1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Welcome to the third installment of Fiction Friday. Tonight, 2 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,199 we're going to read the first a couple of the 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,800 first scenes from a book that I've recently read called 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,079 No Good Man. It is a book authored by Rebecca 5 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,920 Lee Wesson, who has contributed to this channel in the 6 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,920 way of a short story. If you remember, just a 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,640 few weeks ago, I uploaded a video called The hat 8 00:00:30,719 --> 00:00:35,079 Man that is authored by Rebecca Lee Wesson. She's really 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:37,759 a good writer. This book is I don't know the 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,039 genre that you would classify this book in, maybe neo Western, 11 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,079 but as I read the book, I'm thinking No Country 12 00:00:46,119 --> 00:00:50,399 for Old Men and Fargo and maybe some kind of 13 00:00:50,439 --> 00:00:57,119 Quentin Tarantino screenplay. It's that good. It's NonStop action. It 14 00:00:57,159 --> 00:01:01,719 has got so many twists and turns. Reader, you'd like 15 00:01:01,799 --> 00:01:04,200 to kind of just get engrossed in a book where 16 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:05,879 you just have to you have to go to the 17 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,079 next chapter, then you have to go to the next 18 00:01:08,159 --> 00:01:11,319 chapter to see what's going on. This is one of those. 19 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:15,120 Rebecca and her publisher have given me permission to read 20 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,599 these two scenes. You'll hear in this reading how action 21 00:01:19,799 --> 00:01:23,120 packed this book is. Let me say that this podcast 22 00:01:23,519 --> 00:01:29,439 should be considered not for children. Adult how do you 23 00:01:29,519 --> 00:01:34,359 say it? Parental discretion should be advised. Kids under I 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,840 don't know eighteen, probably shouldn't listen to it because of 25 00:01:37,879 --> 00:01:40,959 the language, the violence, and there is a bit of 26 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:45,519 sexual innuindow, it's not graphic at all. She's very tasteful 27 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,719 in this book with that kind of stuff. There is 28 00:01:47,879 --> 00:01:50,560 language and violence, and to me, it makes it a 29 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,400 good book. So I hope you all enjoy this. All 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,840 of the information you'll need to click links and read 31 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,519 a description of the book is just right down there 32 00:01:59,599 --> 00:02:02,560 in the description. Take a look at it. Click the link, 33 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,040 go buy the book. Hope y'all buy a thousand copies 34 00:02:06,079 --> 00:02:08,680 of this book and put her get her in a 35 00:02:08,719 --> 00:02:12,400 place where the algorithm on Amazon catches this book and 36 00:02:12,479 --> 00:02:16,840 really gets it going. No good Man by Rebecca Lee Wesson, 37 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:27,120 All Right, here we go, Saturday, October fifth, Solemn City. 38 00:02:28,599 --> 00:02:31,680 Jedediah stood in the open door of the Bluebird Saloon. 39 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,120 Despite the rural surroundings, the molded silver heels of his 40 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:42,159 black snakeskin boots spitelessly reflected the daylight outside. On the 41 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,199 left heel was a cold snake with its head upright 42 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,199 on the right heel was an angel. Her wings were 43 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,479 extended to her sides, and her face was morning. He 44 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,360 pulled his white shirtcuffs down through the sleeves of his 45 00:02:56,479 --> 00:03:00,560 tailored suit jacket, knowing they would be stained red soon 46 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,560 and the shirt would have to be replaced, but he 47 00:03:03,599 --> 00:03:07,120 did not mind. It was not unusual for business to 48 00:03:07,159 --> 00:03:11,000 get bloody. He pushed a lock of gray hair that 49 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,000 had fallen into his eye back into his head full 50 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,879 of black, and adjusted his sunglasses further up to the 51 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,400 bridge of his nose. He cracked his heavy knuckles and 52 00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:24,560 felt the residual aches from the scuffle a minute ago 53 00:03:24,599 --> 00:03:28,919 fade from his right hand. Behind him, outside on the 54 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,400 gravel were the bodies of eleven men, Each of them 55 00:03:32,439 --> 00:03:35,800 wore blue jeans and matching black polos with the logo 56 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,879 of a private security company over the left breast. On 57 00:03:40,919 --> 00:03:44,080 the ground in the distance, a security drone with the 58 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,919 same logo blue sparks erradically. Four of its six propellers 59 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,280 were smashed from its fall to Earth minutes before, and 60 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,759 the camera on the underbelly looked like a shattered robotic 61 00:03:55,879 --> 00:03:59,520 eyeball that had fallen out of its socket. Four of 62 00:03:59,599 --> 00:04:03,159 jetted die as men stood over the limp bodies, watched 63 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,840 him and waited instructions. Two more set their sniper rifles 64 00:04:07,919 --> 00:04:11,680 back into the padding of their hard plastic cases, snapped 65 00:04:11,719 --> 00:04:16,480 them shut, and joined the others. Horace the seventh Man 66 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,519 leaned against the driver's door of his black Lincoln truck 67 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,800 with his arms crossed, looking privileged and resentful about that 68 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,680 for some reason. Like Jeddediah, his men had been given 69 