Indeed, a fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.” –Ecclesiastes 7:6 (NLT)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lucas was standing at the corner, touching the edge of the building that the bullet hit. As I approached, he smiled. “What are you grinnin’ at?” I barked, touching my arm where there was a splinter. Good thing I was wearing my heavy coat, so it didn’t penetrate deeply, if at all.
“Senor Miles, aren’t you glad we prayed? Otherwise…” he let it drop but pointed to the piece of wood in my arm.
I wanted to act grumpy, but his smile won me over and I just replied, “You got a valid point there, son.”
“Any tracks?”
“Too many,” I responded, “I only know which direction he went. Listen, we’ve made the rounds. Why don’t you go back to the office, Mateo will be there soon. I’m goin’ on down to the diner to get some breakfast and coffee. After Mateo relieves you, come on down and I’ll buy you breakfast.”
He smiled, “And maybe a piece of the Senora’s pie?”
As I entered the diner, Molly was cleaning off a table at the front. “I take it the shot didn’t hit you?” she said knowingly.
How did she know? I raised my arm to show off the piece of woodwork in my arm.
“Oh, Miles. Better go see Doc,” she reckoned while shaking her head.
“Nah, I don’t even think it broke the skin. Here, let me get off this coat.” It was then that I felt a tug on my arm and some pain. “Hold it, grasp the sleeve whilst I pull out this splinter.”
It wasn’t long before she was doctoring up my arm. I was right, the splinter was barely in, just enough to make it bleed some. While she was bandaging it up, she asked, “Did you see who did it?”
I reached for my coffee cup while shaking my head. “He was gone by the time I dared poke my head around the corner. I followed him up to Moss’ corrals, then I saw which direction he went, but didn’t bother to try and follow any tracks.”
It was then that the door opened. In walked Lucas and when he came to the table, he smiled and pointed.
“Why’s he smiling?” asked Molly.
“Oh, don’t pay the smart-alek any mind. The sight of blood makes him giggle.”
She frowned looking at me, then back to Lucas who was now taking his seat. “Senora Molly, the big jefe said he would buy me breakfast and, that you might have a piece of pie for me, por favor,” snickered Lucas with that big grin plastered on his face.
That caused her to laugh. “Any particular type of pie?” she asked, placing her hands on her hip to feign exasperation.
He smiled again, “No, Senora, I know whatever you make it is, uh, delicious.”
Molly turned to walk to the kitchen, when Lucas spoke up, “But I am partial to chocolate.”
After she entered the kitchen, Lucas turned to me. “Senor Marshal Miles, I…”
I stopped him holding up my hand. “Stop the ‘Senor’ stuff. It’s Miles or Marshal.”
He looked at me, “Oh, Senor, I cannot call you by your first name. You are much older than me. It wouldn’t be right.”
I frowned, then he continued, “There is something you might want to know. One of the rifles…”