¡¶No Country for Old Men¡·


 Acknowledgments

to express ion to ta Fe Institute for ion and o thank Amanda Urban.

 I

    I SENt ONE BOY to t sville. One and only one. My arrest and  my testimony. I  up ted imes. times. t time ion. I didnt o go but I did. I sure didnt  to.

    een year old girl and I can tell you rig desire to visit  alone go to ion but I done it. t  no passion to it. in  teen. And old me t o kill somebody for about as long as  if turned   again. Said o old it to me out of  knoo make of t. I surely dont. I t Id never seen a person  like t and it got me to  and s t of looked a bit nervous about it but  t  all. I really believe t o be in een  minutes. I believe t. And Ive t about t a lot.  o talk to.

    Called me S I didnt knoo say to  do you say to a man t  by  about it a  good deal. But  noto he pike.

    to t knoo and I guess Id as soon not kno t  to see it and ts o a  place in my life I  of t Id of come to. Somerue and  living prop of destruction and I dont  to confront  of t do it again. I  pusand up and go out to meet  aint just bein older. I

    say t its even o do. Because I al you  o be o die to even do t rue. Not to sound glorious  about it or not you do. If you aint t. t in a beat. I  t is more like o become. And I to put

    do t. I t maybe I never would.

    tY LEFt Canding in t in took off  and put  up  and called Lamar on the mobile.

    Just  of tanks for empever. t run do to one of tunguns like t terhouse.

    Yessir. ell ts  looks like. You can see it  it  covered. Yessir.

    ood up out of t and opened to get to tly bent over ed o tion  and rocked back and tood  instantly and effortlessly. If it looked like a ticed many times it  tys neck and he chain.

    t to ty rying to get  . Cs y ebasket, kicking t t  trangling on ed cuffs bit to tys rigid artery burst and a jet of blood s across t t. tys legs sloopped. opped moving altogetly,   up ook tys belt and released  tys  revolver in tband of rousers and  into throom.

    er over s until topped bleeding and ore strips from a  oeets and  back into t on  tened toape from a dispenser, studying t tys  out of   and took t it in t of  and dropped t to tank and tungun and  t  into tys car and started t and  he road.

    On terstate  a late model Ford sedan urned  on ts and  to t off tank across epped  out. tche rearview mirror as he walked up.

    s the problem, officer? he said.

    Sir epping out of the vehicle?

    tepped out. s t? he said.

    ould you step ahe vehicle please.

    tepped a come into  tained figure before  it came too late. ic o to  o see. C  didnt  you to get blood on the car, he said.

    MOSS SAt Its dug into t beloed stock of maple and . It carried a Unertl telescopic sigelope tle under a mile ailla and t across t t studying to tains of Mexico. to t terracotta terrain of  t dryly and on works.

    t e of angle groups. Five inc one t o s from lay just beloalus of lava scree and it

    distance. Except t it ake tter part of an  o get telope   there was no wind.

    to t of talus elope.

    t moved far from  t ill a good seven  udied tes and  distortion. A lo going to be any ot.

    and laid it over to ty ed the scope.

    tood  him.

    Damn,  very  off t flat seen him.

    trigger set to nine ounces and   toanding most broadly to  drop of t  in s. It ance t ain. rigger. tooto the rocks  inside his elbow.

    Even . o tanding as before. It  took t tter part of a second to get t it took t. tanding looking at t w .

    ted. Running almost immediately at top speed out upon t rolling after try in tude.

    ood and c t t  ers. . Damn, he said.

    c of sigo t t  gre and t too ood silent and empty in t all.   and pulled on  and picked up ted t casing and put it in  pocket and closed t. t out.

    It took y minutes to cross t of t to an overlook above  try into werrain slowly.

    Crossing t ground ailless dog, black in color. c. It   paused and stood. It looked  be. t  on. ood c go.

    rap of t pus  . tcograpers like race.

    At trail leading doclaeadied ry  three vehicles.

    ry at large. to be men lying on ts into ted trucks or Broncos errain tires and o be dead.  sat there.

    Not time.

    rucks   y off. opped. udied try and tudied trucks. t up. Some of tracks of  ran across tmetal omatic  of t out and tires flat. ood tening.

    In t ve yelloopped and listened. Notruck. the floodplain.

    ts. Beyond t  truck.  the head. Blood everywhere.

    o t it y.  to gun  barrel and it ted ol stock and a ty round drum magazine.   oe and studied the low surrounding hills.

    ted suspension and dark smoked ing in t looking  at him.

    Moss stumbled back, leveling te, he said. Agua, por dios.

    barreled ol rap lying in   it and stepped back. Agua, the man said. Por dios.

    I aint got no er.

    Agua.

    Moss left tepped a of truck and opened  ted tc forallic silver tarp.  back. A load of  bricksized parcels eacic.  one eye on t out  a slit in one of t.   in t. tarp back over tepped back and looked over try again. Notruck and stood and glassed t country to t out ouclatcarp and tic package. o truck and  oo. ried to t else  ouc back to t truck and opened t again. udied t t  to tholes.

    ter. Maybe number four bucks. ttern of tton but tion  on.  tood tudying the low hills.

    ted and unslung t in took  t ted tol over to to see. Otra, ra.

    the man nodded. En mi bolsa.

    You speak english?

    anso gesture icking out of t of t o t tepped back. Smell of blood and fecal matter.  one of to tol and te, the man said.

    Moss scanned try. I told you,  got no er.

    La puerta, the man said.

    Moss looked at him.

    La puerta. hay lobos.

    t no lobos.

    Si, si. Lobos. Leones.

    Moss s th his elbow.

    back to t truck and stood looking at the passenger side.

    t t. till  in tion and urned it and tton. tced slo of t and a fine  spray of dried blood on tood t t.  tains of blood in t  dorack soutruck o  be a last man standing. And it  te in ter.

    on t a o see ires  in t for sign a  to trail and follo until o blood in then more  blood.

    You aint goin far,  you aint.

    track altoget to t ground visible y off. ry to thing.

    ood fingering tusk at t of . About no as close to not  fallin in.

    ted and steadied  t t and crossed  over terrain  more slo sat. Do not,  your dumb  ass s out  do t.

    urned and looked at t  eleven oclock. e dont even kno all  of t do nig could of been two nig mighree.

    Or it could of been last night.

    A lig and  of oern perimeter.

    Not just dont happen.

    It op of t o noon by time  to tractor-trailer moving across  ten miles. Maybe fifteen.  and s try opped.

    At t of a rockslide on thing blue.

    c for a long time tudied try about. tc some more. It ter part of an arted down.

    t a rock ed government .45 automatic  lying cocked in ting up and udying sometill a dark red but t ill sol and  pressed ty ted and tried  to rousers but too  uck t at t and blotted t from sleeve. urned and stood studying tryside. t case  standing uprigely kne  even understand.

    up   a little  do aside.  anding betraps and unsnapped tced t  back.

    It s fastened ape stamped eacion $10,000.  kno added up  to but ty good idea.  t it and t ting t of er  day from daill dark until  cooked doo forty pounds of  paper in a satchel.

    across t h. Cool.

    Sunny. One oclock in ternoon.  ts t urning black. the end of his life.

    ant mountains to t.

    cened traps and buckled tol and took  out.

    o get to ruck and  about  in ttlesnakes in t country and if  bit out  nigy and t case and its contents o some other owner.

    eig tions  on foot omatic ainty t  someone o come looking for the money. Maybe several someones.

    about going back and getting tgun rong believer in tgun.  about leaving tol behind.

    It entiary offense to own one.

    leave anyt go back to trucks.  out across  country, cutting t or rolling  country betil late in t  morning in t a mile o truck.

    ood t around and opened t for tol be.  and climbed in  and pus back as far as it  tion. took off  and leaned back and just rested  the cold glass behind  him and closed his eyes.

    to ttled over ttleguard and  t onto top and turned on ts.  too t every mile of topped at tation on t end of totes and a long drink of er and to t Aire and pulled up in front of trailer and s off tor. ts o be a  be anot he was sorry.

    from t and took tol and  t and crarailer.   looking up at t. Cic pipe and plys of insulation. o a corner and pulled tion do and lay t ed eps and  in.

    ScV and drinking a Coke. S even  look up. three oclock, she said.

    I can come back later.

    S  television again.

    in t satchel?

    Its full of money.

    Yeall be the day.

    into tc a beer out of tor.

    Can I he keys? she said.

    here you goin.

    Get some cigarettes.

    Cigarettes.

    Yes, Lletes. I been settin here all day.

    about cyanide? ?

    Just let me  out in the damn yard and smoke.

    ook a sip of t on back into to one knee  and s you some cigarettes,  me get em.

    ter and  out and got ttes and tol and slung t truck door  and came back in. tes and  on back to the bedroom.

    t pistol? she called.

    At ttin place.

    Did you buy t thing?

    No. I found it.

    S up on the sofa. Llewelyn?

    ?  hollerin.

    did you give for t thing?

    You dont need to knohing.

    how much.

    I told you. I found it.

    No you never done no suching.

    on t able and sipped t dont  belong to me,  buy no pistol.

    You better not of.

    Stes and took one out and lit it er.

    here have you been all day?

    ent to get you some cigarettes.

    I dont even  to kno even  to knoo.

    ll work, he said.

    I ts better just to not even know even.

    You keep runnin t mouto take you back there and screw you.

    Big talk.

    Just keep it up.

    ts w she said.

    Just let me finis s s say.

    al clock on table.  tside bat. Like a er moon. Or some otellar and alien in its lig o feel comfortable  sleep  in the dark.

    from under t up.   up over  up  and  into tchen.

    ook ter from tor and unscreood t of tor door. t stood ter beading cold on t tos. ood time.

    back to t s off t t into t t to t.

    in ts y deep. o tled to level times t four million. All used bills.  looking at it. You o take t treat it like luck.

    eners and s under tood  looking out t tars over t to town.

    Dead quiet. Not even a dog. But it  t . Are you  dead out t dead.

    Sting dressed and turned in to ch him.

    Llewelyn?

    Yeah.

    are you doin?

    Gettin dressed.

    here are you goin?

    Out.

    here are you goin, baby?

    Somet to do. Ill be back.

    are you goin to do?

    ook t and ejected t and put it  back and put tol in . urned and looked at her.

    Im fixin to go do somet Im goin any come back tell  Mother I love her.

    Your mothers dead Llewelyn.

    ell Ill tell hen.

    S up in t of me, Llerouble?

    No. Go to sleep.

    Go to sleep?

    Ill be back in a bit.

    Damn you, Llewelyn.

    epped back into t  if I o not come back? Is  t words?

    So tcook an  empty gallon jug from under tood filling it at tap.

    Do you knoime it is? she said.

    Yea time it is.

    Baby I dont  you to go.   you to go.

    ell darlin o eye on t cause I dont  to go neit   up on me.

    tation under ts and s off tor and got t across t and sat tudying it.

    trucks sraced a route  cross country back to tle-gate.  of all-terrain tires on truck and t try.  looking at t and studied terrain and dre  sat t tarted t onto t een in ted, truck radio in tland country dead even of static from one end of to ther.

    te and got out and opened it and drove t out and  closed it again and stood listening to t back in truck and  drove southe ranch road.

    truck in t along ts in a tre.

    turning beloo   so lig and urned off ts of truck.

    A  along t of a rise and stood looking over  try to t and to t in ts crossed before es. Nothing. For a Mexican dopedealer. Yeah. ell.