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,680 many nicknames over the years, but the Desert Parish Boys 70 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:36,600 was the only one that stuck. The DPBS had shaved faces, 71 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,560 cropped haircuts, and wore tailored black suits with a silver 72 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,360 snake pennant pin to the left lapel. If they had 73 00:04:44,399 --> 00:04:48,720 a dress coat. Horace lazily abided by it. He wore 74 00:04:48,759 --> 00:04:52,040 black jeans and a leather jacket. His hair was long, 75 00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:55,319 and his face needed a shave, and his attitude needed 76 00:04:55,360 --> 00:05:01,040 an adjustment. The Bluebird Saloon in Solemn City, Texas, was 77 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,680 three hundred and fifty miles mostly west and a little 78 00:05:04,759 --> 00:05:08,120 south of Dallas. It sat alone on a plot of 79 00:05:08,199 --> 00:05:10,480 dirt as big and white as the eye could see 80 00:05:10,519 --> 00:05:13,759 in any direction, and was too far from anywhere to 81 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,600 get any business. There was no stoplight, no gas station 82 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,439 within twenty miles, and no jobs, not even at the saloon, 83 00:05:22,879 --> 00:05:26,439 which had invite only customers just three times a year. 84 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,920 Three times a year, a security cable buried three hundred 85 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,759 yards east of the saloon under the dirt at the 86 00:05:33,879 --> 00:05:37,160 end of the gravel drive notified the twelve security guards 87 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,040 posted in and around the saloon if vehicles were approaching. 88 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,839 Three times a year, security cameras and a security drone 89 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,680 helped with the other directions. Three times a year, a Corvette, 90 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,639 a Maserati, two Mercedes G five fifties, and two Rolls 91 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,600 Royces arrived and parked on the northern side of the saloon, 92 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,920 their collective width wider than the establishment itself, but the 93 00:06:04,959 --> 00:06:08,959 security precautions were redundant. A half blind man could see 94 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:12,319 a person or vehicle approaching for miles away, and a 95 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,120 shrewd one would learn to hear them way before that. 96 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,360 This far out in the flatlands, the only sound on 97 00:06:19,519 --> 00:06:22,759 such a weather free day was a light wind. Once 98 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,120 that was taken out of the equation, hearing a trespasser 99 00:06:26,399 --> 00:06:30,439 was simple arithmetic near silence minus the sound of a 100 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,399 light wind plus the distant sound of rubber on gravel 101 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:39,480 equals uninvited guests. Nevertheless, the twelve security guards were Texan, 102 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,319 which meant they were accustomed to courtesy. They expected that 103 00:06:43,399 --> 00:06:47,199 if Jedediah Warcrep paid the Bluebird's Lune a visit, he 104 00:06:47,199 --> 00:06:51,680 would use the driveway like a gentleman. But the guards, however, 105 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,800 cultivated by Texan etiquette, were not good at math, and 106 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,399 in the hills freckled with shrubs. Five hundred yards north 107 00:06:59,439 --> 00:07:03,959 and south of the saloon. Two sniper trained dpbs, lying 108 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,680 on their stomachs with their eyes in the scopes of 109 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,639 their M two's did not give them a chance to 110 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,160 retry the equation. The third time that year the saloon 111 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:18,199 saw customers. The snipers each fired a single shot from 112 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:23,560 their locations. When the first two guards fell simultaneously onto 113 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,000 the gravel in front of the entrance, more security guards 114 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,199 were alerted and then imprudently ran to check on their 115 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,639 comrades and fell shortly after. This continued for the first 116 00:07:34,639 --> 00:07:38,759 minute until the four internal security guards also alerted and 117 00:07:38,839 --> 00:07:43,079 went into the open. All four were shot upon exiting 118 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,319 the saloon, but only three met the gravel. The fourth 119 00:07:47,399 --> 00:07:50,680 leaped back inside, while the sniper in the south swatted 120 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,319 the scorpion off the lens of his scope that had 121 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,480 caused him to hit the man in the upper thigh 122 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,839 instead of the head. By minute two, there were thirteen 123 00:07:59,879 --> 00:08:04,639 spent bullets, eleven big dead bodies, one dead drone, and 124 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,319 a more or less clear entrance for Jedadiah, who drove 125 00:08:08,399 --> 00:08:12,240 his blacked out Bentley Moulson down the long driveway several 126 00:08:12,279 --> 00:08:17,160 minutes later like a gentleman. Unless the wounded security guard 127 00:08:17,199 --> 00:08:21,000 had maintained an extraordinary sense of calm and dexterity in 128 00:08:21,079 --> 00:08:24,319 the situation, in which case he may have been invited 129 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,639 to become a DPB. Jedediah expected the man to react 130 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,279 predictably and out of fear, which is exactly what he did. 131 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,480 Somewhere around minute four, when Jedediah was out of his 132 00:08:37,639 --> 00:08:40,519 vehicle and two steps from the entrance of the saloon, 133 00:08:40,879 --> 00:08:43,000 the guard jumped in front of him from behind the 134 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:47,039 doorframe with his gun pointed, eyes wild and mouth screaming. 