Part 18 (1/2)

”Sons and their fathers.

”What about them?

”Tell the truth. You guys just sit around thinking up ways to fail each other, dont you?

”Go to h.e.l.l, Liam said, and marched to the bar, wallet in hand.

Jo watched him go, admiring the straight spine that managed to broadcast every ounce of the offended dignity that he was feeling.

Fathers and sons, she thought.

There oughta be a law.

She was unaware that shed said the words out loud until Special Agent James Mason said, ”Against what?

”Many things, she said, recovering. ”Many, many things.

”There already are, he said. ”And speaking as a member and on behalf of the law-enforcement community, I have enough laws to make people mind already. My old man used to say that every time Congress enacted another law, they took another little piece of our freedom away.

”Sounds like a right-wing reactionary to me.

He laughed. ”Its early, he said, reaching for his jacket. ”Youre at the Bay View Inn.

”Yes.

”So am I. Ive got a bottle in my room. Want a drink?

She looked him over with care. He met her eyes without guile, something to mistrust in any member of any law-enforcement agency. ”Sure, she said.

After paying his tab Liam paused at the chess table. ”Get the h.e.l.l outta my light, Clarence said. Eric Mollberg had gone to the bar for a refill. Moses looked up and growled, ”What?

”Do you know who did it?

Moses moved his last p.a.w.n to the last row and exchanged it for his queen.

”Do you?

”Check, Moses said. Clarence swore loudly.

”G.o.dd.a.m.n it, old man, Liam said.

”G.o.dd.a.m.n it, yourself, Moses said. He reached for a bottle of Oly and flatfooted it. ”Beer! he bellowed, and behind him Liam heard the bar cooler open. ”I dont know, he said finally, glaring up at Liam, who seemed to have planted himself like a rock.

”Youd tell me if you did.

”It doesnt work like that. Youll find him. He tried for one of his fallen-angel smiles, not quite succeeding. ”Besides, youre not a believer, boy. What you doing bothering the old shaman when you know youre going to do whatever the h.e.l.l you were going to do in the first place? Go on home. Shes waiting for you.

”I am. Liam didnt move.

”Go on, then! Quit interfering with my chess game.

Clarence gave a sudden cry that sounded just like the cackle of a raven, and moved his rook. ”Checkmate.

”f.u.c.k, Moses said.

Clarence sat back in his chair and looked up at Liam beneath s.h.a.ggy brows. ”You talking about Lydia?

Liam s.h.i.+fted his gaze from one side of the table to the other, and nodded.

”You should have seen her when we was all young, Clarence said. ”That girl had boys buzzing around like mosquitoes, wanting to suck that juicy little thing dry.

Moses uttered a sharp bark of laughter. ”Including you.

”Including you, Clarence retorted. His beady little black eyes sparkled and he all but smacked his lips. ”Those were the days. Get hold of a truck and drive your girl and your friends and their girls to Icky and have an all-day party on the beach at One Lake. You remember that party out the beach that one summer?

Moses grinned.

”Yeah, Clarence said. ”I see you do. Bet Leslie and Walter and Silent Cal and Stan do, too.

”Stans dead.

Clarence frowned. ”Stans dead?

”Going on five years.

Clarence was outraged. ”G.o.dd.a.m.n! Hows a man supposed to get drunk with his friends if they keep dying on him!

”What about Lydia at the beach? Liam said.

Moses and Clarence got matching faraway looks on their faces. ”We went up to the fish camp used to be at Icky.

”Wasnt Icky, Moses said. ”The fish camp was out the end of River Road.

”It was up Icky way, this fish camp, Clarence said, glaring. ”A bunch of the guys and the girls in the school. We took some beer, and somebody had some records and had figured out a way to run a record player off his pickup battery. We stayed up there two days and two nights, dancing and singing and laughing and pulling fish out of the river. Clarence looked at Moses. ”Remember the eagles?

Moses nodded. ”Couple eagles sitting in this cottonwood snag, old Silent Cal got too close and one of those eagles hoisted up its tail feathers and shot a stream of yellow s.h.i.+t straight into old Silent Cals face.

Both old men shook with remembered glee, until Liam was afraid Clarence at least might go off into an apoplexy.

”I think he thought he was going to get lucky that night, Clarence said, mopping his eyes. ”But his girl wouldnt have anything to do with him after that. He winked at Liam. ”Not to say she didnt get lucky herself.

Moses leaned forward and leveled a forefinger. ”Clarence, you are a dirty old man.

”I wasnt then.

Again both men fell into choking fits.