Wounded Read Free Page A

Steer, a diner that seemed to change ownership monthly but never changed, I sat near the end of the long counter and ordered coffee from a young woman who managed to tell me between my ordering and her delivering it that she was only there to earn enough money to go back to college in Fort Collins and that she would never marry another man from Wyoming, especially a cowboy, no matter how cute he or his horse was.
    “Maybe you shouldn’t marry a man at all,” I said, more into my cup than right to her. “We’re nothing but trouble.”
    Yeah,” she agreed, nodded. “That’s about the truest thing I ever heard a man say.”
    “Trouble’s all I’ve ever given myself,” I said.
    “And that would be because you’re no damn good.” This from Duncan Camp who had straddled the stool next to me.
    “I told them to put a screen on that door,” I said.
    “How you doin’, buddy?” he asked.
    “I’m okay. You?”
    “I’m as fine as frog’s hair,” he said. “Hell, partner, if’n I was any finer, I’d be sick.”
    “That’s pretty fine.”
    “Where’s Unc?” Duncan asked.
    “I’m meeting him for lunch in a few minutes. As he likes to put it, the doctor’s got him on the rack right about now.”
    “You’re not eating here?” Duncan whispered.
    Whispering back, “No way. I’m trying to keep the old guy alive. Talk about wasting a trip to the doctor.”
    Duncan laughed. The waitress slid his coffee in front of him, and he took a sip. “You hear about that boy?”
    “A few minutes ago.”
    “Awful, just awful, thing like that. The paper didn’t say much, but I heard whoever did it stretched him out like Christ.” Duncan caught the waitress’s eye. “Darlin’, are those doughnuts made here on the premises?”
    “No, sir.”
    “Let me have one, then,” he said.
    “I heard the boy was gay,” the waitress said.
    “Well, I don’t know anything about that,” Duncan said. “But it’s a damn shame any way you cut it. Bad choice of words.”
    “Any idea who did it?” I asked.
    “Hell if I know,” Duncan said. “All I know is I’m keeping my daughters close to the ranch for a while. You don’t know what kind of weirdos are prowling around out there. Worse yet, we do know. Wolves ain’t nothing compared to a sick person.” Duncan shook his head and poured a generous amount of sugar into his coffee. “Can I get some milk over here, darlin’?”
    “How are things at your place?” I asked.
    “I had two horses come down with the strangles. God knows where it came from. And I’m struggling to get the hay in before it rains.”
    “Horses okay now?”
    “Yeah, they’re fine. By the way, horse trainer, I’ve got a horse I’d like you to work on for me.”
    I finished my coffee and set down my mug with a thud. “I’d expect you to pay me.”
    “Damn. All anybody can think about in this country is money. What about this poor horse that needs your sweet, loving attention?”
    “What’s the problem?” I asked.
    “One thing, he’s a horse. The other thing is the idiot’s afraid of his own shadow. He bolts for no apparent reason. Usually with somebody on his back. Namely, me. I’m figuring that’s a bad thing.”
    “There’s always a reason,” I said. “How old is the idiot?”
    “Five, six. I’m not sure. I just bought him and I don’t know much about his history. He’s a beautiful animal.” Duncan took a bite of his doughnut. “But he sees demons, this guy.”
    “Well, bring him over and leave him with me for a while. He does trailer?” I asked.
    “Yeah.”
    The little bell on the front door rang and I turned to see if it was Gus entering the diner. It wasn’t. It was the young deputy, Hanks. He caught sight of me and made his way to me.
    “Oh lord, what’d you do now?” Duncan said and laughed.
    “Mr. Hunt?” the deputy asked.
    “What can I do for you, son?”
    “The sheriff told me to find you and ask you to come over to his office. I called your place and