A Small Gray Dot

His eyes went wide and he mumbled, “Uh, wai’! Wai’! ‘Ou kin ha’ it! Don’ shoo’! He fumbled at his pocket and pulled out the rubber-band bound wad of money I’d found and left there. He tossed it to me.

I caught it with my free hand and stuck it in a pocket. I didn’t count it. “If this is not the correct amount, Mr. Harlow, you understand I’ll be back.”

From the way he winced when he moved his head up and down, I believe his jaw was in as much pain as my nose.

I regarded him lying there with blood seeping through the hole in the top of his shoe and his mouth gapped open because he couldn’t close it. His woman survived the Event yet he’d treated her so badly that she ran away and hid from him. I thought of Zoni and as sometimes happened, the rage I’d felt deep inside since that day tried to take over. I always tried to keep it from escaping and I’d never shot anyone except in self-defense, and even then hadn’t killed him. I almost pulled the trigger. Instead, I took a couple of deep breaths and pushed it down.

I said softly, “If you by chance happen to find Mrs. Harlow and go near her – and believe me, I’ll know if you do – I will look you up and pay you a visit, and if you’ve hurt her in any way I will shoot you. And, aside from that, if I ever see you again I will shoot you. And, I won’t be aiming for your foot.”

He looked up at me with glassy eyes and jerked his head in a nod. A wet stain began spreading on the front of his dirty khaki pants. I was a little surprised. I didn’t think I was that frightening. Maybe he had to go and couldn’t hold it.

I smiled. “Thank you for your business, Mr. Harlow.” I always thanked my clients.

I left and the first place I headed was to the local sheriffs’ office. I’d done business with them before so they knew me. I stepped through the door and Ken, the deputy at the desk, looked up at me. His eyes widened and he jumped up and came around the desk.

“Tennessee! What in hell happened to you? Hey Roy! Come out here!” He stared at my swollen nose. “Lemme go gitcha some ice. Be right back.”

He hurried down a short hall as the sheriff, Roy Winston, came from his office to see what was going on.

Ken got back while I was explaining the circumstances to Roy. “Put this on your nose. Shoulda had something on there right away but it still might help,” he said handing me an icepack and a towel.

“Thanks, Ken.” I wrapped the towel around the pack and gingerly held it to my nose.

Roy eyeballed my nose. “You need to go get that looked at, Tenn,” he said, frowning “That looks like it might be broken.”

I nodded. “Yes, I know, Roy, but there’s something else I have to do first. The icepack ought to hold it for a while.”

Once upon a time, I would’ve been required to hang around for an investigation, and likely detained or charged with something, but in today’s world, that didn’t happen much anymore. The fact that the sheriff knew me helped, too.

He patted my shoulder and walked with me to the door. “Well, okay, but you be careful and don’t worry about none of this. I’ll send somebody around to check on this guy – Abe Harlow did you say? Never heard of ‘im. I didn’t even know anybody was still staying out there. You go on, we’ll handle it.”

I handed him Harlow’s keys, thanked him, waved at Ken who’d gone back to his desk, and left to pay a visit to Mrs. Harlow. She hadn’t left with another man, she was staying with a family. Harlow lied about that, too.

Mrs. Harlow was upset about my nose and insisted on giving me more ice to hold on it and then she made me some tea. She fluttered around trying to feed me and apologizing for what her asshole of a husband did but I assured her that she didn’t have anything for which to apologize, as it wasn’t her fault. Had I been more on guard, he would never have tagged me.

The money from Harlow turned out to be a lot more than he owed, possibly all he had though I suppose he could’ve had more stashed somewhere. I took the remainder of my fee and left the considerable excess with Mrs. Harlow.

Still, simply because her asswipe of a husband pissed his pants didn’t mean he wouldn’t go looking for his wife once he got his jaw and his foot fixed up – and changed his pants. I didn’t think he would find her but, since it was a possibility, I left five of the rifles and two of the handguns with her and her friends. I told her she should shoot him if she ever saw him coming. I wasn’t sure she’d be able to but thought maybe one of her friends could. By then I’d gotten phone service so I gave her my number and told her if he showed up to let me know and I’d take care of it. She thanked me profusely and gave me a hug before I left. Nice lady. Reminded me of my mother.