“You got me there, Red. Piece by piece? Took all four of them, they told me. In any case, the carcass is feeding the fish, now.” He took another swig of his beer. “Y’know, I had no idea there were so many idiots lookin’ to get eaten alive by mosquitoes and black flies. Anyways, it’s been keeping me busy, and one thing’s for true—Verbal sure knows how to get the contracts.”
“You got that right,” Red guffawed. “Shoulda seen the cute little number I seen him with the other day. Bright little blonde, hanging on to his arm like she couldn’t walk proper in them spike heels. She was wearing a little-bitty skirt, n’ dang if she didn’t have legs that went all the way up to the top.”
“Go on with you. Must have been a friend, or something. Verbal’s a family man.”
“I ain’t saying he isn’t. But some fellas are lucky to have a bit on the side, if you know what I mean.”
Duffy looked Red up and down. Surely he was mistaken. “You talking about Verbal?”
“Sure as I’m sitting here talking to you,” Red poked a finger on the bar for emphasis. “I ain’t blind and I ain’t stupid.”
“Who’d’a thought,” said Duffy. “I met his wife. Nice couple of boys he’s got there, too.”
“Oh, they ain’t his. She was married before. I think her old man got hisself killed in a logging accident up at Green River.” Red finished his beer, and Duffy motioned to Herb with two fingers.
“Man, you’re just stuffed full of into, aintcha,” Duffy said, as Herb served two full glasses, foam dripping down their sides.
“I got eyes,” Red slurped the foam off his beer. “’N’ I know how to add, if you catch my drift.”
After midnight an early storm blew in, swirling snow through cracks in Duffy’s shack by the river. In the twilight grey of late morning, Duffy lit a fire in the stove, put his feet up and prepared to wait it out. He congratulated himself on already having cleaned up the Cessna and put it to bed so he didn’t have to go out in the weather. Since he’d had pontoons installed on it, he kept it at the dock, and made sure it was well secured against all but the most vicious storm. Verbal likely wouldn’t get in touch until the weather settled down; might as well enjoy the time off and get some reading done. Maybe go down later for a couple of games of pool and a few beers. A man’s got to have some time to just be, he decided.
The second morning dawned cold and clear, but by late afternoon the wind came up and snow pellets beat a tattoo on his window. The radio reported that the weather pattern would be gone by late the next day and as predicted, the snow turned to sleet and then to rain. Duffy was putting his soup plate and pot into the sink when he heard a knock at the door.