    Everbody is somethin.

    back to truck  trace and steered by t turned soutry. errain ed from t day and opped again and got out to listen. o truck ic cover from t and took t and put it in tray.

    and studied t opped  s  off t  time.

    ruck a  tic  jug of er out of t t in . took  t and s tly cton and  turned and set off torucks.

    t t-out tires. . Could be because of t respasser.

    Among t get  yet.

    t o one knee.  terjug on too dumb to live.

    urned slo.

    o truck and croucill trussed in t. Fresh blood everywhere.

    Moss took t from  and s and turned it  on.  t  into ts. Everytc and  stood.  sloo er  day brig like something in a jar.

    o ruck  at top of to one side of it to see it tter. tanding beside it. tion of a fool,   you fail to satisfy. Noo die.

    o t and set off at a trot for tance ruck start. Lig top of to run.

    By time  to truck o ime. . ed. truck  by.  he slope.

    opped and stood sucking air and trying to listen. ts er a s off.

    tened against tlig skittering over truck slos all rigo be put out of your misery. Be t thing for everbody.

    tly and idled dotural tone to t.

    Cam and  else. After a he dark.

    to t of took t of  and  uncocked it and put it back again and looked out to to t. No sign of  truck.

    o be out tryin to outrun t thing? he said.

    t ruck again. ell, s of  t goin to see again.

    tlig the ridge.

    Moss lay on omacc came back again.

    If you kne  t

    lookin for em?

    ts rig no suc.

    ening.  ruck. After a ry. t t in t. No o cross it and nowo go. ell Bubba, w are  your plans now?

    Its four oclock in t?

    Ill tell you  get in your truck and go on out take tcer?

    t ivated are you? he said.

    Pretty damn motivated.

    You better be.

    ruck. It came around ts off  and started do. tened ion to ts ran to scorpions and rattlesnakes.

    tlig rohodically.

    Brigtle, dark loom.  move.

    truck crossed to tooling along in second gear,  stopping, tor loping. o ter.

    Blood kept running into  in  even knoen it. ook out  to his head.

    You could o the river.

    Yeah. You could.

    Less open ground.

    Less aint none.

    urned, still o .

    You need to be somew.

    home in bed would be good.

    udied t t and breatre. aiting. ry.   again.

    ed a long time. truck didnt come back. ood and listened. Not a coyote, nothing.

    By time o to t carried t faint

    t o get. to tened one last time and t out at a trot.

    It rek and ill some t till tter part of a mile a t no more sinister t on a lake. t downs.

    so t  lose it and set out at a dead run.

    of tance. ill a   kno long panes of liganding tains to t and fanning over try before ruck s, roof rack and bumper spots. t racing ao a  the ground.

    t s you,  afford to do t.

    t caroming out over t oanding up out of top of t.

    made a broad s of a canyon and carried do great stands of carrizo cane. Do o ter dark. o  t and fell and rolled and rose and began to make o gone ty feet before  ime to do  t.  tted and sh hands.

    s against t and sand ol clutco . t stopped and urning slowly.

    o a gravel bank and gave out a groan. t of rougo a stop and lay tomach gasping for air.

    tol ened grass until  and   up and turned to scan tolbarrel across o s t.  tol and fired at t away again.

    ime to crao t rose and made a run for it,  splass and doil o t out toned to pocket. ter smelled of iron. aste it.  and lo into tcs and pulled t upside  do eitig as far as  and turned and dove  into the river.

    took urned and looked back toe-blue er. Noturned and swam.

    t carried o t the rocks.

    er  in t into tailer and  looked back ruck parked at top of t  see  anyone. o see t ill s and turned and  began to stroke for the far shore.

    By time  of tter part of a mile  from  at a jog barefoot toanding cane. Round cups in ts ruck rotting along tted against t to t rattled all  about  from across the river.

    in t and it stung like a .   and dove into t  leg kept ing to give out beneatrouble breathing.

    Deep in to  t  and let ts drop into t t to one  side and felt t oned  and  took it off and pulled o see t  t, bleeding sligfiber packed into it. ter out of   and put it on again and buttoned it and pulled on ts and stood and buckled . ol and took t of it and ejected t.  kno  but  it probably would.

    of topped to look back but ty feet  see anytand of cottonime  t o blister  from  in t boots.  to opped and  into t  ts and looked at t down o  again.

    er at  and got out ood  up and took off  again.  off t t and s.  ter and  fastened it and picked up tol and stood and listened. A redwing blackbird.

    Nothing.

    As urned to go ruck very faintly on t but  see it.  t by nowo men he river and were somewhere behind him.

    on trees. trunks silted up from ter and ts  tangled among took off s again to try to cross t  leaving any tracks and os and tol and keeping an eye on  terrain beloes. At a bencopped and lay on s in t en minutes to top but  ten minutes. On t fortling thinly.

    ed. After a ood.  one  anothen came on.

    tc of sig  really even t t ruck.  nine oclock Monday morning someone o be calling in tting y-four op looking for him. Never,  as in never.

    o tell o see you s vise and commence crankin on ter turn at  a time . You mig to t movin to  China.

    up and s on and stood and started up t  stretco ted out try lay dead flat, stretco to t. Red dirt and creosote. Mountains in tance. Not tsuck tol in  and looked  do time and t out east. Langtry texas y miles as  ten aken a  drink.

 II

    I DONt KNO if la  it used to be  or not. I knoook office youd figo  break it up and to figimes you o accommodate em.

    t  no otter not lose, neit see t  so muc maybe you see   I grabbed it just as  to fire and t  rig of my t t t man  ention of killin me. A fe  t many neit one of ttle top roads of a nigruck t ttin in t. ts  and I backed off some but truck es on it and I t, o stop take a look. So I  ts and gun out to ttin in truck. Ill tell you rig t. It skidded t sideo  into t t truck tin t sgun to  t and I just  it ty pieces to. I still   on to tc it  o roll but it didnt. It filled t full of dirt. t of one side of to a stop and I laid t, ol out, and I  pickup  leave out and I raised up and fired several ss at taillig they was long gone.

    Point bein you dont knooppin ake  out on to a car and you dont knoo find. I  set t cruiser for a long time. tor  ts ill on.

    Cab full of glass and dirt. I got out and kindly s back in and just  set t kindly collectin my ts. indsurned off ts and I just set take somebody t ually t officer and open fire, you  some  very serious people. I never sa truck again. Nobody else did neit tes no after it. Or tried to. I dont knoo Sanderson and pulled in at tell you to see  t cruiser. It  full of

    even from all t glass. I icized for t too. Parkin  t. ell, maybe I  I needed t cup  of coffee too, Ill tell you.

    I read tly I suppose just to try and figure out  Ive done all t good a job at  off. It keeps gettin  o one anot somewween.

    And t out togetravelin around try killin people. I forget  are t! t many of em. I dont t  kno. She generally is.

    BELL CLIMBED teps of t doo  and looked at telephone. Go ahead, he  said. Im here.

    t up. Sheriff Bell, he said.

    ened. he nodded.

    Mrs Dole bit. Yes mam.

    ook off  and put it on t he  bridge of his nose. Yes mam, he said. Yes mam.

    Mrs Do many dead cats in trees. I tly  if youll just leave tle bit, you hear?

    looking at it. Its money,  o talk to people about cats in trees.

    ell. Maybe you do.

    tton and put   up on the desk. Bell, he said.

    listening.  to t up.

    Get turtle. ts all rig here.

    he desk.

    All rigs on. Ill be ty minutes. And torbert? S trunk.

    o t of t and parked and got  out. torbert got out and anding by tudying tire tracks. You seen this, I reckon,  he said.

    Yessir.

    ell lets take a look.

    torbert opened trunk and tood looking at t of t  ly dried. o trunk and took sometpocket and unfolded it. It  ained receipt for gas from a service station in Junction texas. ell, he road for Bill yrick.

    I didnt look to see if he had a billfold on him.

    ts all rig. t dumb luck.

    udied t like a  ter.

    s a ter?

    Its a target round. You got the keys?

    Yessir.

    Bell s trunklid. rucks on terstate alked to Lamar. told  back in about tin and t t loadin o one of our units and  need a  er. You take Lamars unit back to Sonora  you. You got any money?

    Yessir.

    Fill out t same as any report.

    Yessir.

    e male, late ties, medium build.

    how do you spell yrick?

    You dont spell it. e dont know w his name is.

    Yessir.

    have a family someplace.

    Yessir. Sheriff?

    Yes.

    do or?

    e dont. Give endell your keys fore you forget it.

    t.

    ell lets not be leavin keys in ts.

    Yessir.

    Ill see you in time.

    Yessir.

    I  son of a bitch is in California.

    Yessir. I know w you mean.

    I got a feelin .

    Yessir. I do too.

    endell, you ready?

    endell leaned and spat. Yessir,  torbert. You get  stopped  old boy in turtle just tell em you dont kno it. tell  em somebody must of put here while you was havin coffee.

    torbert nodded. You and to come do me off of death row?

    If  get you out  in th you.

    You all dont be makin ligaway, Bell said.

    endell nodded. Yessir, . I might be one myself some day.

    Driving out 90 tournoff at Dryden  out and ted on  it.  it fall again. Cold  yelloo t above them.

    It ail.  up by one ip and carried it to tc in t top, sitting on tcions for miles. Any small t migure  to cross. Closing on t t in tration of  ter.  rucks running over it.

    ood t across t. So quiet. Low he wires.

    a. Beyond in tone arroyos  tracks of dragons. tains se sun and to t  t plains under a sky . t god lives in silence  in and pulled away.

    of t tape stretc. A small court out and  crossed treet.

    s happened, Sheriff?

    I dont kno got here.

    ape and  up teps. Lamar looked up  tom,  o pay here.

    t on them.

    You all go on, said Lamar. Me and to talk.

    Bell and  to play mumbledypeg  here.

    ters today I dont t t om tic.

    I hear you.

    You got anyto go on?

    Not really.

    Lamar looked a if I catc.

    ell, o catc.

    t boy was married.

    I didnt kno.

    ty-t boy. Straig to go out to  on the damn radio.

    I dont envy you t. I surely dont.

    I to quit, Ed tom.

    You  me to go out th you?

    No. I appreciate it. I need to go.

    All right.

    I just  somet never even seen before.

    I got t me call you this evenin.

    I appreciate it.

    ceps to  quit,  o need all of you .

    of t y in the bus.

    Sanderson, the driver said.

    Moss made en,  me out do t Aire? I got a bad leg and I  live do I got nobody to pick me up.

    t t.

    up off t  you was dead, she said.

    ell I aint so dont go to slobberin.

    I aint.

    you fix me some bacon and eggs wake a shower.

    Let me see t cut on your  o you? ruck at?

    I need to take a so eat. My stomacs been cut.

    of ts and  ttle formica table in tc ts t on the back of  your arm?

    his?

    Four.

    You got any more toast?

    t, Llewelyn?

    o hear?

    truth.

    about salting his eggs.

    You aint goin to tell me, are you?

    No.

    o your leg?

    Its broke out in a rash.

    Stered toast and put it on te and sat in te. I like to  eat breakfast of a nigakes me back to my bachelor days.

    is goin on, Llewelyn?

    s goin on, Carla Jean. You need to get your stuff packed and be ready to roll  out of . ever you leave you aint goin to see it again so if you   it dont leave it. t of  seven-fifteen in t you to go to Odessa and  till I can call you.

    S back in tc me to go to Odessa, she said.

    ts correct.

    You aint kiddin, are you?

    Me? No. I aint kiddin a bit. Are  of preserves?

    S up and got t of tor and set table and sat  back do and spread it h his  knife.

    s in t satc in?

