Free Dark Places by Reavis Z Wortham Page B

possible.
    â€œWell, he’s already told me a little bit, but I know you .” Ned shifted his position, hoping to get easy. “This ain’t a regular disappearance, so what’d you find out?”
    â€œI talked to Willis Allen. We had lunch today at Frenchie’s, and he told me they came up here to buy some land.” Willis Allen ran the Chevrolet dealership and sat on the city council. “Said they intend to buy up enough farms to start up a big ranch, and they had cash with ’em to get people interested. Then they disappeared.”
    Ned rubbed his belly and hoped Cody hadn’t noticed. “They ought not have been flashing money around.”
    â€œWell, they did.” Cody said, absently.
    Both of the elderly men were surprised. “What?”
    â€œGave Norm Hopkins five hundred cash of what they called ‘earnest money.’ He said they told him he could keep it, whether they did a deal or not.”
    â€œI never heard of such a thing.” O.C. studied the sheets of rain through the window. “Not giving cash, anyway. Checks makes more sense.”
    â€œThey’re trying to close the deals fast, before other folks hear they’re buying and up the prices on their land.” Cody bit his lip, thinking. “Probably would have worked, too, if they hadn’t disappeared. Even if they turn up, the cat’s out of the bag and prices’ll go sky high.”
    He stood. “I’ll know more after I’ve had time to make some calls.”
    â€œYou been kinda busy learning this business, and hiring that new female deputy,” O.C. kidded. “I’m surprised you found out anything at all so fast.”
    Ned shot Cody a glance over his shoulder. “Yeah, and you’re gonna get in trouble at home by hirin’ some gal outta Houston.”
    â€œI hired a deputy named Anna Sloan, and not a gal.”
    O.C. chuckled. “Who’da thought about hiring a girl deputy? You might have done better if you hired one who leans toward the fleshy side.”
    Cody felt backed into a corner by the two old lawmen. “You two are barkin’ up the wrong tree. She’s a good deputy with five years of solid experience. Hell, I worked with women in ’Nam that made two of most men.”
    â€œAnd a lot more curves than we’re used to.” Ned gave O.C. a wink. “We don’t need to borrow no trouble. We have enough of our own problems right here in town.”
    Cody flicked the switch on the metal table fan sitting on top of the wooden file cabinet. It hummed to life. “You hear something I need to know, O.C.?”
    Thankful for the slight breeze as the fan oscillated, the judge tugged the window completely shut and studied the gray town outside. “Nary a thing right now. Y’all find anything new on that dead feller in Center Springs?”
    Ned rubbed his scar. “There ain’t much to find. Somebody run over Leland and he’s dead. I don’t know much else to do.”
    Cody opened the door. “I know, and it won’t get done standing here talking to you two old farts.”
    â€œYou gone to check on that new deputy?”
    The sheriff grinned at the judge and flicked his hat toward Ned, sprinkling him with water. “Yep, and to try and solve a disappearance.”
    When he was gone, Ned rubbed his head. “That would have made me mad a few years ago. I used to have a temper.”
    â€œYou still do.”
    â€œNot so’s you’d notice anymore.”
    O.C. laughed and waved toward the door. “Get out of here, and go get that belly checked out.”

Chapter Fifteen
    Pepper and I were arguing about music again. The weather had us hemmed up inside and listening to music on Miss Becky’s little plastic GE radio when “Jimmy Mack” came on. I always like the beat of that song, but Pepper started in. “That’s nothing but bubble gum music. You should listen