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“Sonny …”

He held his hand up. “Sorry. Maybe another time. Go. Work. It would be impossible not to see you around town. We’ll run into each other.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Right, gotta go.”

As I hurried toward the door, Trisha called, “Let me know if you hear anything about Joey.”

I waved and then hurried to my Jeep.

CHAPTER

8

SWEAT BEADED ON my upper lip as I contemplated which path I needed to choose so I could meet up with Calloway, who was crouched down in the distance with a man I didn’t recognize. I hadn’t taken time to gather my hat or the gun, and I really missed the shade the hat would have offered.

The two men were deep in a patch of cactus and tumbleweeds about fifty yards away from where I’d stopped the Jeep.

The sun was already halfway up, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. I used my hand to shade my eyes but still couldn’t figure out how to get to where they were.

I hopped out and put two fingers in my mouth, blowing a loud whistle and garnering Calloway’s attention.

I called, “Which way?”

Calloway put his hands up to his mouth. “Doesn’t matter. Just get here. Walk from there.”

“Copy that,” I muttered quietly.

But in the next instant, I froze in place. A distinct warning rattle reached my ears. I suddenly missed the gun more than the hat.

“Damn it.” I tried to locate where the snake was coiled or if it was coming my way.

At least I had my boots on.

I listened and inspected the landscape around me, knowing that I could be looking right at the rattler as it camouflaged into its surroundings.

I’d seen hundreds of snakes, but no matter that I’d popped my snakebite cherry back when I was eighteen, rattlesnakes always scared me. My body hadn’t gone into anaphylactic shock, but there was nothing fun or painfree about the experience. Antivenom wasn’t a great time either. There was no way around it, snakebites hurt and debilitated. I didn’t want to ever be bitten again.

Wilmot had had an uncanny sense about snakes, knowing from where one might slither or attack. More than once, he’d directed me off a route just before I heard a rattle. He’d saved the day a time or two.

The rattle was a warning. Hey, I’m here and I don’t want any trouble. Don’t piss me off, and we’ll be just fine.

I just needed to figure out in which direction he wanted me to make my retreat. I wouldn’t go against his wishes if he made them clear.

A diamond head showed itself, leading the rest of a huge body out from behind a rock. Snakes could move much faster than Mother Nature should have allowed, but this one was taking his time today, smelling the fear coming from the human who’d disrupted his day and enjoying the power he held.

I was about to lift one boot-clad foot and step backward toward the Jeep when the boom and ring of a gunshot shattered my concentration.

I wasn’t one to panic at snakes or jump at gunshots, so I must have been losing my edge … or on edge.

“Missed,” a voice said.

I looked up to see Calloway about ten feet away, his gun aimed downward. I glanced back at the ground, confirming the snake had hurried along its way, which was not toward either me or the sheriff.

“Why didn’t you shoot it?” he asked.

“I didn’t bring my gun.”

Calloway holstered his. “I want you to carry your gun with you at all times until further notice.”