    I told you  satchel.

    You said it was full of money.

    ell ts .

    at?

    Under the back room.

    Under the bed.

    Yes mam.

    Can I go back there and look?

    Youre free y-one so I reckon you can do .

    I aint ty-one.

    ell wever you are.

    And you  me to get on a bus and go to Odessa.

    You are gettin on a bus and goin to Odessa.

    am I supposed to tell Mama?

    ell, try standin in the door and hollerin: Mama, Im home.

    ruck at?

    Gone thins forever.

    o get dohe mornin?

    Call Miss Rosa over yonder. S got noto do.

    have you done, Llewelyn?

    I robbed t Fort Stockton.

    Youre a lyin sack of you know w.

    If you aint goin to believe me o get on back t your stuff toget about four ill daylight.

    Let me see t thing on your arm.

    You done seen it.

    Let me put somet.

    Yea salve in t if  out. ill you go on  and quit aggravatin me? Im tryin to eat.

    Did you get s?

    No. I just said t to get you stirred up. Go on now.

    nortexas and took route 349 south.

    o tation at S  dark. A long red  t back  in and paid.

    You all gettin any rain up your or said.

    be?

    I seen you was from Dallas.

    Cer. And  of yours where  Im from, friendo?

    I didnt mean not.

    You didnt mean not.

    I  passin time of day.

    I guess t passes for manners in your cracker viehings.

    ell sir, I apologized. If you dont  to accept my apology I dont know w else I  can do for you.

    hese?

    Sir?

    I said hese.

    Sixty-nine cents.

    Co ter. t up and stacked t taken ic package of caseet of to ood eating.

    ill the man said.

    I dont knohere?

    Is thin wrong?

    it?

    ithing.

    Is t hing?

    turned a  to   C t t of tore. tting te anothe cashews.

    ill thing else?

    Youve already asked me t.

    ell I need to see about closin.

    See about closing.

    Yessir.

    time do you close?

    Now. e close now.

    No a time.  time do you close.

    Generally around dark. At dark.

    Cood sloalking about, do you?

    Sir?

    I said you dont knoalking about do you.

    Im talkin about closin. ts alkin about.

    time do you go to bed.

    Sir?

    Youre a bit deaf, arent you? I said ime do you go to bed.

    ell. Id say around nine-ty. Somewy.

    Co hen, he said.

    ell be closed then.

    ts all right.

    ell why would you be comin back? ell be closed.

    You said t.

    ell we will.

    You live in t ore?

    Yes I do.

    Youve lived here all your life?

    tor took a hers place, he said.

    Originally.

    You married into it.

    e lived in temple texas for many years. Raised a family temple. e come  out  four years ago.

    You married into it.

    If ts t to put it.

    I dont o put it. ts t is.

    ell I need to close now.

    C of to tle bag and  placed it on ter. ood oddly erect, chewing.

    You seem to  of questions, tor said. For somebody t dont  to  say heyre from.

    s t you ever sa on a coin toss?

    Sir?

    I said  you ever sa on a coin toss.

    Coin toss?

    Coin toss.

    I dont kno generally bet on a coin toss. Its usually more like just to settle  somethin.

    s t ttled?

    I dont know.

    Cook a ty-five cent piece from  and flipped it spinning into t lig it and slapped it onto t above t, he said.

    Call it?

    Yes.

    For w?

    Just call it.

    ell I need to kno is were callin here.

    ching?

    t C time. Blue as lapis. At once glistening  and totally opaque. Like  stones. You need to call it, C call it for  you. It  be fair. It  even be rig call it.

    I didnt put nothin up.

    Yes you did. Youve been putting it up your  kno. You  knoe is on this coin?

    No.

    Its nineteen fifty-eigs been traveling ty-to get s   my . And its eitails. And you  o say. Call it.

    I dont kno is I stand to win.

    In t t. he licked his upper lip.

    You stand to hing.

    You aint makin any sense, mister.

    Call it.

    hen.

    Curned ly for to see. ell done,  he said.

    and  across.

    do I  ?

    take it. Its your lucky coin.

    I dont need it.

    Yes you do. take it.

    took t to close now, he said.

    Dont put it in your pocket.

    Sir?

    Dont put it in your pocket.

    me to put it?

    Dont put it in your pocket. You  know w is.

    All right.

    Anytrument, C even  notice. to  pay attention. And ting. And after t nots just a coin.

    For instance. Not could t be an instrument of? You see to separate t from ts of some moment in ory  migercs of some ot.  be?

    ell, its just a coin. Yes. ts true. Is it?

    Cer into   t and turned and  tor cc into tarted and pulled off from to ts never did come on. er and looked at it.  boter and just stood leaning th his head bowed.

    to Dryden it  eig at tersection in front of  Condras Feed Store s off and tor running. turned ts  on and pulled out on .

    te marks at t t ter and drove anoturned off t off  ts and left tor running and got out and e  and came back. tleguard and got out and closed te again and stood tening. t in t doted track.

    an old remnant, trung on mesquite posts. In a mile or so  on a gravel plain he engine.

    tinted so dark t out. A man got out on t  foro t in and  s ts go, he said.

    alked to he driver said.

    No.

    know ws happened?

    No. Lets go.

    t across t in the dark.

    o tell he driver said.

    it is t Im telling him.

    o Mosss truck Co study it.

    Is t ruck?

    ts it. Plates is gone.

    Pull up  a screwdriver?

    Look in there.

    C out o truck and opened the door.

    ion plate off of ts inside t it in  and came back and got in and put t  tires? he said.

    It  us.

    Cs go, he said.

    tance from trucks and o look at tood time. It  on t but   seem to notice. tood ing.  in urned it on and rucks and looked at t a small distance.

    hose dog? Chigurh said.

    e dont know.

    ood looking in at t into ts.

    he box? he said.

    Its in truck. You  it?

    Can you get anyt?

    No.

    Nothing?

    Not a bleep.

    Cudied tled .

    tunias, one of the men said.

    C ansruck and stood looking over t. Dead quiet. t been dead t. ol from tband of rousers and turned  around to anding and s t t. tually urned to look at t as epped bet and pulled  arap from ter Glock   to t in and started it and  backed around and drove up out of tohe highway.

 III

    I DONt KNO t la benefits all t mucechnology.

    tools t comes into our o too. Not t you can go back. Or t  youd even  to. e used to orola ties sometimes to just folloill like ts. .44-40. If t  stop ter take off  runnin. I like ter model 97. I like it t its got a  like  o  ty on a gun. Of course some t cruiser of mine  is seven years old. Its got t. You cant get t engine no more. I drove one of  t  outrun a fatman. I told t Id stick  I   aint al it aint alher.

    t kno it ever so often. I cant say as I   out altoget aint someto o see again. to  ness. t really ougo be on deat. I believe t.

    You remember certain t a t. People didnt knoo wear.

    t in tsleeves and t kindly bot sure I could tell  you why.

    Still to knoo do and t surprised me. Most of em I knoion before.  ain around ttin slumped over and people just got up and filed out.

    Like out of c just seemed peculiar. ell it   unusual day I ever spent.

    Quite a fe believe in it. Even t  one time. You see somebody ever day sometimes  for years and t man do o death.

    ell. tll take some of t of just about anybody. I dont care w is.

    And of course some of t very brigt told me about  one ered to and e  meal and , ever

    come time to go and Pickett

    and told  for o say about  t. Pickett didnt neither.

    I never o kill nobody and I am very glad of t fact. Some of time s even carry a firearm. A lot of folks find t o believe but its a fact. Jim  Scarborougs ton Boykins  o  timers. Never missed  a co do so. time concern t tered do  feel it. Nigger rop County  knowed everbodys py by .

    Its a odd to t it. tunities for abuse are just  about everexas State Constitution for bein a  s a one. ty la a job s put upon  you and you are cent laell me if ts  peculiar or not. Because I say t it is. Does it y percent of time. It  takes very little to govern good people. Very little. And bad people cant be governed at  all. Or if t.

    tO Fort Stockton at quarter to nine and Moss stood and got  case out of t and  stood looking do her.

    Dont get on a airplane  t you under the jail.

    My mama didnt raise no ignorant children.

    o call me.

    Ill call you in a few days.

    All right.

    You take care.

    I got a bad feelin, Llewelyn.

    ell, I got a good one. So t to balance out.

    I hope so.

    I cant call you except from a payphone.

    I kno. Call me.

    I   everthing.

    Llewelyn?

    .

    Nothin.

    is it.

    Not ed to say it. You take care. Llewelyn? .

    Dont  nobody. You hear?

    ood t makin no promises, he said.

    ts  .

    BELL  forkful of o he phone rang.

    again. Sarted to pus  it, he said.

    All right.

    in? e never eat te.

    Dont be cussin, she said.

    he phone. Sheriff Bell, he said.

    ened for a  forty minutes. Just leave ts on on your unit.

    o  and picked up t it in  this  side of Lozier Canyon.

    do you make of t?

    he shook his head.

    e.  of h me, he said.

    Let me get my coat.

    t te and drove over ttleguard and pulled up be. endell he window.

    Its about a  follow me.

    I can see it.

    Yessir. It  in seen it  from the road.

    ttle  out and stood looking at it. You could feel t  on your face. Bell came around and opened took   out and stood  of ruck parked a  anding turn and said Sheriff.

    e could of brought weeners, she said.

    Yeah. Marshmallers.

    You  t.

    No, you . Did you all see anything?

    No sir. Just the fire.

    Didnt pass nobody or nothin?

    No sir.

    Does t look to you like about a 77 Ford, endell?

    It could be.

    Id say it is.

    as t he old boy was drivin?

    Yeaes.

    It   Sheriff.

    It surely .

    fire to it?

    I dont know.

    endell turned and spat. asnt  Dallas I dont  reckon, ?

    Bell s  t thing from his mind.

    In t to torbert  back yet.

    nine-ty and Bell sent endell to get   on taring at s.  t ime. the mobile and called endell.

    ?

    Just past Sanderson Canyon.

    turn around and come back.

    All rig about torbert?

    Call ell o just set tig ernoon.

    Yessir.

    Go to t to truck from Loretta and railer.

    Saddle my tas and load and Ill see you out t a hour.

    Yessir.

    up and  doo che jail.

    te and closed it again and drove do a   and parked. endell unlatcrailer doors and led t. Bell  took ton, he said.

    You sure?

    Oo Lorettas ell you rig  to be ty t was aboard him.

    ion rifles  and so t down. You ready? he said.

    tracks but you can still see   ires.

    to t  a blackened hulk.

    You es, endell said.

    I lied about tires though.

    .

    I said till be burnin.

    t in ar, ted at time to time. You can tell  tracks from t ones,  s.

    See track is? Like you can just see far enougo duck t of you. Or you mig on a rock like t right yonder.

    In a sandos tire tread comin back as  time.

    You can see tripes real clear. rips  each way, Id say.

    endell sat .

    o t do you reckon it is o find  down here?

    I dont knoirrup and stood easily up into t ttle  kno say as Im muco it.

    ruck t and studied it and t. Both doors were open.

    Somebodys pried tion plate off the door, he said.

    the frame.

    Yea ts .

    I kno truck.

    I do too.

    endell leaned and patted the boys name is Moss.

    Yep.

    Bell rode back around truck and turned to t endell. You know w?

    No sir.

    he.

    I believe he is.

    t looking at truck. I  td be a curious t it.

    Pretty curious.

    Bell looked doo some real mischief here.

    I hear you, Sheriff.

    You this boys a doperunner?

    I dont kno of t it.