135 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,279 Jedediah grabbed the nose of the gun, yanked the man forward, 136 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,360 and knocked him out with a train punched to the temple. 137 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,080 The guard fell to the floor inside the saloon, where 138 00:08:58,279 --> 00:09:01,039 around minute five, he died in his sleep from the 139 00:09:01,039 --> 00:09:05,080 bullet he took to his femeral artery. From the open 140 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,279 door the saloon, Jedediah could tell the establishment was a 141 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,960 prop It had everything someone would expect to see if 142 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:18,639 they accidentally wandered in. Everything besides customers. It was windowless 143 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,600 and lit in a way that suggested it was always 144 00:09:21,759 --> 00:09:25,320 six o'clock at night. On the southern wall to the 145 00:09:25,399 --> 00:09:28,279 left of the entrance was a polished wooden bar top 146 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,200 with a handful of red pleathan swivel stools underneath it. 147 00:09:32,759 --> 00:09:36,000 A square TV VCR was mounted in the corner of 148 00:09:36,039 --> 00:09:39,200 the ceiling where the southern and western walls met, and 149 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,679 was playing a college football game recorded about forty years earlier, 150 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,360 judging by the attire of the coach talking to the players. 151 00:09:48,159 --> 00:09:51,039 The grainy footage was cut off by black and white 152 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,320 horizontal lines that pushed and pulled each other over the 153 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,039 screen for a few seconds, then disappeared and showed the 154 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,120 game again, the teams now in the middle of play. 155 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,440 Behind the bar was a wall stocked with unopened bottles 156 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,720 of liquor. Next To it was a refrigerator with a 157 00:10:08,759 --> 00:10:12,320 transparent door that displayed bottles of beer that were likely 158 00:10:12,399 --> 00:10:15,639 warm because someone in the props department had forgotten to 159 00:10:15,639 --> 00:10:20,120 plug it in. The western and northern walls were covered 160 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:24,840 by framed Doseki's mirrors, and underneath them were square tables 161 00:10:25,279 --> 00:10:28,799 like the bar top had probably been polished once years 162 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,519 ago and not since. On the top of the table, 163 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,919 closest to the door was a remote control for the drone, 164 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,200 and next to it was an open laptop that relayed 165 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,840 the drone's footage until its robotic eyeball was shattered. Three 166 00:10:43,879 --> 00:10:46,399 of the chairs around the table had been pushed out, 167 00:10:46,639 --> 00:10:49,360 and the fourth had been tipped over completely. When the 168 00:10:49,399 --> 00:10:54,200 men sitting in them rushed outside. Jedediah stepped over the 169 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,759 guard's body into the saloon and felt the hollowness of 170 00:10:57,799 --> 00:11:02,039 the wooden floor underneath his feet. He stood still next 171 00:11:02,039 --> 00:11:05,840 to the overturned chair, listened to the quiet, and waited. 172 00:11:07,279 --> 00:11:10,720 After a long empty pause, a muffled voice came from 173 00:11:10,759 --> 00:11:15,320 underneath him. Jedediah scanned the wooden floorboards in the room 174 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,639 and then walked behind the bar and lifted the black 175 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,919 rubber floor mats one by one until he found a 176 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,840 metal handle, and when he pulled it upwards, a rectangular 177 00:11:24,919 --> 00:11:28,200 wooden door lifted with it, exposing a wide and well 178 00:11:28,279 --> 00:11:33,320 lit stone staircase. The basement of the Bluebird Saloon was 179 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,559 handsomely decorated and five times the size the bar itself. 180 00:11:38,759 --> 00:11:43,440 The floors were stoned and stained oak. Wainscoting covered the walls. 181 00:11:44,159 --> 00:11:48,120 A giant iron and frosted glass dome light was mounted 182 00:11:48,159 --> 00:11:51,360 in the center of the ceiling, where the wainscoting continued 183 00:11:51,399 --> 00:11:55,840 in egg shell white. On one wall, six polished steer 184 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,960 horns were mounted into oversized coat hangers. Each one held 185 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,799 one cowboy hat and one jacket, several of which were 186 00:12:03,879 --> 00:12:09,000 leather and beaded in Southwestern patterns. On two other walls 187 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,240 were framed paintings of cowboys doing heroic things, and underneath 188 00:12:13,279 --> 00:12:16,799 them were tall leather seats angled toward each other with 189 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,960 circular side tables in between. Opposite the staircase was a bar, 190 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,639 and behind it was a timid looking female bartender. In 191 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,120 front of the bar and plasticy short skirts were five 192 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,480 more young women. Judging by the emotional drain on their faces, 193 00:12:34,799 --> 00:12:39,200 Jedediah assumed they were not there by choice. In the 194 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,440 center of the room was a circular poker table with 195 00:12:42,519 --> 00:12:46,159 a green felt cover. It was scattered with poker chips, 196 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,559 cigarette trays, and six sets of folded playing cards, and 197 00:12:50,639 --> 00:12:55,240 six tumblers with ice cubes melting in brown liquor in 198 00:12:55,279 --> 00:12:59,120 the matching armchairs surrounding the table where the imperious gray 199 00:12:59,159 --> 00:13:03,159 haired men as the Big Boss six at their third 200 00:13:03,279 --> 00:13:07,600 and final poker game of the year. Five of them 201 00:13:07,799 --> 00:13:12,440 looked anxiously toward Jedediah and the four dpbs, who entered 202 