Hunter stopped chewing, “No kidding? Mexico’s version of the CIA, here in our neighborhood? Did you find out what they’re working on?”
“I did not. Yet.”
Raymond said, “They’ve been involved in a few cross-border task forces back around 2008, 2009.”
Lee said, “If this is the one I met last year at a law enforcement function in Chihuahua City, he’s a good one. And Hunter, you would definitely like him.”
“Why?”
“He looks like Henry Cavill, you know, the guy that played the new Superman.” Lee raised his eyebrows twice and grinned at her.
“Get out of here.”
“Really. The face, the build, all of it.”
Hunter’s cheeks flushed, “Quit it.”
“Okay. He’s probably gay anyhow.”
Raymond choked on a chip, and Hunter laughed, “Don’t say that!”
Lee chuckled, “Okay, okay, I’ll quit. And I was kidding about the gay thing.” Hunter gave him a play mean look.
Raymond said, “What else has been going on?”
Lee told them about the newest edicts from the Acting Sheriff. “He wants me to spend more time on my paper work and a lot less out in the public areas. He stopped short of saying for me not to campaign against him.”
Raymond said, “How does he expect you to answer calls and everything else you have to do?”
“I asked him, and he said that activities outside the office are not my concern. Error-free reports, turned in timely, are what are important.”
Hunter said, “Did he just come down from Mars?”
“Seems like it sometimes.”
Hunter said, “And you’re going to stay in your office all day, just like a good little deputy?”
“Absolutely, except when I’m serving the public. So, I figure an hour in the office and the rest of the shift out and about.”
The restaurant door opened and one of the local ranchers came in, looking around until he spotted Lee. He walked to the table and nodded at the others, “Last night I was outside running off some raccoons from the dog food bin, and I heard automatic weapons fire. Way off to the west.”
Lee said, “You have a guess how far?”
He scratched his ear, “Sound carries so far out there, it’s hard to tell. The shots were real faint. If I was gonna guess, I’d say Sam Kinney’s. Anyhow, I thought you might want to know.”
After he left, Lee said, “I’ve got your lunch. I need to head out that way.”
Hunter said, “We’re free right now and nothing else is going on. You want some backup?”
“Sure.”
Raymond rose and said, “I’ll leave the tip.”
***
The first thing they noticed at Sam’s headquarters was the number of tracks, both of people and vehicles. The second thing was that the house was empty and had been thoroughly gone through, with cabinets open, clothes on the floors, drawers dumped, papers scattered across the room, and every weapon and cartridge of ammunition gone from the open gun cabinet. Lee went inside as Hunter and Raymond circled the building, reading the story in the imprints on the ground.
They met again ten minutes later on the porch. Lee said, “There are three bullet holes in the wall and cupboard in the kitchen, look to be .45 caliber.”