    I  eits go do of this mess.

    to ters uprig dead doy oo.

    t topped and got doepped nervously.

    Lets take t yonder a  need to see this.

    Yessir.

    orucks.

    t been dead all t long, he said.

    hey from?

    Dallas.

    ol ted and leaned on ted,  ty off t pistol. Bot bethe eyes.

    t have a gun?

    Killer could of took it. Or  not of had one.

    Bad o go to a gunfight.

    Bad way.

    trucks. tches are bloody as hogs, endell said.

    Bell glanced at him.

    Yea to be careful about cussin the dead.

    I  t t no luck in it.

    Its just a bunch of Mexican drugrunners.

    t now.

    I aint sure w youre sayin.

    Im just sayin t hey are now is dead.

    Ill o sleep on t.

    tilted for and looked in t  to t and o t. ts been some of t old  mexican brohis rig.

    Long gone no it.

    Long gone.

    endell squatted and studied t looks like t somebody cut into one of t was  inside.

    Could of been cy. Gettin ready to trade.

    t trade. t eacher.

    Bell nodded.

    t not of even been no money.

    ts possible.

    But you dont believe it.

    Bell t about it. No, .

    t here.

    Yes, Bell said. At least t.

    back. tizens been s betoo.

    Yep.

    truck. Bell pointed.

    ts been a macraight runs yonder.

    Id say it  to?

    Its probably one of the grass yonder.

    Bell aken out  across  of t tamped  in the base.

    calibers you got there, Sheriff?

    Nine millimeter. A couple of .45 ACPs.

    o tepped back and picked up  against tgun by t.

    You them holes are big enough?

    I dont t. More likely number four buck.

    More buck for your bang.

    You could put it t  to clean out a alley ts a pretty good o go.

    endell looked over the caldera. ell, he said. Somebodys walked away from here.

    Id say they have.

    es aint been at them?

    Bell s kno a Mexican.

    t Mexican.

    ell, ts true.

    It must of sounded like Vietnam out here.

    Vietnam, the sheriff said.

    t betrucks. Bell picked up a fe  tic speedloader. ood and  looked over tell you w, he said.

    tell me.

    It dont mucand to reason t t man never even got .

    I .

    t ride up   for sign a little.

    e can do t.

    Can you tell me ed  here?

    I got no idea.

    o t Bell just sat  time.

    are you thinkin, Sheriff?

    t doo udied the grass.

    e got anotion here Sheriff?

    No, I believe tural causes.

    Natural causes?

    Natural to the line of work hes in.

    got a gun.

    No.

    endell leaned and spat. Somebodys been here before us.

    Id say so.

    You the money?

    Id say t.

    So ill aint found t man, have we?

    Bell didnt ans over try.

    Its a mess, aint it Sheriff?

    If it aint itll do till a mess gets here.

    t t Mosss truck.

    So w? endell said.

    I do not know.

    I ake it s is pretty .

    tty high, he said.

    to to endell on to truck and  the horses.

    You be sure and rap on tcta.

    I  to give he keys anyways.

    ty dont pay o use her horse.

    I hear you.

    orbert on to get you,  set tight.

    of Lamars office tape ill strung across torbert ting on teps.  up and  to the car.

    You all right? Bell said.

    Yessir.

    heres Sheriff Lamar?

    on a call.

    t toold ty about torbert  listened in silence.  ter a  from Austin.

    do they say.

    Not muching.

    h?

    t know.

    t know?

    No sir.

    kno no exit wound.

    Yessir. tted t.

    Freely admitted?

    Yessir.

    ell orbert?

    t  looked to be a large caliber bullet  said ed to a distance of approximately tal lobe of t t t no bullet to  be found.

    Said wound.

    Yessir.

    Bell pulled out onto terstate. eering w y.

    youre sayin dont make no sense, torbert.

    I told em t.

    to whey responded?

    t respond not FedEx. X-rays and evert in your office by in the mornin.

    ter a  said: t acles, aint it Sheriff.

    Yes it is.

    altogether?

    Good question. I aint sure I even counted. Eigy haskins.

    torbert studied try out these people? he said.

    I dont knoo say to deal o deal lin cattle. No I dont knos true no more. Im like you. I aint sure  knoo do about em even. If you killed em  all to build a annex on to hell.

    Co t Aire sly before noon and parked just belorailer and s off t out and  yard and  climbed teps and tapped at ted. tapped again.

    urned and stood o trailer and studied ttle park. Not a dog. urned and put  to t out t steel plunger of ttlegun and opened t in  and s the door behind him.

    ood, tys revolver in co t into t door open. op dresser dra again.  t and  pulled  over it and  to tchen.

    or and took out a carton of milk and opened it and smelled it  and drank. ood ton in one  the window.

    ton back in tor and s the door.

    into t on tly good ty-one  incelevision on table.  he dead gray screen.

    t back do t.  tpocket and t out.

    of t in. Yessir, the woman said.

    Im looking for Llewelyn Moss.

    Sudied o railer?

    Yes I did.

    ell Id say   to leave a message?

    here does he work?

    Sir I aint at liberty to give out no information about our residents.

    C ttle plyhe woman.

    here does he work.

    Sir?

    I said where does he work.

    Did you not  give out no information.

    A toilet flusc the woman again.

    t out and got in t.

    took t of pocket and unfolded tters inside.  to Del Rio and to Odessa.

    in and got some c to t t there.

    I tried to reac I dont believe here anymore.

    t know w. his?

    C over to ter and sat down and ordered a  cup of coffee. has Llewelyn been in? he said.

    of tting o  ting t in. t tening to the radio. Yessir, he said.

    I was looking for Llewelyn.

    here.

    time do you expect him?

    I dont knoly. As if  anot Ch?

    I dont think so.

    Outside ood on tained pavement.  tting at  the building.

    Do you know where Llewelyn is?

    t into t and  back  toown.

    to Del Rio in ternoon and Moss got o tand and opened t in. take me to a motel, he said.

    t  one in mind?

    No. Just someplace cheap.

    t to a place called trail Motel and Moss got out  case and paid t into tting  celevision. S up and  around behe desk.

    Do you have a room?

    I got more ts?

    I dont know.

    e got a e is ty-five dollars plus a dollar seventy-five  tax. ty-six seventy-five.

    ty-six seventy-five.

    Yessir.

    For the week.

    Yessir. For the week.

    Is t your best rate?

    Yessir. t no discounts on te.

    ell lets just take it one day at a time.

    Yessir.

    to t in and s t tains and stood looking out t ttle court. Dead quiet. ened t on took out tol and laid it on t.

    e afternoon.  tained asbestos ceiling.

    up and pulled off s and socks and examined the bandages on his heels.

    into t ook off   and examined t  on t ter a  knife  set to unscre grille, putting t on tood on oes and looked into t.

    a lengtian blind cord at tied to tced out a t it in  and s tened it and fastened traps.

    t of t, sliding to tood on t as far as   ig. ook t again until  reac ts rack of dust and fastened t into took a s s and pulled t y off. t to sleep.

    ening.

    o tain back slig.

    Deep shing.

    dressed and put ttress y still off and smootskirt and sat on the phone and called a cab.

    o pay tra ten dollars to take o Ciudad  Acu?a. reets, looking into t and  tle alameda grackles tling in trees and calling to one  anot into a boot s tics ¡ª crocodile and ostric ¡ª but ty of ts  he wore.

    into a farmacia and bougin of bandages and sat in tc.  ted to go see to see t on walking.

    e in a restaurant e tablecloters in s. ereak. It aurant y  save for eak came  into it and c about his life.

    back to tel a little after ten and sat in tor running  money for t and arted to  get out but .  to  the side, he said.

    t ter in gear.  room? he said.

    Just drive me around. I  to see if somebodys here.

    t ains ty sure  left to tell. Not t olled slo. No cars in t  t  been there. Keep going, he said.

    t he mirror.

    Keep going, said Moss. Dont stop.

    I dont  to get in some kind of a jackpot here, buddy.

    Just keep going.

    I let you out  argue about it.

    I  you to take me to anotel.

    Lets just call it square.

    Moss leaned for, ryin to get you out of it. Noake me to a motel.

    took tucked it into pocket and turned out of t and  into treet.

    t at t on t  doe breakfast in t sat there.

    t be in to clean it.

    C time is eleven oclock.

    t.

    Except of course t t least ties looking for   t going aher.

    By time  up  o o kill somebody.  didnt know w was.

    ook a cab and  into to into a sporting goods store and boug exactly t  under reet to a ore.

    t a  millfile and some miscellaneous items. A pair of  pliers and a pair of sidecutters. A scre tape.

    ood on turned and reet.

    In ting goods store again entpoles. ried to explain t  care ent it he poles.

    tudied ever kind of tent it is, ill o special  order poles for it. You need to get turer and the model number.

    You sell tents, right?

    e got t models.

    t poles in it?

    ell, I guess t en foot ent. You can stand up in it. ell, some  people could stand up in it. Its got a six foot clearance at the ridge.

    Let me have one.

    Yessir.

    tent from tockroom and laid it on ter. It came in an orange  nylon bag. Moss laid tgun and ter and untied trings and pulled tent from togethe poles and cords.

    Its all the clerk said.

    do I owe you.

    Its one seventy-nine plus tax.

    er. tentpoles e  bag and  and put it  and Moss gatgun and ogetentpoles and turned and left.  about tent?

    the clerk called.

    In tgun and  in an open dra in front of t  and  t it  aside. tock in a line t left it ol grip and sat on t ted it  for turned it side it. It looked pretty good. urned it over and  opened to the magazine one by one.

    one more round in t   long.

    rail Motel and told to ools under ttress and  out again.

    to al-Mart and bougo put ts and some socks. In ternoon  for a  long  along taking t-off gunbarrel and tock  into ter as far as  and ock under a ledge of s scrub.  and  on a ridge a o stand looking back at  on a gravel beacy bag folded  in c. atcurn blue and cold. An osprey   do the darkness.

 IV

    I AS Sy y-five. o believe. My fat a la time, ty proud of t. I kno back  from tuff and of course people  . I  campaigned pretty o. I tried to be fair. Jack used to say t any time  youre t youre losin ground but I tly it just  in o speak  ill of anybody. And I never did mind bein like y-one years. No c a girl but I  talk about t. I served terms and to Denton texas. Jack used to say t bein s jobs you could . Maybe lots of t. e stayed gone and stayed gone. I done different tective on  t time my  all t sure about us comin back   me runnin. But sed to so ts er  person t to anybody t cares to listen. Not t ts sayin  a er person than anybody I know. Period.

    People t t but t. Sometimes if t it any of Kerrs Mercantile and  cross treet and sipped my  to  just almost a smile  back, t .

    People complain about t o em t t deserve but tion t o deserve t recall  t I ever give t muco smile on me. But he did.

    O tuesday morning it  daylig  to able in t table  nodded to ress broug back to  tc stirring to stir since  black. ture   page of tin paper. Bell read, sy years old.

    You kno a man in  ty some odd years. t  hed be  remembered for.

    S by.

    ook endell o t Aire and stood at the door  while endell knocked.

    Look at the lock, Bell said.

    endell drement, he called.

    t nobody here.

    No reason not to be careful.

    ts righe world.

    tood. endell  Bell stopped  s just keep to t careful routine, he said.

    Yessir.

    and  up.

    s t? said endell.

    Cylinder out of the lock.

    Bell passed   at, oance and te the speed.

    I expect you could.

    Pretty good speed.

    Yessir. Pretty good speed.

    t do you think, Sheriff?

    I believe t a shuck.

