'Last I knew he was going to have somebody shoot me if I didn't leave things alone out here.'
'Probably me,' Ronnie said. 'That ain't the case anymore.'
'Well isn't that nice,' I said. 'How about Mary Lou Buckman?'
'Morris got no interest in her.'
'But he used to,' I said.
Ronnie spread his hands, palms up, and shrugged.
'What happened?' I said.
Ronnie shook his head.
'Morris didn't have anybody shoot Steve Buckman did he?'
'Nope.'
'You sure?'
'I do Morris's shooting,' Ronnie said. 'I didn't do Buckman.'
'You know who did?'
'Maybe she did,' Ronnie said.
'Why do you think so?'
'Wives shoot husbands a lot,' Ronnie said.
'What's Morris's connection to her?'
'Maybe they were bridge partners. Morris only tells me what I need to know.'
'And his connection to the Dell?'
'Same answer,' Ronnie said.
'So Morris sent you all the way out here just to tell me it was okay to do what I was going to do anyway?' I said.
'We had no way to know you was going to do it,' Ronnie said.
'What the hell was I doing here, then?'
'Maybe shagging after Mrs. Buckman,' Ronnie said.
'With half a dozen thugs?'
Ronnie smiled. It was a thin gesture, but unexpected.
'Maybe to hold her down?' he said.
'I'll be damned, a romantic underneath it all.'
Ronnie hitched up a pant leg, and crossed his right leg over his left. He bobbed his right foot a little, looking at the toe of his shoe as if it were interesting.
'Morris says he'd like to make a financial contribution to the project,' Ronnie said.
'Which project is that?' I said.
'Snuffing the Dell.'
'How about Mary Lou?'
'Leave her on her own.'
'You mean don't look after her?' I said.
'Let things develop,' he said. 'Stay focused on the Dell.'
'How much of a financial contribution is Morris likely to make?' I said.
'You could pretty much name it,' Ronnie said. 'If you can deliver.'
'But no manpower,' I said.
'Nope.'
'Why not?'
'Morris figures you don't need it.'
'How flattering,' I said.
'Chollo and Bobby Horse are good,' Ronnie said.
'You are too kind, senor,' Chollo said.
Ronnie nodded at Hawk. 'This guy's good,' he said.
Hawk registered nothing.
'You can tell?' I said.