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:16,639 the space unhurriedly. The six Man craned his head over 203 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,080 two layers of neck fat to see the uninvited guests 204 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,000 behind him, and then scoffed and lit a cigarette jet 205 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,799 did the devil of the desert himself? The fat man said, 206 00:13:28,879 --> 00:13:32,120 with smoke billowing out of his mouth and nose. I 207 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,320 see that ugly face of yours survive the estate fire. 208 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,399 I heard your folks burn till their flesh fell off 209 00:13:38,399 --> 00:13:42,960 the bone. Jedediah took his sunglasses off and put them 210 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,720 in the inside pocket of a suit jacket, and then 211 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,600 stood by patiently while the fat Man continued, Have you 212 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,679 been a busy boy? Haven't you in the hospital for 213 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,279 a whole year? Then taking care of your daddy's affairs 214 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,559 around the world after that, how's it feel to wear pants? Uh? 215 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:05,279 Think you handle all that responsibility? The fat man chuckled 216 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,080 in the silver bolo around his neck absorbed into one 217 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:13,440 of his chins, which wiggled when he spoke. I'm surprised 218 00:14:13,519 --> 00:14:16,440 you didn't come to visit us sooner. We've been waiting 219 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:20,240 what three years for this moment, hadn't we? The fat 220 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:23,159 man asked the older man at the table, who exchanged 221 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:30,399 nervous glances. Jeeddiah grin. How's my sister jal She's crazy 222 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,240 as hell, fucked in the head like you, the fat 223 00:14:33,279 --> 00:14:36,279 man said. I hate the bitch, but I agree with 224 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:40,360 her on one point. What's that The six of us 225 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,279 will be a hell of a lot richer once you're 226 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,600 in the ground. The fat man dropped his right hand 227 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,080 under the table. He brought it up quickly again, holding 228 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,799 a revolver. The others at the table recoled as he 229 00:14:52,879 --> 00:14:56,200 tried to turn and shoot Jeadiah behind him, but his 230 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:01,200 bulging stomach kept him from aiming properly. Dead he moved 231 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,600 his arm as far as it would go in Jedediah's 232 00:15:03,679 --> 00:15:07,559 direction and fired, sending a bullet into a wall, nowhere 233 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,960 close to its target. He tried to shoot again, but 234 00:15:11,039 --> 00:15:14,039 his finger got wedged in the trigger guard and prevented 235 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,360 it from resetting. You fat son of a bitch. A 236 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,519 man on the other side of the table hissed, may 237 00:15:20,559 --> 00:15:23,799 as well throw your cards, adding fuck you Pickney. The 238 00:15:23,879 --> 00:15:27,120 man hissed back, and then squealed in pain when the 239 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,600 DPD twisted the gun out of his hand. You must 240 00:15:30,679 --> 00:15:35,000 be weighed Huckabee Section five, Jedidaiah said to the fat man, 241 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,960 who cradled his finger into his chest, which makes you 242 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,720 holt Rollerson Section six, Jededdiah said to the man on 243 00:15:43,799 --> 00:15:49,879 Hukabee's left, Glenn Marshall section one, Earl Pinckney section two, 244 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,480 Roy Clement section three, and Jim Allen Section four. The 245 00:15:54,519 --> 00:15:58,600 six men followed Jedediah with their eyes their expressions full 246 00:15:58,639 --> 00:16:02,120 of dread and contempt as he passed clockwise behind them 247 00:16:02,279 --> 00:16:04,480 and tapped his finger on the back of each of 248 00:16:04,519 --> 00:16:07,759 their chairs. Are you touch any of us? And you 249 00:16:07,879 --> 00:16:11,360 got the entire Texas police force in every chapter of 250 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,399 the Texas Hell Hags to worry about, Hukerby said, angrily, 251 00:16:15,559 --> 00:16:21,039 with a cigarette pointed at Jedediah, who ignored him. Slavery, 252 00:16:21,559 --> 00:16:26,799 drug and weapon trafficking, murder, and corruption, theft, Jedediah said, 253 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,639 listing the things from their collective resume as he passed 254 00:16:30,679 --> 00:16:34,919 behind Huckaby's chair. Again, Oh, for fock's sake, you're no 255 00:16:35,039 --> 00:16:37,879 better than us. I heard you threw a man off 256 00:16:37,919 --> 00:16:41,000 his own skyscraper in Tokyo because the deal didn't go 257 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,799 your way. Huckabee said, Did you come all the way 258 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,960 to Solemn City to compare negotiations strategies or is there 259 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:54,279 a point of this fucking visit? Jedediah stopped behind Rollerson again, 260 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,759 smiled agreeably, and looked at the men around the table. 261 00:16:58,559 --> 00:17:03,799 Where is it? He asked politely. Hookyby charted, come on, Jed, 262 00:17:03,879 --> 00:17:07,160 we both know you ain't getting the rock. My offer 263 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:11,920 is three million dollars, Jettadiah said, are you out of 264 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,039 your mind? Hookerby asked, with his eyebrows raised in amazement, 265 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,240 how much are you worth? Boy? Forty fifty billion, he 266 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,039 pretended to count the fingers of his injured hand, by 267 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:28,640 my calculations minus half. Your sisters cut to us that 268 00:17:28,839 --> 00:17:32,119 rock's worth at least twenty billion. So unless you're going 269 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,519 to offer us a fair value. Go in and kill 270 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:38,720 yourself already. We'll throw the stone in your grave for free, 271 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,119 take our cut of your state, and be done with 272 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,960 you and your bitch sister. What do you say? Whoever 273 00:17:45,039 --> 00:17:48,519 tells me gets to live, Jeadiah said to the group. 