    I do too.

    Kindly in a  it, too.

    Yep.

    o tcor and looked in and s it again.

    he freezer.

    So when was he here, Sheriff?

    o say. e mig missed him.

    You t any notion of ts of sons of bitc are in him?

    I dont knoo.  made a impression on  me.

    trouble, aint they?

    Yes they are.

    Bell o t on tood in the doorway.

    ill  are you thinkin? he said.

    Bell s look up.

    By ednesday ate of texas s o Sanderson. Bell sat at able in t  ty years old t anding troduced er for tonio Ligs all t, Sheriff? he said.

    It appears to be a in accident.

    ing accident?

    Yessir.

    be a ing accident? Youre pulling my leg.

    Let me ask you somethin.

    All right.

    Last year nineteen felony cerrell County Court.  drug related?

    I dont know.

    time I got a county t is full of people  t?

    I dont know.

    I dont eit need to eat my breakfast  kindly a full day ahead.

    orbert drove out in torberts four  it.

    truck and ed. Its ten, torbert said.

    ?

    Its ten. Deceased. e forgot about old yrick. Its ten.

    Bell nodded. t , he said.

    Yessir. t .

    ter arrived and circled and set do on the bajada.

    Nobody got out. ting for t to bloorbert cor winding down.

    ts name yre. Bell kneo.  out os and  and a Cart canvas jacket and  until  h.

    Sheriff Bell, he said.

    Agent McIntyre.

    vehis?

    Its a 72 Ford pickup.

    McIntyre stood looking out doapped t his leg.

    Bell. Im o kno, e in color.

    Id say we. Yes.

    Could use a set of tires.

    over and ruck. e on his clipboard. he looked inside.

    forhe back.

    tires?

    Bell anding s. . Deputy  y.

    Rival party.

    Yessir.

    I t t up.

    they are.

    But not this one.

    Not this one.

    McIntyre looked too a ride doh you?

    Sure you can.

    toorberts truck. t looked at Bell and apped t  intend to make this easy, do you?

    yre. Im just messin h you.

    t t-up trucks. McIntyre o ed in t t thing I ever saw, he said.

    ood making notes on ances and made a rougc tes.

    ere there no guns here? he said.

    Not as many as t two pieces in evidence.

    heyve been dead?

    Four or five days.

    Somebody must  away.

    Bell nodded. t a mile north of here.

    t Bronco.

    Yep.

    Mexican black tar.

    Bell looked at torbert. torbert leaned and spat.

    If t somebody is  missing.

    Id say ts a reasonable guess.

    McIntyre continued ing. Dont  it.

    I aint worried.

    McIntyre adjusted  and stood looking at trucks. Are t  here?

    Rangers are comin. Or one is. DPS drug unit.

    Ive got .380s, .45s, nine millimeter parabellum, thing else?

    I t .

    McIntyre nodded. I guess ting for t by  no its not coming.  about trol?

    Everbodys comin as far as I kno it to get rig could be a  bigger drahe flood back in 65.

    Yeah.

    o get t of here.

    McIntyre tapped t  t truth, he said.

    Nine millimeter parabellum, said torbert.

    Bell nodded. You need to put t in your files.

    Cransponder coming across t  of Del Rio. It  and turned tening.

    ts picked up some kind of a large bird sitting on tton to let took tol from beside t out ting tol ted ed onto t of brass mapp- gas burners fitted into a uffed ion and painted flat black.  as ts wings.

    It flared s, very urning and lifting ao t  to t and tream and ceased. Col in t and put the window back up  again.

    Moss paid tepped out into ts in front of tel office and  slung t turned and  in. ter.  ter. Stle flustered. o stay a while?

    I need another room.

    You  to c anot?

    I  to keep t and get another one.

    All right.

    a map of tel?

    Ser. to be a sort of a one. ait a minute. I t.

    Ser. It sies parked in front.

    and flattened it out and studied it.

    about one forty-two?

    You can  to yours if you  it. One-ty aint took.

    ts all rig about one forty-two?

    S ts, she  said.

    and turned do tel. Ser ching him go.

    In t on t.  up and  into tood in tub o tV was playing somewhere.

    back and sat and unzipped took out tgun and laid it to one  side and tied t onto the bed.

    ook t tood on it and unscre grille and stepped do dustside up on t o t. ened. ood do t and climbed back up again.

    tion in t ten feet do and icking out. urned off t and stood listening. ried listening  .

    tgun and  to turned off t at  tcood in t tain at tyard.

    t back and laid tgun on turned on t.

    ied ttle nylon bag and slid t. t long and aped ts  tape  so t t pull apart.  to t and came back  on t tters and o one ape. taped to tood up and  slid twork.

    urned t off and pitc onto t back to t. Drone of a truck passing out on ted till it was gone.

    A cat t yard stopped. t  on again.

    ood on t in urned on t and laid t tal  so as to mute t turned it and broug back. t and  turned tly and ter a feries o get it  caugraps and o silently up t  until  go the bag.

    on t from tened  tcraps and opened it and looked at ts of bills. ook one of  t. tted it back and undid tied to trap and turned off t and sat listening. ood and reac and t back tools.  tgun and tools in took  it and t t as it was.

    Cel rooms urned at t and came back. o a stop  and put tly doop and stopped  again. Finally o t in.

    tel office y-television set he woman looked like shed been asleep. Yessir, she said. Can I help you?

    tpocket and got into to t out and o t. In to ts and came back out tery pack and tgun from truck. tgun on automatic ic military stock and a parkerized finis ted   long and big around as a beercan.  past tening to the signal.

    o tood in te lig lamp. o turned t on took to see cood in taking it all in once again.  and pulled on s and got tank and slung it across  up ttlegun  and  doo the room.

    ood listening at t the door.

    A Mexican in a green guayabera  up on t imes so fast it sounded like one long  guns and left most of t of . tgun made a strange deep co a barrel.  and stepped out of tood o tside wall. .

    No o tanding  door and anotepped out again. Doo ed. to the room once more.

    to sream of  blood arted across tiles.

    epped into tgun leveled at . t tub  in t and te, e. Cepped back to avoid  tub and s he face.

    and stood on t back in and searc and  into tol  it t back and fort to get  ts and ood looking at t.

    ook to tove in te al lampbase and pulled it loose and looked in.

    . ood t  blood and matter on  from off took t off and  back  into to toogun and came back into to t, t balled in one soles on t again and  looked around t time and left.

    o torbert looked up from  of him.

    Is t? Bell said.

    Yessir.

    Bell leaned back in o read, tapping h his forefinger.

    After a  do torbert. I know ws happened  here, he said.

    All right.

    o a slaughterhouse?

    Yessir. I believe so.

    Youd kno if you had.

    I t once when I was a kid.

    Funny place to take a kid.

    I t my own self. Snuck in.

    he beef?

    traddled te and t t a time  and  all day.

    t sounds about rig do it ta ss a steel bolt out of it. Just ss it out about so far. t t trigger and do quick.

    torbert anding at ted a minute for to  continue but t continue. torbert stood t of even told me, he said.

    I kno.

    Moss pulled into Eagle Pass at a quarter till t a good part  of treet. ce globes of treetlamps  pass along t up.

    You goin across the driver said.

    No. Just take me doown.

    You are doown.

    Moss leaned for.

    s t righere.

    ts ty Courthouse.

    No. Righe sign is.

    ts tel Eagle.

    Drop me there.

    y dollars teps to t in. tanding at ting him.

    t and climbed tairs and el corridor. Dead quiet. No ligransoms.  t and  in and s t from treetlamps coming tains at t t back to tc. Old faston  sce. Oak furniture from turn of tury. Brown walls. Same chenille  bedspread.

    on t up and looked out t t and  into t a glass of er and came back and  sat on took a sip and set ter on top of table. there is no goddamn way, he said.

    co take ts of  money out and to stack ty  for a  false bottom and  it aside and began to go  tacks of bills, riffling eacs and stacking t about a t.

    t ers cut out and  transponder unit nested t ter. ape and took it out and  in t up  and took t-out dollar bills and tape to toilet and came back.  t  and t of tes into t t t it.  about a lot of t t stayed  at some point o o quit running on luck.

    tgun out of t on turned on the bedside lamp.

    to turned off t and came back and stretc  on tared at t  kno into t over t ook a urned on t er and  t out and c and  back and  sat on t o

    you got used to. And if you  did?

    ied out t tgun in and zipped it s and took it togetco te s and a black boie. te and reading Ring magazine and  Moss  enting in the smoke. Yessir, he said.

    Did you just come on?

    Yessir. Be ill ten in the mornin.

    Moss laid a er. t dohe magazine.

    I aint askin you to do nothin illegal, Moss said.

    Im just in to ion of t, the clerk said.

    to do is to call me if anybody c?

    tclerk took tte out of  over a small glass asipped t tle finger and looked at Moss. Yessir, .

    Moss nodded and  back upstairs.

    t up and looked at table. Four ty-seven.   s and pulled t listening.

    over and stood o tgun in one  in tic sain urned on tap and pulled to start tain back around tub and  out and closed throom door behind him.

    ood at tening again.  t under t it in t over and sc at table and stood trying to t t ring and ook t on table.  ty-t table.  up and pulled  t of it and put it back in t over and stood at tgun. o omac o  t  o do.

    to t  and lay tomacgun pointed at t space enougs.  pumping against ty carpet. ed. tersected t beneatood t  tly. t into ted. ried not even to blink but  rics standing in the doorway.

    Pressed jeans. tood to throom.

    At t moment Moss realized t  going to open to turn around. And oo late. too late to make any more  mistakes or to do anyt all and t o die. Do it,  do it.

    Dont turn around, urn around and Ill bloo hell.

    t move. Moss was walking forward on gun.  and  know w kind of gun  now.

    A sgun clattered to t your hands up, he said.

    Step back from the door.

    ook teps back and stood,  sen feet ao it. Everytgun at  he hammer cocked.

    t could   even look at roubled. As if t of his day.

    Back up. Some more.

    gun and t onto tc and s the door. Look over here, he said.

    turned  Moss. Blue eyes. Serene. Dark  ly exotic. Beyond Mosss experience.

    do you ?

    answer.

    Moss crossed took post of t case stood t.  up.

    t even seem to notice. s seemed elsewhere.

    ook t over  tgun s  it under s go,  into the  hallway.

    t ransponder receiver anding in t outside  t it taken more cgun trained on t,   in one ol. arted to tell o put   sometold  it didnt really make any difference whe mans hands were.

    till open, till running.

    You s tairs and Ill s you.

    t ans Moss knew.

    Rig you take anotep.

    opped. Moss backed to tairs and took one last look at anding t from turned and doubled doairaking teps t a time.  kno t far ahead.

    In tclerks feet icking out from be  stop.  t door and doeps. By time reet Cel above   sometug at tols  a muffled pop, flat and  small in t of toime to see t faint but visible under teen foot el sign.

    feel anyt snapped at  and blood started running do s  a stinging  pain in  up again leaving Cgun lying in treet. Damn,  a s.

    tec tre. As tle  round ticket kiosk all t of it.  s. gun and t rattled off torey balustrade and took t of some of turned again a car coming doreet picked s and slourned up Adams Street and tersection in a cloud of rubbersmoke and stopped. trying to start it. Moss turned o t on foot at a run.

    One of t tgun and to creet art up again.

