The Invisible Hand - A crime novel

Chapter 86

"Something bothering you, Red?" Gus says from the doorway to his house. Sniffs at the sheriff. "You look a little flush."

Red stamps his feet in place. Rocks back and forth on all 16 inches of Gus's doormat.

"Was out at Lori's place. She...uh...lost a cow," Red says.

Gus opens the door wider. Red moves to walk inside, but Gus shuffles out first. Closes the door behind him.

"Can't I come in?" Red says.

"And talk about a steer? If it was half as messed up as you look, we've got plenty to talk about. But let's do it on the porch. The family went into town. I was about to head out to spray for wormwood on the four-wheeler," Gus says.

Red walks away a few feet. Walks back. "I can't do this anymore."

"What? The sheriff thing?" Gus says.

"No. This Wil thing. Being here and not there. Letting other people handle things. Not knowing what's going on. I can't do it," Red says.

Gus thinks about his conversation with Tom and Beth. About the red envelope. And the land deal.

Keep Red away until the investigation closes, they'd said. Gus would have first dibs on some hot property for cheap. The land value is set to skyrocket, but no one has a clue about it. Except for the feds, apparently. And now Gus.

Gus had pressed the agents for more information. They kept quiet on the specifics. But they did say it would be a parcel on the Reynolds property. As in Mary Reynolds, Wil's mother. That was the deal. Take it or leave it.

Gus couldn't see a reason not to take the agents on their word. The badges checked out. They talked like federals. Land values did skyrocket overnight. All the time, in fact, as the oil companies focused on expanding their reach.

The red envelope from the agents is the fail-safe in all this. Gus thinks to where he stashed it away. In the gun safe downstairs? Yes, next to a box of shells and the agents' business cards.

"Calm down," Gus says. "Why don't you take a breather? Come out with me on the four-wheelers. It'll feel good to get out."

Red rubs a hand on the back of his neck. "There's no time for wormwood. We have to find Wil," he says.

"Stop talking like that. The feds have it under control," Gus says.

"How do you know? I sure as hell haven't heard from them lately. Have you?" Red says.

Gus flinches. Takes a sec to read Red. Does he know about the meeting with Tom and Beth?

No. Red's eyes are manic. Not their usual metallurgy of steel and vinegar. The one that could drill holes for fence posts in the prairie.

"Can't say they've been in touch with me, either," Gus says. Clears his throat. "Hey, let's go into Betrug for lunch. My treat. You can tell me why it's so important to find Wil now."

Red pulls out his flask. Takes a pull. Remembers it's empty.

"Sure. And then I'm leaving," Red says. "You coming with me? Figure I'll start in Minot. Work my way to Williston. You always wanted to play cops and robbers. Now's your chance."

"I'm staying around here. You should, too," Gus says. Recites the combination to the gun safe in his head.

"You need to settle down first. Then we'll talk about Wil. Let me grab my wallet from downstairs," Gus says in the most unassuming voice he can muster. Turns to go back in the house.

"You keep your wallet downstairs?" Red says.

"Yeah. Was doing laundry just now," Gus says. It's a weak excuse. Passes Red's boozy muster anyway.

Gus hurries inside. Throws on a light jacket. Opens the gun safe. Stuffs the red envelope into his deep left jacket pocket. A .45 Ruger Blackhawk revolver loaded with jacketed hollow points goes into the right one.

"Ready to go?" Gus says as he returns to Red.

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