Noose by Brennan Lafaro

Author:Brennan Lafaro [Lafaro, Brennan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

“Sorry to interrupt your lunch,” said John Harden, heading toward the kitchen. His tone didn’t sound overly sorry.

“No spectacular feast, this. You hungry?”

“I’ll pass, thank you.” He avoided looking at me, passing his gaze around the room as though he might discover something to keep him from having to say his piece. I allotted him all the time in the world, determined not to speak first. “Those your daddy’s clothes?”

Taken aback, I couldn’t manage anything past a nod.

“Look good on you. I’m, uh, more’n a little surprised to see you back here. Not displeased, don’t get me wrong. Just unexpected is all.” He sighed. “I s’pose you know why I’m here.”

“I can think of a couple potentials. Why don’t you help me narrow it down.”

“Fair enough. I been looking for you most of the morning. Half-thought you might’ve succumbed to the flames. Ain’t nothin’ left of the ranch ’cept some freestanding stables and a few unruly animals. Tom Corley agreed to look after ’em ’til further notice. Employed Timmy to help him out.”

“Good kid.”

“Yeah,” he said absently, looking around again. “What we did not find was any evidence of you or Willie. Sent me into a bit of a panic, if I’m to stay honest.” He cocked an eyebrow and waited.

“Wasn’t much left of Willie to bury. I guess you wouldn’t have found her unless you knew where to look.” After I said it, I realized how suspicious it sounded. If Harden heard some cause in there, he didn’t let on.

“Left me scratchin’ my head, too. Until Mr. McGregor asked for my ear.” He raised his eyebrow once more. “Know what he said?”

Safer not to answer this one, so I shook my head.

“Well, he said a man claiming to be Rory Daggett held one of his customers at gunpoint and then robbed him of a hefty supply of groceries. Some beans included,” he added, inclining his head toward the empty can on the floor.

“Doesn’t that fuckin’ beat all,” I said, more to myself. “Guess he forgot the part where he agreed to let me have that food on credit.”

“Jesus, Rory, it’s true?” He reached up to remove his hat, give his head a little air to cool off. “Maybe it slipped his mind when you threatened to blow an old woman’s head off.”

“Did he tell you the old woman’s name?”

“What the Christ does that have to do with anything?”

“Bet he didn’t know it,” I said. He didn’t need to answer. I saw it on his face.

I studied Harden, the closest thing I had to a friend since the day Noose executed my parents, the only person on that train platform who saw me as anything more than a bloody reminder of the town’s greed coming back to haunt it. I sighed as I made up my mind to confide in him. If I couldn’t trust John Harden, I was lost anyway.

“You want to hear my side, or you just goin’ to invoke the Lord until he rides down on a

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