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Doctor Olson left with a promise to let me know about the cause of death, and I stayed with Mrs. Quade until one of her boys arrived to stay with his mother.

Tall and lanky, the Quade boy looked a lot like his father. Anger in his eyes as he asked me, “You going to be able to catch the bastards who killed my father?”

“I hope so. If you or your brother have any insight, I wish y’all would tell me.”

“What kind of insight are we talking about, Sheriff?”

“Rough dealings your father had with customers in the past or recently. People holding a grudge against your father—for any reason at all. Randy at odds with someone over something that happened. Like that.”

“Okay. I get it. Let me think on that, Sheriff.”

I handed the kid a card. “Call my cell anytime. I’ll be happy to hear from you.”

“Are the cops looking for the horse trailer?” he asked.

“Yes, sir. I’m waiting for it to be spotted.”

“Okay, thanks. I’m Randy Junior. Everybody calls meBuddy.”

“Take care of your mother, Buddy. She’s had a bad shock.”

“My brother is on his way here from work. We’ll stay with her, Sheriff. We’re a close family.”

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

On my way back to the office, I had Molly put a bulletin out to all medical facilities in the surrounding area—looking for two guys with butts full of buckshot.

Coming in through the back door of the station, the dogs pushed ahead of me and almost knocked the shovel out of my hand. “Hey, slow down.”

I walked through to the squad room and Molly was busy talking to the hospitals. I stood the shovel up against the wall next to her desk—the mouth of the shovel inserted in an evidence bag.

She turned to watch what I was doing. “This is the murder weapon that killed Randy Quade.”

“Oh, no. He was such a nice man. I feel so bad for his wife and family.”

“I waited until Randy Junior came to stay with his mother.”

“Is he the one they callBuddy?”

“Yes. That’s what he told me. You keep going on the hospitals and medical centers and let me know if we get a hit on the truck and trailer. I’m going to Peterson’s to gas up the squad and then I’m going to see Billy and fill him in.”

“I’ll let you know if I hear anything, Travis. How many horses did they take?”

“Six out of twenty. That’s all they had time to get out of the barn before Mrs. Quade came out of the house with a shotgun.”

“Oh, my. She must have been frightened,” Molly added, “Those quarter horses are valuable.”

I smiled. “I could barely afford Outlaw, but he’s totally worth the price.”

Peterson’s Service Center.

Kirby Pratt came running out when I pulled up to the pumps. “Is it true, Sheriff? Did some lowlifes kill Randy Quade?”

Coyote Creek was the gossip capital of Montana. Word traveled on the wind and the citizens seemed to thrive on it.

“Yes, it’s true. I just came from his ranch. Keep your ears open for me, will you?”

Kirby leaned in closer. “What am I looking for, Sheriff?”