    By time  to Grande Street a pandemonium of gunfire  be torereet, o gun and t case, dark in table. ting on t up  you son of a bitc you set t the hell up.

    reet s.  and sgun in and zipped it s again. ood tottering. to t o  vomit.

    turnstile on t a dime in t and pusaggered out onto t breaking first lig sance to the far side.

    a party returning. Four of teen, partly  drunk.  took a pack of t.

    t on rouser-leg and peeled off five of  t t in .

    Excuse me,  tprints on the  walk behind him like clues in an arcade.

    Excuse me.

    tepping off to to go around him.

    Excuse me I .

    t stop till t urned. ll you give? he  said.

    t man be.

    t stopped hers.

    how much?

    Ill give you five hundred dollars.

    Bulls.

    Come on Brian.

    Lets go, Brian. hes drunk.

    Brian looked at t Moss. Lets see the money, he said.

    Its right here.

    Let me see it.

    Let me .

    Lets go, Brian.

    You take t me . t.

    All right.

    of t and  over and Moss he bill.

    s t?

    Blood.

    Blood?

    Blood.

    ood  t  o you?

    Ive been s.

    Lets go, Brian. Goddamn.

    Let me he money.

    Moss o truggled into t. t t and stepped  away.

    on. topped. talking toget  t buttoned and put  and so keep  ell you twice.

    turned and  on. t ried to see s all rig keep puttin one foot in front of ther.

    ually passed beneatopped and stood looking do it. tes a t to t. Over  toer moved beneathing.

    tand of tall carrizo cane gro took  be over t into space.

    e pain. curn slo from to to t and sat t t up,  up.

    eo toate of Coahuila.

    reet to a small park or zocalo rees rees ed o t of  a  and from a distance t e posts arrayed at random.

    In ter a wrougand. he bench beside him and leaned forward holding himself.

    Globes of orange ligands. t seemed far ahe  branches overhead and day was coming.

    out one  lie down.

    No sun. Just t breaking. treets . tters.

    An old man was coming along pushen he moved on.

    Se?or, Moss said.

    Bueno, the old man said.

    You speak english?

    udied Moss, h hands. he shrugged his shoulders.

    I need a doctor.

    ted for more. Moss pus, he said.

    tongue. ohe dawn.

    trees and buildings taking s Moss and gestured h his chin.

    Puede andar? he said.

    ?

    Puede caminar? ions   t.

    Moss nodded. A ill it passed.

    tiene dinero? together.

    Si, Moss said. Si. ood s of bloodsoaked bills  from t pocket and separated a e and  to took it  reverence.  Moss and tood t the bench.

    eps and out t door of tel oied ions of o tol in ther.

    tersection and treet. epped back into tter of automatic riflefire and  tgun rattling off treet s and tennis s look like anybody you   to meet in t of try. eps to tol over trade and opened fire on them.

    By time t w beel.

    Cood o tted a freso tol. taking out tering up t  out. It ill dark enougreet t you could see the muzzleflashes.

    turned and puso tel lobby, ts of glass crackling under s.  gimping doeps at tel and out into t.

    reet and  up Jefferson keeping to trying to  at y Courtes at best before  fresies began to arrive.

    to tanding in treet.  t up, all of t  least one body inside. tcel and Col and s . Cepped back beood ol uprig ing. A  ricang of gunpohe smell of fireworks. No sound  anywhere.

    into treet one of t from tel porcoc  fender of t t  C no mind. o tled t and  t and picked up t y-five round clip. C pockets and  came up  t of   and stuck tol do of  and c  o the curb.

    t in tcreet toel and tall palm trees.  the man.

    took tol from . o the man looked away.

    Look at me, Chigurh said.

    the man looked and looked away again.

    Do you speak english?

    Yes.

    Dont look a you to look at me.

    C t. C ood cc receding. atc squandered reet once more. treet and  limping on  toel parking lot w his vehicle.

 V

    E COME ty muc for a fact. I knos of tory t just plain aint  so. Any family. tories gets passed on and truts passed over. As take as meanin t trut compete. But I dont  believe t. I t  trut.

    It dont move about from place to place and it dont cime to time. You cant  corrupt it any more t salt. You cant corrupt it because ts  is.

    Its talkin about. Ive  compared to t disagree . But itll be . Quite a fe. But I never could find  out hem did believe.

    You alried to be available for your social events and I o tery cleanins of course. t  you  couldnt do it for t it I reckon and say  t you just didnt  em comin around at nig I t goes deeper t.

    It is community and it is respect, of course, but t you mig to admit or even rong indeed. Very strong indeed. You get t dont  to turn  loose. So any little t respect.

    I  t  in California t out rooms to old people and ty corture em first, I dont knoo say about  t. I quote from ted o  even try.

    But ts  took, youll notice. All t  bring  it.

    ts all rig. t a w else you can do.

    It AS ALMOSt A to Odessa and dark ened to truckers on t jurisdiction up tin a crime  t right old buddy.

    a city map at top and spread it out on t of t of a styrofoam cup. raced e on t on t beside c and started the engine.

    t. As sook off  and  away sorry . S o he doorjamb.

    Im sorry mam, . Your . I just ed to talk to  you if I could.

    You aint lyin to me are you?

    No mam. I dont lie.

    You drove up here from Sanderson?

    Yes mam.

    did you .

    I just ed to visit tle bit. talk to you about your husband.

    ell you cant come in o deat me get my coat.

    Yes mam.

    to t in a boot the rear and ordered coffee.

    You dont know w, do you.

    No I dont. I done told you.

    I know you did.

    ook off  and laid it in through his hair.

    You aint heard from him?

    No I aint.

    Nothin.

    Not word one.

    tress broug. how much  money did he give you?

    S ansart to say? .

    I started to say ts some more of your business, aint it.

    you just pretend I aint the sheriff.

    And pretend youre w?

    You know rouble.

    Lle done nothin.

    Its not me rouble h.

    rouble hen?

    Some pretty bad people.

    Lleake care of hisself.

    Do you care if I call you Carla?

    I go by Carla Jean.

    Carla Jean. Is t all right?

    ts all rig care if I keep on callin you Sheriff do you?

    Bell smiled. No, s fine.

    All right.

    t quit.

    neither. he never has.

    Bell nodded.  lapped and sed in to come. taking you hem.

    t t  t is.

    ell, ss why I married him.

    But you aint heard from him in a while.

    I didnt expect to hear from him.

    ere you all havin problems?

    e dont have problems. hen we have problems we fix em.

    ell, youre lucky people.

    Yes we are.

    Sco ask me t, she said.

    About havin problems?

    About havin problems.

    I just wondered if you were.

    you kno and I dont?

    No. I could ask you thing.

    Except I  tell you.

    Yes.

    You t me, dont you.

    I dont know. has he?

    No. . I know him.

    You used to know him.

    I know .  changed.

    Maybe.

    But you dont believe t.

    ell, I guess in all y I  I never kne co say .

    ell  then.

    I s true.

    Do you really , Sheriff?

    Yes. I do.

    been chin?

    No.  been chin.

    t dont mean  be.

    No. It dont. If  long.

    ell.  dead yet.

    I s more comfort to you t is to me.

    table. co  turn t it in t guarantee t t t. Its t.

    You could put it in the papers anyway.

    Bell studied .

    Or .

    ouldnt t?

    I dont knoalkin about.

    All right.

    You care if I smoke? she said.

    I till in America.

    S tes out and lit one and turned  into  tco end? he said.

    I dont kno know o end. Do you?

    I kno.

    Like livin er?

    Somet.

    Lle.

    Bell nodded. You ougo be more   Im sayin.

    Sook a long pull on tte. Sudied Bell. S about as o be.

    o  t?

    he never has.

    nam.

    I mean as a civilian.

    he will.

    S answer.

    You  some more coffee?

    Im coffeed out. I didnt  none to start h.

    Sy tables. t cas  eig over ter reading a magazine. My mamas got  cancer, s got all t long to live.

    Im sorry to .

    I call o  even say it.

    Yes mam.

    S knoer s diagnosed so live  s. S worse.

    h her?

    I dont live  t ignorant. t temporary.

    Bell nodded.

    I need to get back, she said.

    All rig a gun?

    Yea a gun. I guess you t bait settin up here.

    I dont know.

    But ts hink.

    I cant believe its all t good a situation.

    Yeah.

    I just alk to him.

    I need to t it.

    All right.

    Id die and live in urn snitcand  t.

    I do understand t.

    I never did learn no scuts about t. I hope I never do.

    Yes mam.

    Ill tell you somet to .

    I  to .

    You mighink Im peculiar.

    I might.

    Or you mig anyway.

    No I dont.

    out of ill sixteen and I got a job at al-Mart. I didnt  knoo do. e needed t little it   before I  do ill  about  it come to me in tever it  if I   do  t. I didnt kno Id kno never been  in jail, but like you y-nintin goods  and it  and   me and  on. And directly ag and   me and  time do you get off? And t   no question in my mind. Not t no ever.

    ts a nice story, Bell said. I  has a nice endin.

    It  like t.

    I kno did. I appreciate you talkin to me. I guess Id better cut you loose, late as it is.

    Subbed out te. ell, s to do  no better t you done.

    Bell picked up  and put it on and squared it. ell,  you  can. Sometimes turns out all right.

    Do you really care?

    About your husband?

    About my husband. Yes.

    Yes mam. I do. terrell County o look after em. ts my job. I  get paid to be t one . Killed, for t matter. Id better care.

    Youre askin me to believe  youre t.

    Bell smiled. Yes mam, . I just   makin up a  trouble s killed t to live . But I can do it. I just  you to t if you can.

    All right.

    Can I ask you somethin?

    You can ask.

    I kno supposed to ask a   be a bit curious.

    ts all rigeen. I look younger.

    how long have you all been married?

    t three years.

    Bell nodded. My  a fe in t. I t. Are you ready?

    S  again and  eased up from t tes in  ell  you someteen is old enougo kno if you  somet means to you its all t more likely itll get took aeen  matter. I t t.

    Bell nodded. I aint a stranger to ts, Carla Jean. ts is very  familiar to me.

    still mostly dark out  table and reache phone.

    Sheriff Bell, he said.

    ened for about tes. te you callin me. Yep. Its  just out and out  is. I dont kno.

    of t nine-fifteen in t in t tos taken  in treet three hours earlier.

    to em, the sheriff said.

    I hear you, said Bell.

    Dead bodies in treet. Citizens businesses all s up. Peoples cars. hing?

    Can ake a look?

    Yeah. e can go over.

    treet ill roped off but t muco see. t of tel  reet.

    tires and glass s out of t-metal tle rings of  bare steel around toreet  s up and the blood hosed away.

    in tel do you reckon?

    Some Mexican dopedealer.

    tood smoking. Bell reet. ood. s grinding in tte  into treet. You go up Adams t a rail.

    Goin yon way, I reckon.

    If  caug looks to me  like tin toel and up treet yonder both.

    do you reckon tersection taway?

    I got no idea, Ed tom.

    to tel.

    kind of shellcasins did you all pick up?

    Mostly nine millimeter gun  a sgun and  two machineguns.

    Fully automatic?

    Sure. ?

    .

    tairs. tel  up.

    tclerk got killed. About as bad a piece of luck as you could have, I reckon.

    Caugray round.

    c?

    Righe eyes.

    to tood. Somebody o be towels.  s, Bell said.

    s.

    tclerk.

    s?

    No sir.

    makes you say t?

    You get t and youll see.

    are you sayin Ed tom? t t h a Black and Decker?

    ts pretty close. Ill let you t it.

    Driving back to Sanderson it began to snoo t just before dark.  from tc ed and turned in t.

    t in ttle diningroom and ate. S on music, a violin concerto. t ring.

    Did you take it off the hook?

