Page 65 of Head Room

“Hiram,” Tom called out neutrally.

He put a sun-blocking hand above his eyes.“Tom Burrell?”

“Yup.With Elizabeth — Elizabeth Margaret Danniher from the TV station.Break the shotgun, Hiram.Or put it away.”

The short, blocky man reached back and seemed to lean the gun against the doorjamb.His hands were empty as he came forward with Yvette, whose smile never faltered during this.

Her demeanor would fit if we were all getting ready to go on a double date.

Hiram’s fit if we were combatants stepping into neutral ground to discuss a ceasefire, though he didn’t entirely trust our white flag.

As agreed while we drove here, Tom took the lead.

“Elizabeth and some folks from the station are looking deeper into Frank and Irene’s cabin burning down.An officer he knew from the Army asked them to.”

A sound rumbled from deep in Hiram’s chest.Not quite a growl, but not approval, either.

Yvette, however, said, “Oh, that nice Colonel Crawford?Frank and Irene sure do think highly of him.Well, shedid.Poor soul.Such a lovely person.Such a loss.Even when you know it’s coming, it knocks you sideways.”

This time, Hiram’s chest rumble held a note of agreement.

Tom’s slight nod to me expressed his opinion that I wasn’t going to get a better opportunity to start my questions.

“Hiram, when did you meet Frank Jardos?”

“When he moved here.Woulda been hard to meet ’im before that, wouldn’t it,” he growled.

So much for easing in.

“When did you last see Frank?”

“How would I know?Ain’t like I wrote it down on my calendar or—”

“Day before the fire,” Yvette said.

I left a beat to see if he’d confirm, deny, or get huffy.None of the above.He did look at her, possibly with admiration.Certainly with acceptance.

“How did he seem?”

He screwed his face up.“I dunno.We don’t get into all that touchy-feely rigamarole or—”

“You said he said he was real busy,” she inserted.

“That’s right.Busy.He said he was busy.”

“Doing what?”

He looked at her.She dipped her head forward slightly in an encouraging gesture and primed him with, “For the guys...”

“Going into town for the guys,” he picked up.“Some vets.Post office, groceries, and such.”

This sounded like the sameguysHannah and Connie mentioned.

“Are these the vets who live—”In the forestsounded Hansel and Gretel-ish.Despite its modernity, which was sure to rankle Hiram, I went with “—off the grid?”

He growled.

Yvette said brightly, “That’s them.”