Free Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown Page A

drove his truck back from Charlottesville. Seeing BoomBoom had rattled him. He couldn’t decide if she was truly sorry that Kelly was dead. The zing had fled that marriage years ago.
    No armor existed against her beauty. No armor existed against her icy blasts, either. Why wouldn’t a woman like BoomBoom be sensible like Harry? Why couldn’t a woman like Harry be electrifying like BoomBoom?
    As far as Fair was concerned, Harry was sensible until it came to the divorce. She threw him out. Why should he pay support until the settlement was final?
    It came as a profound shock to Fair when Harry handed him his hat. His vanity suffered more than his heart but Fair seized the opportunity to appear the injured party. The elderly widowed women in Crozet were only too happy to side with him, as were single women in general. He moped about and the flood of dinner invitations immediately followed. For the first time in his life, Fair was the center of attention. He rather liked it.
    Deep in his heart he knew his marriage wasn’t working. If he cared to look inward he would discover he was fifty percent responsible for the failure. Fair had no intention of looking inward, a quality that doomed his marriage and would undoubtedly doom future relationships as well.
    Fair operated on the principle “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but emotional relationships weren’t machines. Emotional relationships didn’t lend themselves to scientific analysis, a fact troubling to his scientifically trained mind. Women didn’t lend themselves to scientific analysis.
    Women were too damned much trouble, and Fair determined to live alone for the rest of his days. The fact that he was a healthy thirty-four did not deter him in this decision.
    He passed Rob Collier on 240 heading east. They waved to each other.
    If the sight of BoomBoom at her husband’s funeral wasn’t enough to unnerve Fair, Rick Shaw had zeroed in on him at the clinic, asking questions. Was he under suspicion? Just because two friends occasionally have a strained relationship doesn’t mean that one will kill the other. He said that to Rick, and the sheriff replied with “People have killed over less.” If that was so, then the world was totally insane. Even if it wasn’t, it felt like it today.
    Fair pulled up behind the post office. Little Tee Tucker stood on her hind legs, nose to the glass, when she heard his truck. He walked over to Market Shiflett’s store for a Coca-Cola first. The blistering heat parched his throat, and castrating colts added to the discomfort somehow.
    â€œHello, Fair.” Courtney’s fresh face beamed.
    â€œHow are you?”
    â€œI’m fine. What about you?”
    â€œHot. How about a Co-Cola?”
    She reached into the old red bin, the kind of soft-drink refrigerator used at the time of World War II, and brought out a cold bottle. “Here, unless you want a bigger one.”
    â€œI’ll take that and I’ll buy a six-pack, too, because I am forever drinking Harry’s sodas. Where’s your dad?”
    â€œThe sheriff came by and Dad went off with him.”
    Fair smirked. “A new broom sweeps the place clean.”
    â€œSir?” Courtney didn’t understand.
    â€œNew sheriff, new anything. When someone takes over a job they have an excess of enthusiasm. This is Rick’s first murder case since he was elected sheriff, so he’s just busting his . . . I mean, he’s anxious to find the killer.”
    â€œWell, I hope he does.”
    â€œMe too. Say, is it true that you have a crush on Dan Tucker?” Fair’s eyes crinkled. How he remembered this age.
    Courtney replied quite seriously, “I wouldn’t have Dan Tucker if he was the last man on earth.”
    â€œIs that so? He must be just awful.” Fair picked up his Cokes and left. Pewter scooted out of the market with him.
    Tucker ran around in circles when Fair