i n the hollers around here," Art said, "are on welfare but stil l don't trust the government, won't talk to census takers.
    Boyd's mother and his ex-wife are in Evarts. His skinhead s train at a place up on Sukey Ridge, what he calls his Christia n Aggression Church. Signs on the trees say you approach a t your own risk, as the road's been mined."
    "You let him get away with that?"
    "ATF swept it. There aren't any mines. Another house, on e he used to own up on Black Mountain? It's been under foreclosure since he went to prison. We want to sell it to cover his back taxes, but Boyd's put the word out, anybody buys th e house, he'll blow it up."
    "I remember," Raylan said, "they used to raise marijuan a crops up there, acres of plants all the way down across the Virginia line."
    "They're still growing it, but that's not our business, busting dopers.''
    "No, but what I was thinking," Raylan said, "Israel bein g into weed, what if you sold the house to him? Say for a hundred bucks or so." He had Art starting to grin. "And you let Boyd know a black guy's living in his house."
    Not a bad idea, Art saying yeah, that coul d bring him out. Saying then, "There's another situation coul d do it. You know Bowman, Boyd's brother?"
    Raylan saw him in a football uniform. "Sorta. He was a star running back in high school--this was after I got out. Boy d was always talking about him, how Bowman had the good s and would go on to play college ball and become a pro. I wa s never that sure."
    Art said, "You remember the girl he married, Ava?"
    Raylan's tone came alive as he said, "Ava, yeah, she live d down the street from us." He remembered her eyes. "She' s married to Bowman?"
    "Was," Art said. "She ended the union the other day with a thirty-ought-six, plugged him through the heart."
    It stopped Raylan. He remembered a cute little darkhaired girl about sixteen and how she tried to act older, flirting, working her brown eyes on him. He remembered her sassy cheerleader moves on the field Friday nights, the girls i n blue and gold doing their routines, and his eyes would b e on Ava the whole time. Too young or he would've gon e after her.
    He said to Art, "You talk to her?"
    "She admits shooting him. Ava said she got tired of hi m getting drunk and beating her up. She was arraigned thi s morning. Her lawyer had her plead not guilty to first and second degree and she was released on her own recognizance. Unusual, but the prosecutor, knowing Bowman, would just as soon not bring her up. They'll work out a plea deal."
    "Where is she now?"
    "Went home. I told her, you know Boyd's gonna com e looking for you. She said it's none of our business. I told her i t is if he shoots you. You want to talk to her?"
    "I wouldn't mind," Raylan said.
    V.
    She'd