Page 166 of Back in the Saddle

“How young?” Raye kept at her. “Like, twenties young or thirties young?”

“Twenties young. Maybe just hit his twenties. He could pass as a teenager if you didn’t get a good look at his face,” Mary said.

“You said dark hair, is he white?” That was Harlow.

Mary nodded.

“Beard, mustache?” Again Harlow.

“No hair on his face. But the hair on his head is longish,” Mary said.

“Did he come during the day or at night?” That was Luna.

“Always during the day. Most of those kinds of guys slunk in at night. Not him. Right in broad daylight, breaking the law and destroying people’s lives, like he had every right to do it,” Mary groused.

We all took a moment to mentally grouse with her before I asked, “Did you tell the cops about him?”

A quick nod. “I did. But I could tell they thought it was just another drug dealer. They get a lot of those in the camp.”

I was sure they did.

“Would you recognize him if someone showed you a picture of him?” I questioned.

Mary brightened. “I would. You got pictures?”

“Not yet, but we’re working on some things,” I told her.

Or at least I hoped Tex and Duke were.

“You show me a picture, I’ll tell you if it’s the guy,” Mary decreed.

And if we could get a picture, maybe I could figure out how to find Javi and, since he knew everyone on the street, maybe he’d know who this guy was connected to and why he might be getting the lay of the land at the camps.

“Thanks, Mary. This has been really helpful,” I told her.

Her brows shot up. “It has?”

I smiled at her. “It has.”

She seemed pleased with herself as we said our goodbyes.

Frank took a swat at me as we started to leave, so I stopped and pointed at his kitty nose.

“Be good,” I ordered.

He curled a paw around my finger, gave it a good sniff then licked it.

“Good boy,” I murmured.

He stopped licking and swatted at me.

I laughed and braved a head scratch.

Frank started purring.

“Scammer,” I whispered.

“You got the touch,” Mary noted. “Frank doesn’t like just anybody.”

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