274 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,720 Now wait a fucking minute. Now, Huckabee said, with his 275 00:17:51,839 --> 00:17:56,720 bloated hands in the air, Holt Rolison won today. Half 276 00:17:56,759 --> 00:17:59,160 the stone is on its way to his place in Abilene. 277 00:17:59,319 --> 00:18:02,839 Earl Pinckney blurted it out. Alan's brother keeps the other half, 278 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,160 but we don't know where. Pickney looked down at the 279 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,880 table and avoided the glare of the other men. Rollerson 280 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,680 threw his stack of chips and cards across the table 281 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,000 at him, and Jim Allen put his face in his 282 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:19,680 hands and shook his head. Damn you, Earl Rollison shouted, 283 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,079 if anyone puts a hand on my Darla, Holt, everyone 284 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:28,200 has put their hands on Darla, Huckabee said, laughing heartily. 285 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:34,599 Rollerson scowled, damn you, Wade, he said. I would have 286 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,640 hung you next to them Mexicans when I had the chance, 287 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,200 but you'd have broken the damn tree in half, you 288 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,920 fat fucking pig. Rollerson stood up and grabbed a bolo 289 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,880 around Huckaby's neck and then pulled it until his face 290 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,480 turned blue. Jedediah watched them momentarily and then turned to 291 00:18:52,519 --> 00:18:57,319 one of the dpbs behind him, Asom tell Horace it's time, 292 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,039 and the biker a some asking his cell p onto 293 00:19:01,079 --> 00:19:06,079 his ear. If he's there, he dies Asom nodded. Another 294 00:19:06,319 --> 00:19:10,119 DPB walked behind Rollerson and dragged him back into his 295 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,160 seat by his collar, and Huckabee pawed at his neck 296 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:17,240 to loosen the bolo Asum ended his brief call and 297 00:19:17,319 --> 00:19:20,119 dropped the phone into his pocket. Then he joined the 298 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,319 three other dpbs, each of whom stepped behind one of 299 00:19:23,319 --> 00:19:28,400 the men at the table and stood patiently. Jedediah removed 300 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,079 a large revolver from his belt and stepped behind Huckabee, 301 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,160 who craned his neck to see what was going on 302 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:39,160 behind him. Then he started to protest, you cycle path, 303 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,039 You're going to start a war over a fucking rock. 304 00:19:42,559 --> 00:19:46,920 We're a fucking empire. You can't do this. Jedediah pushed 305 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,200 a gun into the back of Huckaby's head and pulled 306 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,799 a trigger. The rest of the men at the table flinched, 307 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,519 and the women at the bar screamed and huddled together. 308 00:19:56,359 --> 00:20:00,599 Huckabee's large body leaned forward over the table. Dreams of 309 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,400 blood from the back of his head, traveled down his jaw, 310 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,200 in his chin, and dripped onto his playing cards. Away 311 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,119 Pickney pleaded from across the table. You said I'd get 312 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:16,960 to live. Jedediah stepped behind Rollerson and nodded at the DPBS, 313 00:20:17,519 --> 00:20:20,599 and before any more complaints could be heard around the table, 314 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,200 they shot them in in front of them. When five 315 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,839 more bodies leaned over the card table and turned the 316 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,920 green felt top red, two of the dpbs hoisted their 317 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,920 guns and walked to the women. The first DPB dug 318 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:39,039 into his pockets. He removed two car keys, four keyless 319 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,880 entry fobs, and two glocks he had taken from the 320 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,000 dead security guards, and then placed it all on the 321 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:50,039 bar top. The second DPB added Wade Huckabee's revolver and 322 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,519 three more glocks to the pile, and then he addressed 323 00:20:53,519 --> 00:20:57,680 the women. These are fully loaded glock nineteens. The other 324 00:20:57,759 --> 00:21:01,079 ones a double action revolver with fivellets in the cylinder 325 00:21:01,519 --> 00:21:06,680 point and shoot any questions, he asked. The women exchanged 326 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,000 glances and shook their heads, and after a long pause, 327 00:21:10,039 --> 00:21:14,119 the bartender took their stilettos off and stood up. She 328 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,759 grabbed a key and a gun, and then walked hesitantly 329 00:21:16,799 --> 00:21:19,480 past the table of dead men and up the staircase. 