Page 149 of Head Room

Plus, the football thing gave him points, which didn’t completely offset the journalist tag for the other three men, but blunted the edge.

“It will be,” he said, “once you’ve pinned down this guy.”

No high fives or — heaven forbid — words, but the three county employees did nod.

Wowsers.

We nodded back.

I resisted requiring blood oaths that they’d tell us immediately.

Only partly because mental math told me that if it took them a little longer, I might be back from our mini-honeymoon to do the story.

The other part was knowing Mike would ensure we got the story.

I truly am becoming laid-back.It can only be Tom’s influence.

Near the door, I turned and stated, “Randy Hollister doesn’t know what his cousin is doing.”

No one answered directly.But the general lifting of the mood, like the first bud of amusement, confirmed it.

“One more thing.”My intro withered that bud.“Has the gun found in the fire at Frank Jardos’ cabin been identified?Linked to him?”

They didn’t look at one another, but there was communication, particularly between the sheriff and Shelton.

This time, the sheriff said, “They’re still working on trying to restore the serial number.But the make and model does not match any guns registered to Sergeant Jardos.”

Left unsaid was that he could have had an unregistered gun.

“Is Frank Jardos telling you anything useful?”

No response.

“Is there any connection between Kyle Vaughn Quetcher Moser and the shooting of Nance?”

No response.

But both non-responses had the flavor ofno.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Our civic dutydone, we called Diana.

She met us for lunch at Hamburger Heaven, which was a major favor to Mike, since I was still on salads for the dress.

We talked over the meeting with Cottonwood County’s law enforcement brain trust.

“Isthere any way this connects with the shooting at Frank Jardos’ cabin?”Diana asked.

“Elizabeth asked the same thing,” Mike said.“They didn’t answer, but the implication was no.And I sure can’t see how they’d fit.”

“Although—” Starting with that word conceded that he had a point.“—we can’t know for sure until we figure out who shot Nance.”

Diana sighed.“Was sort of hoping our buddy Kyle might help with that.Unless they’re hiding something we don’t know about.What do you think?”

“Hard to tell,” Mike said.

More slowly, I said, “I don’t think so.”