Page 32 of Barry

“Yeah.” Barry nodded.

“Let’s get the other one out of here,” Ken said. “Close that door until we know there isn’t anymore.”

“Damn good idea,” Barry said and closed the door, taking one final look at the snake on the floor.

“You’re pretty good with that pistol,” Gary said, nodding at the weapon in his hand.

“Automatic. Nine mil. I’ve spent a lot of time on the practice range.” Barry put the gun back in the holster.

“Dude, someone wanted you snake bit bad.” Dustyplopped down on the chair and pointed his shotgun at the door. “Ain’t no one sleeping sound tonight.”

“We’ll go through every room. I need to take Kathy home,” Barry said and turned at the sound of running. Kathy slid to a stop at the door. “Are you all right? I saw Ken with the snake.”

“Withoneof the snakes. Hey, Kathy,” Dusty said, and Gary lifted a hand in greeting, too.

Barry shouldn’t have smiled when Kathy did a little dance and looked around her after squeaking, “One?”

He walked over to her. “Let’s go outside.”

“But … who was shooting?”

“I was. There was a second snake no one saw until it was almost too late. I killed it before it could get close enough to Ken to strike.” He took her arm and helped her out of the bunkhouse. She shouldn’t be in there anyway. Not that anyone was showering, but the rule was no women because clothing was optional when heading to the shower, and towels looped around the waist were the norm.

Kathy jerked around to look at him. “You shot it? A snake? While it was moving?”

He nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“Then you’re a really good shot. My dad tried to hit a moving snake with a rifle. Six shots from about ten feet away, and the thing got away. I didn’t go to the barn for a year.”

“I’m a good shot. When I first got out, Gunny and Iwould go to the range when I was going crazy with the anger.” He laughed. “Which is pretty counterintuitive if you ask me. An angry man with a loaded gun, but damn it if Gunny didn’t have a way of keeping me at the simmering level.” He pointed to his pickup truck, and they made their way over to it. He opened the tailgate, and they sat down on it. “Gunny used to say I could pick a gnat off a bat’s ass without the bat knowing. I’m not as good with a rifle, but with this, I’d bank myself against anyone.

“So, you know what I was telling you about Fish?”

“Yeah, did you get some information?” She scooted closer to him, and he put his arm over her shoulders.

“He’s dead. DNA proof.”

She turned to look at him. “I’m so sorry. I know you thought it was him.”

“Turns out it could be his brother.”

“What?” She shook her head in obvious confusion. “What do you mean?”

Barry told her what Andrew had speculated. They both looked up at the sound of a single shot quite a distance away. “That would be the other snake. I don’t know where they came from, and I wish no harm to any animal ever, but letting them loose near the ranch is asking for all kinds of trouble.”

“So, this brother is a bad sort?”

“I don’t know. According to his record, he had issues. But I don’t know. That’s why I’m going to take you home,and I’m probably not going to come back to town for a month or longer.”

She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Why?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to put a target on you trying to get to me.”

She stared at him. “And where is Andrew going to put his family?”

“He’s not putting them anywhere.” Barry was confused by the question.

“Yet you think you'll protect me by not coming to my house.”