330 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,200 The other women did the same. The men listened to 331 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,200 the sound of their bare feet running across the ceiling 332 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,119 above them, and when they heard the sound of luxury 333 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:33,160 vehicles leaving in a hurry, Jedediah pulled a cigar from 334 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,559 his breast pocket and lit it. He put the revolver 335 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,480 back on his belt, took a long puff of his cigar, 336 00:21:39,519 --> 00:21:43,440 and drew a large knife instead. Then he lifted Huckabee's 337 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:47,240 head up by the forehead. A few minutes later, his 338 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,119 white shirtcuffs were stained red and the shirt would have 339 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,839 to be replaced, but he did not mind. It was 340 00:21:54,880 --> 00:22:00,640 not unusual for this business to get bloody. Vit drive 341 00:22:00,799 --> 00:22:04,440 of the Rollerson estate was shaded by a canopy of 342 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:09,839 long established live oaks. Their branches were like interlaced fingers, 343 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,480 with leaves so thickly woven together they blocked out most 344 00:22:13,519 --> 00:22:18,319 of the fading sunlight as horror drove underneath them. Near 345 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,759 the white stone mansion. At the end of the drive, 346 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,920 the tall trees turned into a manicured lawn that was 347 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:29,079 painted yellow orange by the dying October. Light. Trimmed hedges 348 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,480 framed the mansion bright orange and pink latanna filled in 349 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,759 every gap, and surrounding the home as far as the 350 00:22:35,799 --> 00:22:39,279 eye could see was a green acreage dotted with evergreens 351 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:43,799 and desert willows. It looked like a postcard, Horace thought, 352 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:48,839 wondering how many bodies were buried underneath it. The driveway 353 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:53,240 curved into a massive circle, wherein the landscape center circular 354 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:58,079 topiari surrounded a fountain of baby angels pouring infinitely from 355 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,480 a golden pot of water. At the top of the circle, 356 00:23:01,559 --> 00:23:04,480 in front of the entrance was a Harley Davidson patch 357 00:23:04,759 --> 00:23:09,640 together with used replacement parts. The Texas hell Hogs had 358 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,720 more than enough money to buy the newest models, but 359 00:23:12,799 --> 00:23:17,279 Horace knew that wasn't their style. He entered the circle 360 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,519 counterclockwise and part behind the bike, somewhat relieved by his 361 00:23:21,599 --> 00:23:24,759 assumption that the hell Hogs had sent a prospect or 362 00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:28,960 someone insignificant to make the delivery. But when he turned 363 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,640 his engine off, his hands began to shake anyway. He 364 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:36,279 closed his eyes to steady his breathing, and then counted 365 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:41,640 to seven. One he was eleven years old. Again, the 366 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,480 rusty hinges on the screen door down the hall from 367 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,599 his bedroom squeaked and rubbed together disagreeably in a low 368 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:53,039 to high pitch, waking him up. Two, the cry of 369 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,759 hinges reversed from high to low, and the plywood frame 370 00:23:56,839 --> 00:24:00,680 closed again. He pulled his blanket up to his his 371 00:24:00,759 --> 00:24:04,039 heart beat so intense it made little waves in the thin, 372 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:08,960 tattered material. Three he stared at the dim light pouring 373 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,160 through the bottom of his closed bedroom door. He could 374 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,359 hear a thumb trying to start a lighter repeatedly, and 375 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,799 then heard the sound of a cigarette being inhaled. The 376 00:24:18,839 --> 00:24:21,799 tape on the bottom right of the NASCAR poster next 377 00:24:21,839 --> 00:24:25,240 to his door lost its stick, and the corner curled 378 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:31,799 up and bobbed freely. Four the footsteps dragged forward slowly 379 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,079 down the hallway, and the corner of the poster flooded 380 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:38,000 like a paper hand, beckoning Horace out of bed and 381 00:24:38,079 --> 00:24:41,640 out the window to safety. But any movement he may 382 00:24:41,799 --> 00:24:45,519 now had to be calculated, or the old metal springs 383 00:24:45,559 --> 00:24:49,240 in his little bed would object and squeak and ruin everything. 384 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:55,200 Five He rolled off the mattress silently and slid under 385 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,640 the bed. The footsteps shuffled closer to his door, and 386 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,559 he held his hand over his mouth. He would not 387 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,960 let himself cry. If his daddy came into the room. 388 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:10,160 Maybe this time he would fight him. Six. The shadow 389 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,839 of his daddy's shoes stopped outside the door, and Horace 390 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,960 bit into his hand to hold back a whimper. Seven 391 00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:22,079 his daddy coughed and mumbled to himself, and the shadow 392 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:25,400 of his shoes shuffled forward into the living room. And 393 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,440 when Horace heard the TV switch on, he let out 394 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:32,319 a quiet sob of misery and relief. For the first 395 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:37,240 night in a week, he would be okay. Horace opened 396 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,880 his eyes again, feeling calmer than before. No one was 397 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,559 pointing a gun at him, and the property was still serene. 