    No, she said.

    ires must be down.

    Ss just t makes people stop and think.

    Bell nodded. I  comes a blizzard then.

    Do you remember t time it snowed here?

    No, I cant say as I do. Do you?

    Yes I do.

    .

    Itll come to you.

    Oh.

    Se.

    ts nice, Bell said.

    is?

    the music. Supper. Bein home.

    Do you tellin truth?

    I do. Yes.

    Do you t boy is still alive?

    I dont know. I hope he is.

    You may never  any of this.

    Its possible. t  be t t?

    No, I guess it .

    You cant count on em to kill one anot I expect  some cartel ake it over sooner or later and t dealin . too muc. t try  boys. It  be long, neither.

    hink he has?

    the Moss boy?

    Yes.

    o say. Could be in t too many millions.  out of  t.

    Did you  some coffee?

    Yes I would.

    S to tor and broug to table and poured  do dont come  put up .

    I better not do it then.

    Do you think hell send for her?

    Bell stirred  eaming spoon above t  in t know, .

    teenton  and to tanks. Gas flares, pale in told o come in  and told o s t even turn around.  tood  t. tor migand.

    turned and looked at on C, is t  correct?

    Yessir, ts correct.

    see him?

    November ty-eig year.

    o remember te?

    I dont o remember it. I remember dates. Numbers.

    tanding beainless  steel and  and t anyt. Not a picture or a piece of paper.

    Nothing.

    e got a loose cannon  and  a bunch of money.

    Yessir. I understand t.

    You understand t.

    Yessir.

    ts good. Im glad Ive got your attention.

    Yessir. You tention.

    took out a steel box and unlocked t and  took out a card and closed t and put it a ells and ells stepped forook it.

    You pay your oly.

    Yessir.

    t y-four hour period.

    ts up from a thousand.

    Yessir.

    how well do you know Chigurh.

    ell enough.

    ts not an answer.

    do you  to know?

    tapped  like to know your  opinion of he invincible Mr Chigurh.

    Nobodys invincible.

    Somebody is.

    ?

    Some as somew  vulnerable.

    ts a belief t you have?

    No. Its called statistics. Just how dangerous is he?

    ells so  you  called me.  so y of them around.

    -out at Eagle Pass yesterday.

    A s-out?

    A s-out. People dead in treets. You dont read the papers.

    No sir, I dont.

    udied ells. Youve led somet you Mr ells?

    In all y I cant say t c to do .

    Yes, t else.

    I guess ts it. ere these Pablos men?

    Yes.

    Youre sure.

    Not in t you mean. But reasonably sure. t ours.  t colossal goatfuck a fe. All right?

    All rig .

    Good ing, as o say. Once upon a time. In the long ago.

    thing?

    Sure.

    I couldnt come back up in t elevator, could I?

    Not to this floor. hy?

    I  interested. Security. Aleresting.

    It recodes itself after every trip. A randomly generated five digit number. It doesnt print  out any to you  and you punc in. Does t ansion?

    Nice.

    Yes.

    I counted treet.

    And?

    theres a floor missing.

    Ill o look into it.

    ells smiled.

    You can see yourself out? the man said.

    Yes.

    All right.

    One othing.

    is t.

    I  my parking ticket validated.

    tly. ttempt at humor I suppose.

    Sorry.

    Good day, Mr ells.

    Right.

    to tel tic ribbons  up out of tanding at the old clerk had been. Yessir, he said.

    I need a room, ells said.

    Yessir. Is it just yourself?

    Yes.

    And for s  be.

    Probably just the one.

    tourned to study t tired of people asking,  w  o your el?

    Im not supposed to discuss it.

    ts all right.

    t be cas card?

    Cas?

    Fourteen plus tax.

    . Altogether.

    Sir?

    I said  altogeto tell me  is. Give me a figure.

    All in.

    Yessir. t een-seventy.

    ere you ook place?

    No sir. I only started erday. t my second s.

    t is it youre not supposed to discuss?

    Sir?

    time do you get off?

    Sir?

    Let me rep.  time is your s over.

    tall and t. ed briefly over  tel. As if t be somet to  came  on at six,  is over at two.

    And wo.

    I dont know he dayclerk.

    before last.

    No sir. he dayclerk.

    ty t before last. here is he?

    h us anymore.

    yesterdays paper here?

    out.

    All righ some ice.

    Sir?

    Im just pulling your leg. You need to relax. t coming back. I can pretty near  guarantee it.

    Yessir. I o . I didnt even  to take this job.

    ells smiled and tapped top and   up tairs.

    o find tape still across bot on to   out  and  in turned on t. eet  back into tretc on ter a  to turned tment in ttom and took  out a suede leatolcase. ook out a stainless steel .357  revolver and  back to took off s and stretc again ol beside him.

    dark.  to tain. Ligreet. Long reefs of dull red cloud racked over tern  tol in  and pulled  outside of rousers to cover it and  out and do.

    It took  fifteen seconds to get into Mosss room and  t disturbing tape.  tood t looking things over.

    t to .  into t  and ble t and udied t.  t tanding quartero them again.

    into to tub  and t along trousers.  on tub and  tapped  on tiles.

    t in and closed turned and stood.

    t been slept in. tohe  floor.

    ained  ain. I  cra paid.

    first ligreets and making notes in   you could still see bloodstains in te of t.  back to Main Street and  started again. Bits of glass in tters and along t   from curbside automobiles. t  out  you could see teardrop smears of lead t el. o tel and sat on teps and looked at treet. tec tre. Somet  t up and  reet and climbed tairs. tapped at ted. t in.

    A darkened room. Faint smell of rot. ood until omed to t t slumped.

    ells stood over tudying  tilted for of t of dried brainmatter  stuck to t of tton robe t   e on a calendar on t   notice.  of  took a small camera from  pocket and took a couple of pictures  of t t again. Not  darling? old her.

    Moss ing . A  motorcycle. A dog. urned o tting on a metal c t of flowers. he man said.

    Ive felt better. ho are you?

    My name is Carson ells.

    ho are you?

    I t you some flowers.

    Moss turned aring at there?

    ell, Id say t to  right now.

    You.

    Yes.

    about t guy t come to tel.

    e can talk about him.

    talk then.

    I can make him go away.

    I can do t myself.

    I dont think so.

    Youre entitled to your opinions.

    If Acostas people  s t  so good.

    I didnt make out so good.

    Yes you did. You made out extremely well.

    Moss turned  the man again. how long have you been here?

    About an hour.

    Just settin there.

    Yes.

    You dont o do, do you?

    I like to do one t a time, if ts w you mean.

    You look dumbern tin there.

    ells smiled.

    you put them damn flowers down.

    All right.

    on table and sat back in the chair again.

    Do you knoimeters is?

    Yeas a measurement.

    Its about ters of an inch.

    All right.

    ts tance t round missed your liver by.

    Is t or told you?

    Yes. You knohe liver does?

    No.

    It keeps you alive. Do you know w you?

    Maybe  s me. Maybe it he Mexicans.

    Do you know whe man is?

    No. Am I supposed to?

    Because  somebody you really  to knos tend to  futures. Nonexistent, in fact.

    ell good for him.

    Youre not listening. You need to pay attention. t stop looking for you.

    Even if s t  make any difference to   to ill kill you. Just for having inconvenienced  him.

    I ttle more than inconvenience him.

    how do you mean.

    I t him.

    ?

    I sprayed double oug all over  believe it done  of  good.

    ells sat back in tudied Moss. You think you killed him?

    I dont know.

    Because you didnt.  into treet and killed every one of t back into tel. Like you mig and get a paper or something.

    kill ever one of them.

    .

    You tellin me  ?

    I dont know.

    You mean well me.

    If you like.

    Is he a buddy of yours?

    No.

    I t maybe he was a buddy of yours.

    No you didnt.  on o Odessa?

    o Odessa?

    to kill your wife.

    Moss didnt ans ting  knoalkin about, he said.

    I brougographs.

    back do them.

    am I supposed to make of t? he said.

    I took tures tment on t up. till there.

    Youre full of s.

    ells studied urned and looked out t o do  his, do you?

    No.

    You just o find t there.

    I dont knoalkin about.

    You didnt take t, did you?

    product.

    t .

    No. I dont .

    ells nodded. ful. Maybe I s you intend to do.

    Maybe I should ask you.

    I dont intend to do anyt o. Youll come to me. Sooner or later. You  dont o give you my mobile phone number.

    makes you t just disappear?

    Do you knoook me to find you?

    No.

    About three hours.

    You mig get so lucky again.

    No, I mig. But t  be good news for you.

    I take it you used to h him.

    ho.

    this guy.

    Yes. I did. At one time.

    s his name.

    Chigurh.

    Sugar?

    Con Chigurh.

    cut a deal h him?

    ells sat bent foroget paying attention, he said.

    Maybe I just dont believe w you say.

    Yes you do.

    Or I migake .

    Are you in a lot of pain?

    Some. Yeah.

    Youre in a lot of pain. It makes it o t me get the nurse.

    I dont need you to do me no favors.

    All right.

    is o be, timate bad-ass?

    I dont ts how I would describe him.

    how would you describe him.

    ells t about it. I guess Id say t  have a sense of humor.

    t aint a crime.

    ts not t. Im trying to tell you something.

    tell me.

    You cant make a deal  me say it again. Even if you gave ill kill you. t ts ever  good odds.   transcend money or drugs or anyt.

    So  him.

    You asked about him.

    ell me.

    I guess because I t you to understand tion youre in it  kno you. But I kno cut out for  t youre not.

    ell see,  we?

    Some of us he money?

    I spent about t I just sort of  ble in.

    ells smiled. s. hink he found you?

    Moss didnt answer.

    about t?

    I kno again.

    ells smiled. ell good on you, he said.

    Yeah. Good on me.

    tcer on a plastic tray on table. Moss no more t it.

    Do you  some er? ells said.

    If I  somet son of a bitco kno it.

    Its called a transponder, ells said.

    I knos called.

    Its not the only way he has of finding you.

    Yeah.

    I could tell you some t o know.

    ell, I go back to  said. I dont need no favors.

    Youre not curious to know well you?

    I know well me.

    hich is?

    Youd rathis sugar guy.

    Yes. Let me get you some er.

    You go to hell.

    ells sat quietly   knoalkin about. Ill take you out s .

    ells smiled. tle s toe of  and  uncrossed oe under o dust it and recrossed  do you do? he said.

    ?

    do you do.

    Im retired.

    did you do before you retired?

    Im a welder.

    Acetylene? Mig? tig?

    Any of it. If it can be .

    Cast iron?

    Yes.

    I dont mean braze.

    I didnt say braze.

    Pot metal?

    did I say?

    ere you in Nam?

    Yeah. I was in Nam.

    So was I.

    So  make me? Your buddy?

    I was in special forces.

    I t w you were in.

    I enant colonel.

    Bulls.

    I dont think so.

    And w do you do now.

    I find people. Settle accounts. t sort of thing.

    Youre a  man.

    ells smiled. A  man.

    ever you call it.

    t of people I contract o keep a lo like to get  involved in t dratention. t like the paper.

    Ill bet.

    t going to go a lucky and took out one or till  find you. to go. You can add to your troubles t t t dont  eit?

    Not to mention t agencies. Everybodys list   t. And its t. You need to throw me a bone.

    I dont really o protect you.

    Are you afraid of this guy?

    ells she word Id use.

    You didnt mention Bell.

    Bell. All right?

    I take it you dont think much of him.

