log into the flames.
Soldier watched him, pushed his hat back on his head and let his right hand-rest on the hilt of the automatic jammed into the front of his pants. His face still had that unhealthy sheen of sweat. He worked his tongue around inside his bottom lip and said, 'You going to make some sandwiches next, Paco? Get cozy, maybe have a little picnic?'
Paco turned and said, 'Look here, Soldier, don't give me a hard time. I'm sick to death of being cold. And I ought to make a sandwich. We could all use a sandwich. None of us have eaten.'
'You got to think about this kind of shit ahead of time. Me and Angel we ate, didn't we, Angel?'
Angel nodded.
'When was it, right at noon, when you're supposed to eat? Had some sandwiches. What was it we had, Angel?'
'Bologna.'
'Yeah, bologna. Listen here, now, we get through with this little deal, I'll buy you a steak. Hey, I'll even buy these shits a steak. Okay? Hey, you, the dick, what is it? Harry?'
'Howard,' Angel said.
'Come on, let's go do some digging,' Soldier said. 'Hell, all of you come. I'm going out in the shit, you're all going. We need a shovel for this?'
'Yes,' Howard said. 'It's in the barn.'
'Maybe you and the girlie drew a little treasure map. Something with an X on it, you know. Says Dig Here. You do that, Howard, draw a little treasure map?'
'We dig up the money, you'll let us go?' Howard said.
Soldier spread his hands. 'Hey, you don't show me the money, you got no luck. I see some money, I can get happy. Nice things might happen. Let's go.'
We went out to the barn. The dogs barked at us as we went by their pens. 'Tell 'em to shut up,' Soldier said, 'or I'll blow their fucking heads off. I hate dogs.'
'Quiet,' Leonard said. 'Hush down.'
The dogs softened their barks, and we went inside the barn through the side door. It was only slightly warmer inside than out. Soldier leaned on Trudy's Volkswagen and breathed out a cloud of vapor. 'Up north they heat barns. Okay, whatcher name, what's the scoop on the money?'
'We buried it here in the barn,' Howard said.
Soldier folded up his umbrella neatly and put it on top of Trudy's car. He said, 'Didn't want to be cold while you were digging, that it? Get the shovel.'
'It won't do any good,' Trudy said.
'Yeah,' Soldier said. 'Tell you what, cunt. Shut up! Angel, she says another word, you fix her nose a little.'
Angel nodded.
Howard got the shovel. He went around front of the Volkswagen and began to dig.
'Barns in the north,' Soldier said, 'they got floors. Maybe you niggers and white trash should go on and do it right. Forget the fucking walls too.'
Howard stopped digging, got down on his hands and knees, moved his fingers in the dirt. He looked up at Soldier. 'It's ... not here.'
I thought immediately of last night and Trudy's second walk, the clay and gravel on her pants and boots. She had moved the money somewhere near the creek. She may have hardened in her dedication, but her final trust of men hadn't changed. She was for damn sure the one on the steed now.
I looked at Trudy. She was staring straight ahead. Howard was looking up at her with eyes like a kicked puppy. She'd done it to him again.
'I see,' Soldier said. He said to Angel, 'It's gone, honey, whatda you think?'
Angel shrugged.
Soldier pulled his automatic out of his waistband, then put it back. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. He put the hat back on and took a small packet of Kleenex out of his windbreaker pocket, carefully peeled it open, and pulled one out. He returned the packet to his pocket and used the Kleenex to clean his glasses. He put his glasses on again and dabbed his face with the Kleenex.
'Okay,' he said. 'The money isn't there.' He tossed the used Kleenex on the ground. 'Howard, give me the shovel.'
Howard was still squatting by the hole, trying to sort things out. He used the shovel to help himself up, gave it to Soldier.
Soldier said, 'Thanks, Howard. Stand over there, will you? About there.' He looked at the hole, looked at Howard. 'You're sure you dug deep enough?'
Howard nodded.
Soldier got a good grip on the shovel near the top of the handle and swung it around smoothly and caught Howard above the ear with the back of the shovel blade. Howard's head rang as if it were hollow. He fell out on his back and didn't move. Soldier put the blade of the shovel against Howard's neck, raised his foot to stomp it into him.
Trudy yelled, 'Leave him alone! I took the money and hid it, you cretin! You rotten sonofabitch! Leave him alone!'