398 00:25:44,839 --> 00:25:47,759 He opened his door, stepped down from the truck, and 399 00:25:47,839 --> 00:25:50,359 drew his gun, and then looked around as he walked 400 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,319 up the stone path to the pillared entrance. And in 401 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:58,680 a state that well maintained, there was always somebody, a gardener, 402 00:25:58,839 --> 00:26:02,319 a maintenance man, or pool boy, all probably with their 403 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:06,400 own quarter somewhere unseen on the property, but it was 404 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,519 empty and oddly quiet, like the staff had since the 405 00:26:09,599 --> 00:26:14,079 inevitable arrival of Jedediah and fled someplace out of sight. 406 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:17,039 Even the wind in the trees began to die down 407 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,960 and slip away to safety. The heavy front door of 408 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,160 the mansion had been left open slightly, and horace slid 409 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,160 through its sideways. On the left wall of the entry 410 00:26:28,279 --> 00:26:31,680 was a giant framed mirror. Underneath it was a pear 411 00:26:31,799 --> 00:26:34,799 shaped vase with the top as narrow as a beer 412 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,160 bottle and a midsection as wide as a tractor tire. 413 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,119 And on the right wall was a hanging rug that 414 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,880 displayed a woven scene of laborers in a green field. 415 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,200 A chandelier hung in the center of the ceiling, and 416 00:26:48,319 --> 00:26:51,599 underneath it was a circular wooden table with a vase 417 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,920 full of blue and red flowers. And beyond the table 418 00:26:55,039 --> 00:26:58,200 was a double staircase that arched over a short hallway 419 00:26:58,319 --> 00:27:01,480 leading to another part of the home, and under the 420 00:27:01,599 --> 00:27:04,640 arch was a bearded man in a black leather cut 421 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,880 with his back to the door. The top rocker on 422 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:12,519 his cut said Texas hell Hogs MC. The bottom rocker 423 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,920 said Texas Hooligan's MC. They were patched in a half 424 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,079 circle above and below the head of a wild hog 425 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,160 with a cigarette in its mouth, and on either side 426 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,200 of a hog emblem were two smaller square patches TX 427 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,920 on the left and VX on the right. And the 428 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,200 biker's right hand was a small black box, and in 429 00:27:34,319 --> 00:27:38,160 his left was the thigh of Darla Rollerson, a big 430 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,599 haired blonde woman who had her excessively made up face 431 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,480 smashed into his Horace closed the door behind him and 432 00:27:45,519 --> 00:27:49,359 waited for the heavy thud to interrupt their moment. Darla 433 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,400 let out a surprise yip and pushed the biker away 434 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,319 and quickly closed the top buttons of her pink sweater, 435 00:27:55,559 --> 00:28:00,799 looking suddenly reserved. Heard of a doorbell, jackass, the biker said, 436 00:28:01,039 --> 00:28:04,440 and then groan when he saw it was Horace Billy. 437 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:09,720 Horace said, confused, why isn't someone from section six delivering 438 00:28:09,759 --> 00:28:13,480 the rocks? Because my boss is Roy Clement and he 439 00:28:13,599 --> 00:28:16,839 was the last keeper. Now I'm delivering the rock to 440 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,519 the new keeper. Holt Rollerson. You're really fucking slow horse. 441 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:24,480 You know that it's not supposed to be you, Horace said, 442 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,640 running his hand through his hair nervously. Just give me 443 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,440 the rock and leave. I'll say I didn't see you 444 00:28:31,279 --> 00:28:34,400 or what, pretty boy, You're gonna kill me? You know 445 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:38,079 I don't want that, Horace said. I'm not giving you shit, 446 00:28:38,319 --> 00:28:41,480 Billy said. He reached his hand in the front of 447 00:28:41,519 --> 00:28:44,960 his pants and adjusted himself, and then winked at Darla, 448 00:28:45,079 --> 00:28:47,720 who had her back pressed against the wall of the arch. 449 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,400 I ought to just kill you, Horace, then this business 450 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,920 with the rock can finally be over with. He shook 451 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,000 the box in his hand and began to walk around 452 00:28:57,039 --> 00:29:00,960 the table toward the door. Kill me, What the hell, man, 453 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,200 Horace said, matching Billy's steps on the other side of 454 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:09,039 the table. Horace, I don't like you, Billy said. Don't 455 00:29:09,079 --> 00:29:13,920 nobody like you, not even Joan. When Jed's did she 456 00:29:14,039 --> 00:29:17,279 don't need you anymore, So I'll just shoot you right 457 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,240 here in miss Darlas's pretty house, and then wait on 458 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,559 Jed and shoot him too. Then I'll take off. When 459 00:29:23,599 --> 00:29:26,359 I get home tonight, I'll sleep sound as hell, knowing 460 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,799 I got a worker at paycheck coming my way. Horace 461 00:29:29,839 --> 00:29:32,599 felt his hand start to shake again. We had a 462 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,920 fucking deal, he said, No, you had a deal with Joan. 463 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,720 Now she lied and you believed her. That's on you, brother, 464 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:46,119 Billy said, shrugging indifferently. Plus, you're betraying Jed. You know 465 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,519 what it makes you, makes you a snitch? A snitch, 466 00:29:50,079 --> 00:29:54,079 Horace shouted in disbelief. I was a snitch for your club. 467 00:29:54,839 --> 00:29:58,480 Can't trust to snitch, compedre, Billy said, with his back 468 00:29:58,519 --> 00:30:02,720 to the front door. Before Horace could react, Billy drew 469 00:30:02,759 --> 00:30:05,440 a pistol from behind his cut and fired at him. 470 00:30:06,079 --> 00:30:08,960 Horse dropped down and slid behind the giant vase under 471 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,920 the mirror with his bicep searing in pain. Darla screamed 472 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,039 and fell to the ground with her knees to her 473 00:30:15,119 --> 00:30:18,440 chest and hands over her head. Horace looked around the 474 00:30:18,519 --> 00:30:21,599 vase and fired back, grazing Billy's shoulder with a bullet. 