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all right。 thats a lot of money though。
it aint half what you think it is。 youll see。
i wont blow it in。 i need money to get me a place to stay。
youll be all right。
i hope so。
best way to live in california is to be from somewheres else。 probably the best way is to be from mars。
i hope not。 cause i aint。
youll be all right。
can i ask you somethin？
yeah。 go ahead。
how old are you？
thirty…six。
thats pretty old。 i didnt know you was that old。
i know。 it kind of took me by surprise my own self。
i got a feelin i ought to be afraid of you but i aint。
well。 i cant advise you on that neither。 most peoplell run from their own mother to get to hug death by the neck。 they cant wait to see him。
i guess thats what you think im doin。
i dont even want to know what youre doin。
i wonder where id be right now if i hadnt of met you this mornin。
i dont know。
i was always lucky。 about stuff like that。 about meetin people。
well； i wouldnt speak too soon。
why？ you fixin to bury me out in the desert？
no。 but theres a lot of bad luck out there。 you hang around long enough and youll e in for your share of it。
i think i done have。 i believe im due for a change。 i might even be overdue。
yeah？ well you aint。
why do you say that？
he looked at her。 let me tell you somethin； little sister。 if there is one thing on this planet that you dont look like its a bunch of good luck walkin around。
thats a hateful thing to say。
no it aint。 i just want you to be careful。 we get to el paso im goin to drop you at the bus station。 you got money。 you dont need to be out here hitchhikin。
all right。
all right。
would you of done what you said back yonder？ about if i had of took your truck？
whats that？
you know。 about beatin the crap out of me。
no。
i didnt think so。
you want to split this last beer？
all right。
run in there and get a cup。 ill be back in a minute。
all right。 you aint changed your mind have you？
about what？
you know about what。
i dont change my mind。 i like to get it right the first time。
he rose and started up the walkway。 she stood at the door。 ill tell you somethin i heard in a movie one time； she said。
he stopped and turned。 whats that？
theres a lot of good salesmen around and you might buy somethin yet。
well darlin youre just a little late。 cause i done bought。 and i think ill stick with what i got。
he went on up the walkway and climbed the stairs and went in。
the barracuda pulled into a truckstop outside of balmorhea and drove into the bay of the adjoining carwash。 the driver got out and shut the door and looked at it。 there was blood and other matter streaked over the glass and over the sheet…metal and he walked out and got quarters from a change…machine and came back and put them in the slot and took down the wand from the rack and washed the car and rinsed it off and got back in and pulled out onto the highway going west。
bell left the house at seven…thirty and took 285 north to fort stockton。 it was about a two hundred mile run to van horn and he reckoned he could make it in under three hours。 he turned the rooflights on。 about ten miles west of fort stockton on the i…10 interstate he passed a car burning by the side of the highway。 there were police cars at the scene and one lane of the highway was blocked off。 he didnt stop but it gave him an uneasy feeling。 he stopped at balmorhea and refilled his coffeebottle and he pulled into van horn at ten twenty…five。
he didnt know what he was looking for but he didnt have to。 in the parking lot of a motel there were two culberson county patrol cars and a state police car all with their lights going。 the motel was cordoned off with yellow tape。 he pulled in and parked and left his own lights on。
the deputy didnt know him but the sheriff did。 they were questioning a man sitting in his shirtsleeves in the open back door of one of the cruisers。 damn if bad news dont travel fast； the sheriff said。 what are you doin up here； sheriff？
whats happened； marvin？
had a little shoot…out。 you know anything about this？
i dont know。 you got any victims？
they left out of here about a half hour ago in the ambulance。 two men and a woman。
the woman was dead and the one boy i dont think is goin to make it either。 the other one might。
do you know who they were？
no。 one of the men was mexican and were waitin for a registration on his car settin over yonder。 wasnt a one of em had any identification。 on em or in the room either one。
what does this man say？
he says the mexican started it。 says he drug the woman out of her room and the other man e out with a gun but when he seen the mexican had a gun pointed at the womans head he laid his own piece down。 and whenever he done that the mexican shoved the woman away and shot her and then turned and shot him。 he was standin in front of 117； right yonder。 shot em with a goddamned machinegun。 accordin to this witness the old boy fell down the steps and then he picked up his gun again and shot the mexican。 which i dont see how he done it。 he was shot all to pieces。 you can see the blood on the walkway yonder。 we had a real good response time。 about seven minutes； i think。 the girl was just shot dead。
no id。
no id。 the other old boys truck is got dealer tags on it。
bell nodded。 he looked at the witness。 the witness had asked for a cigarette and he lit it and sat smoking。 he looked pretty fortable。 he looked as if hed sat in the back of police cruisers before。
that woman； bell said。 was she anglo？
yeah。 she was anglo。 had blonde hair。 sort of reddish； maybe。
did you all find any dope？
not yet。 were still lookin。
any money？
we aint found nothin yet。 the girl was checked into 121。 had a knapsack with some clothes in it and stuff was all。
bell looked down the row of motel doors。 people standing around in small groups talking。 he looked at the black barracuda。
has that thing got anything to turn them tires with？
id say it would turn em pretty good。 its got a four…forty under the hood with a blower on it。
a blower？
yep。
i dont see one。
its one of them sidewinders。 its all under the hood。
bell stood looking at the car。 then he turned and looked at the sheriff。 can you get away from here for a minute？
i can。 what did you have in mind？
i just thought i might get you to ride over to the clinic with me。
all right。 just ride with me。
thatll be fine。 let me just park my cruiser a little better。
hell； its all right； ed tom。
let me just pull it up here out of the way。 you dont always know how quick youll be back when you set off someplace。
at the desk the sheriff spoke to the night nurse by name。 she looked at bell。
hes up here to make a identification； the sheriff said。
she nodded and rose and put her pencil in the pages of the book she was reading。 two of em were doa； she said。 they flew that mexican out of here in a helicopter about twenty minutes ago。 or maybe you already knew that。
nobody tells me nothin； darlin； the sheriff said。
they followed her down the hallway。 there was a thin trail of blood along