475 00:30:22,119 --> 00:30:25,079 He shot again when Billy duck behind the circular table 476 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,920 in the center of the space, this time hitting him 477 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,200 in the knee, and Billy howled and pulled the table 478 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,839 backward onto its side, crashing the vase onto the ground 479 00:30:35,039 --> 00:30:37,880 and sending dirt and pedals sliding toward the front door 480 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:41,200 along with the black box. You shot me in my 481 00:30:41,359 --> 00:30:46,000 fucking knee, man, Time out, Billy shouted from behind the tabletop, 482 00:30:46,119 --> 00:30:50,319 moaning and panting time out for real, man, it's not fair. 483 00:30:50,359 --> 00:30:53,960 I wasn't expecting a fucking gunfight. I got to reload. 484 00:30:55,319 --> 00:30:58,359 As Horace inched toward the table with his gun pointed, 485 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,480 the front door swung open and slammed into the wall. 486 00:31:02,359 --> 00:31:07,240 Jedediah stepped inside with four dpbs behind him. He kicked 487 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,960 the overturned table past Horace and into the staircase, and 488 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,440 then grabbed Billy by the neck and raised him into 489 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:18,240 the air. Billy grabbed onto Jedediah's hand and swung his 490 00:31:18,319 --> 00:31:23,240 boots around wildly, his oxygen depleted kicks, aiming desperately for 491 00:31:23,279 --> 00:31:27,519 something to hit. Jedediah closed his fist tighter and held 492 00:31:27,519 --> 00:31:30,440 Billy in the air until his face turned blue and 493 00:31:30,519 --> 00:31:34,160 he stopped moving. Then he let the biker's lifeless body 494 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:38,079 drop to the ground in a moment of bravery. Darla 495 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,839 pulled out her cell phone. When the sound of the 496 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:44,440 first number dialing echoed through the entrance, she let out 497 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:49,160 a horrified squeal and whimpered. Jedidiah walked over to her 498 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,039 and took her phone out of her hand called them. 499 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:56,319 Jedediah ordered he finished dialing one one and then gave 500 00:31:56,359 --> 00:32:00,640 the phone back. Darla looked up at him with rivers 501 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:04,160 of black mascara running down her cheeks. She took the 502 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,839 phone and backed away under the arch and then vanished 503 00:32:06,839 --> 00:32:10,200 around the corner on the other side. One of the 504 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:13,519 four dpbs picked up the black velvet box at his 505 00:32:13,559 --> 00:32:16,599 feet and opened it briefly, and then removed a device 506 00:32:16,759 --> 00:32:18,920 the size of a lighter from the bottom of it. 507 00:32:19,559 --> 00:32:21,960 He dropped the device on the ground and crusted with 508 00:32:22,039 --> 00:32:24,680 his boot heel, and then he tucked the box under 509 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,000 his arm and waited at the door with the others. 510 00:32:28,279 --> 00:32:31,119 As the sound of sirens started to grow in the distance, 511 00:32:31,279 --> 00:32:34,759 Jedediah walked to Horace and put his hand on his shoulder. 512 00:32:35,559 --> 00:32:39,359 Horace looked back apologetically. He held on to his bleeding 513 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,279 bicep with his right hand and hoped for a sliver 514 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:46,519 of sympathy he knew was not coming. I don't know 515 00:32:46,599 --> 00:32:51,960 you lately, Jedediah said quietly. He reached for Horace's lapel 516 00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:54,839 and removed the snake pendant, and then turned around and 517 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:59,160 walked back outside with the rest of his men. Humiliated, 518 00:32:59,359 --> 00:33:02,880 Horace wiped his eyes with his bloody hand and stared 519 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:06,319 bitterly at Billy's dead body on the ground, dreading the 520 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:12,119 storm of ramifications he knew would be coming. All right, 521 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:15,200 thanks for joining me on this fiction Friday. I enjoyed 522 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,759 reading those two scenes from this book. Again. All the 523 00:33:18,799 --> 00:33:21,240 information you need to buy this book is in the 524 00:33:21,319 --> 00:33:24,920 description below. I'm also going to post it on Facebook. 525 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,799 I don't post many things on social media. I don't know. 526 00:33:27,839 --> 00:33:31,119 It's kind of boring to me. Whenever I post stuff 527 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,400 on Facebook, it's something silly. But I will put this 528 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,720 on Facebook. I'll put it in the description here. Mike 529 00:33:37,759 --> 00:33:41,359 put it on Instagram. I have an Instagram account, might 530 00:33:41,359 --> 00:33:43,079 put it on I'll put it on all the things 531 00:33:44,359 --> 00:33:47,119 that I have on account with and you can find 532 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:49,279 it there. So thanks for being with us tonight. I 533 00:33:49,319 --> 00:33:52,519 certainly appreciate it. We'll see on the next podcast. Thank you.