    I dont t all. oe. Let me get t very comfortable. t  you to t over.  alked about.

    ood and put a card on table next to t Moss. You t call me but you  dont  too long. t money belongs to my client.

    Claimes not on your side. e can even let you keep some of it. But  if I o recover t oo late for you. Not to  mention your wife.

    Moss didnt answer.

    All rig  to call alked to ty worried.

    urned up tograp tcer but the nurse came in.

 VI

    YOUNG PEOPLE ANYMORE to ime gro kno t you dont groer t you o. I ized peace officer ime. I  I greist preac tor of a little old country c to go to Lubbock after  about told em  set t cized em and buried em.

    y-one years old, maybe ty-t in tenin. It surprised me.  in scy- one  in our class at boot camp. Six  monter I  even t  peculiar at time. Four years later I ed  but o be neitalk about rigo smile at you. But I never  of doubts about t. In  my ts about t. I hope I never do.

    Loretta told me t s some percentage of try bein raised by ts. I forget  ty . Parents  raise em. e talked about t.

    ion come along and t  to raise to do it? ts s around and  t even raise t  t. On my better days I  t t kno Im leavin out. But  times are seldom. I imes  and I knoain as  deat t not of t t can slorain.

    I dont kno. But I do.

    I dont believe you could do t a ty unusual  t. Cook  and jailer and I dont kno kno. ell,  maybe t  fresuff a good  part of to fix em o come back even years later and t come back to see me. Ive  seen em to introduce ts and t go to ba ty bad t s on t o do about t?

    You aint goin to do not it. ts o do.

    C tion of 131 and opened telepory in ained pages till  to  veterinarian. tside Bracketville about ty minutes aoo t. ory in t  top  of teering  tes. t t onto the highway again.

    o t La Pryor and took to Uvalde. side of Uvalde  of tive and undid towel.

    t out and hobbled in.

    a sack full of veterinary supplies. Cotton and tape and gauze. A bulb syringe  and a bottle of s of four  inc bottle of Betadine.  out and got in tarted t c be t t  it.

    and carefully blotted t from  t of t onto toown.

    reet and turned nortty and east again on Nopal ill bleeding.  tape and  a t of t  ton.  t togetape into pocket. ook a  coat and ted traig  out. took out a s and cut off one sleeve  and put it in  and put tive and opened ting  ood to the door.

    t over o  and stood t ter part of a  minute. t tarted doreet.

    Outside tore on Main opped and turned and leaned against a car parked  treet. No one coming.  sleeve over t doo tank and dre out  again. aped tank and balled t op of it and taped it do it and turned and limped into tore. tle more toside exploded into flame taking out most of t of tore.

    tle gate and  dos aisles.  of syringes and a bottle of ablets and  find it but etracycline and sulfa. uffed  t and came out from beer in t doc  across t beore.

    t t off but no one paid any attention and Co of tore which was now in flames.

    o a motel outside of  a room at t ol under t in  tive and dumped tents out into tied s and laid out everyter-keys, billfold, tibiotic and t on tub and pulled off s  and reac tub and turned on tap. to tub w filled.

    looked like a snakebite. er  over turned er and studied t  uck to tissue. to put your  thumb in.

    of tub ter ill leaking a pale blood dilute s in ter and  patted o on toilet and took ttle of Betadine  and t of sore open t eettle and tipped it slo ttle do to  ts of clot  er running in ted. ip of t and ser and bent to his work again.

    ed time and tore open packets of four  by fours and laid ts. tic tumbler on ter er and drank it.  and drank t back  into tretc on the pillows.

    Ot beading of s on tle evidence t   all.

    back into tripped one of t of tic  o tetracycline and dre to t and pressed til a  small bead appeared at tip of t and slid to t leg and slohe plunger.

    ayed in tel for five days. o tc television on and  up in tc and  cever came on. calk s solution and took tibiotics.  morning   to told  need any service. Just toood tainly. old  t back up tood tudied t and  t the door.

    On t ies from ty  S dos and put ty  c eitook t c all  turning or looking. they spoke.

    t ress came.  table and .  tc trying not to  limp.  o turned.  t t. It could not be seen from taurant.  back to t  and tol in  across t and got into tarted it and drove  over te divider into t of tronics s door and out  onto the highway.

    ells stood on tousling hin and sandy hair.

    urned and leaned against took a picture of noticular and loanding

    trailed off to notopped and stood h his arms folded and his chin in his hand.

    boto take a picture. tc do ter. eps and came back. epped into to truck passed. A ligremor in tructure.  on along topped. Faint outline of a  bootprint in blood. Fainter of anotudied to see if t be blood on took  and  it ongue and passed it among tood looking do tand  of carrizo cane. tly in to Mexico it  .

    ells stood back and looked at tprints again. Some Mexicans s and dayparcels. ook out ure of the world.

    Bell sat at totting up figures on a or.  t thouse  lawn. Molly, he said.

    Sood in the door.

    Did you find anyt?

    S everyto find. titled and registered  to deceased people. t Blazer died ty years ago. Did you  me  to see  about the mexican ones?

    No. Lord no. heres your checks.

    Sook tte c it under her arm.

    t DEA agent called again. You dont  to talk to him?

    Im goin to try and keep from it as much as I can.

    ted to knoed to go h him.

    ell ts cordial of s. ified agent of  ted States Government.

    ed to knoo do he vehicles.

    Yea to try and sell t auction. More county money dooilet.

    One of em  a  engine in it. e migo get a fe. No  word from Mrs Moss?

    No sir.

    All right.

    ter office  you to call  Loretta and tell o Eagle Pass and Ill call  s me to come  might.

    You  me to  till youve quit the buildin?

    Yes I do.

    dorack be over  and put it on.  is it t  torbert says? About trutice?

    e dedicate ourselves ane.

    I to commence dedicatin myself t may come to ts  over. Ill see you in the mornin.

    opped at t a coffee to go and  to tbed  reet. Po dust. opped and  c and t in t truck and  pulled it over.  out and ting at tc of goodnatured arrogance.

    Bell put one  the driver nodded. Sheriff, he  said.

    your load lately?

    ts the problem, Sheriff?

    Bell stepped back from truck. Step out here, he said.

    t out. Bell nodded toruck. ts a  damned outrage, he said.

    took a look. One of tiedowns is worked loose, he said.

    arp and pulled it back up along truck over tic sing and  bound ape. t of t t. Dead bodies  aped.

    h? Bell said.

    I aint lost none of em, Sheriff.

    Couldnt you all of took a van out there?

    e didnt h four wheel drive.

    ied doarp and stood.

    All right, Bell said.

    You aint goin to e me up for improperly secured load?

    You get your ass out of here.

    sundourned on ts and got out and s t of tood leaning on t served for  top guardrail. atc into to t. A bound semi coming around ted  o vie  jump, S . tcing gears. Bell smiled. trutter is, he said, she is.

    Some t tion of 481 and 57 tting in t  gave off a single bleep and  silent again. Co topped. urned it and turned it back. ed the knobs.

    Not onto twilig.

    ook off  turned on ts. As o beep ime.

    el and got out and came limping around truck gun and tol all in a zipper bag and crossed t and  climbed tel steps.

    ered and got teps and doo  in and locked tgun across   staring at transponder sending unit to be  in tel.  Moss because  Moss  certainly dead.

    t left t of tacumbe Petroleum Group.   t  t t t  t  about t.

    en-ty at nig  but  t up and put tgun beuck tol into tband of rousers. t out and limped doairs to the desk.

    tting reading a magazine and he desk and rose. Yessir, he said.

    Id like to see tration.

    Are you a police officer?

    No. Im not.

    Im afraid I cant do t sir.

    Yes you can.

    opped and stood listening in tside his door.

    in and got tgun and to tape across it and o turned it on.  doo tried tion to t room and  opened tepped back and stood against the  hallway wall.

    raffic in treet beyond t but still  to ty on tgun. epped across to ther side.

    t in table.  on turning it in al t t t. .  tal in  and turned off t, pulling t be about t for a minute. t transponder on turned and  back doo the lobby.

    And ted for ells. No one .  in a leato t door and to  t eleven-teen and Cairs, tgun airs ells turned and looked back and C tgun to . hello, Carson, he said.

    t in ells room, ells on t o do trader. I could just go home.

    You could.

    Id make it ake you to an AtM. Everybody just  fourteen grand in it.

    Good payday.

    I think so.

    C tgun across ting  cive. Ive moved on, in a o  place t  t t t. t  it is t Ive sort of caugs not a bad t was  overdue.

    Its still a good payday.

    It is. Its just in the wrong currency.

    ells eyed tance bety years ago. Probably  not even t you o do, he said.

    C sloucing against his knuckles.

    atcc ts.  all before. So had ells.

    It started before t,  realize it at time.  doopped in a cafe in to looking back at me. I didnt pay any attention to e. But er to pay to go past  t was o ignore. Do you  know w I did?

    Yea you did.

    I ignored arted to pusurned and looked at  standing teetoottle gesture o come outside.

    If o. And t out. And I ed in t. And  and I killed  and t into my car. t kno  I  a sleeper . trying to get o sit up. trying to get o sit up. An er I side  of Sonora texas and I let ake me into toed to see if I could extricate myself by an act of  one can. t suc it o do. Do you understand?

    Do I understand?

    Yes.

    Do you ion of how goddamned crazy you are?

    ture of tion?

    ture of you.

    Cudied ells. tell me something, he said.

    .

    If to t use he rule?

    I dont knoalking about.

    Im talking about your life. In w once.

    Im not interested in your bulls, Anton.

    I t you mig to explain yourself.

    I dont o explain myself to you.

    Not to me. to yourself. I t you migo say.

    You go to hell.

    You surprise me, ts all. I expected somet. It calls past events into  question. Dont you think so?

    You trade places h you?

    Yes. I do. Im es I ill be here.

    ells looked out tchel is, he said.

    If you knew wc.

    I o o  until till nig.

    You know wchel is.

    Yes.

    I knoter.

    s t.

    I knoo be.

    And w.

    It  my feet.

    ells  cost you anyts  ty minutes from here.

    You knos not going to  you?

    ells didnt answer.

    Dont you?

    You go to hell.

    You t it off h your eyes.

    do you mean?

    You t as long as you keep looking at me you can put it off.

    I dont t.

    Yes you do. You s your situation. ty in it. Im  trying to help you.

    You son of a bitch.

    You t close your eyes. But you will.

    ells didnt anshink, he said.

    You dont knohink.

    You t its just greed. But Im not like you. I live a simple life.

    Just do it.

    You  understand. A man like you.

    Just do it.

    Yes, C. But t mean it, do they?

    You piece of s.

    Its not good, Carson. You need to compose yourself. If you dont respect me   you t where you are.

    You tside of everyt youre not.

    Not everything. No.

    Youre not outside of death.

    It doesnt mean to me  does to you.

    You to die?

    Yes.

    Just do it. Do it and goddamn you.

    Its not to get  tood t.  order to abandon o a point. Did you empt?

    ?  yourself get in tuation?

    ells looked out at treet.  time is it? he said.

    C and looked at cy-seven he said.

    ells nodded. By t tes. ell t. I time ago. Almost like a dream. D¨¦j¨¤ vu.  C interested in your opinions,  do it. You  goddamned psyc and goddamn you to hell.

    urned o fend a be fended a Communion,  of  y casing off to it and put it in  and looked at cill a minute  away.

    doairs and crossed t to ells car and sorted out  t and rear and under ts. It al car and t but tal contract in t.  trunk. Not around to t and raised tment and tood looking at tel. anding t and puston and put it to his ear. Yes, he said.

    Moss made o to urned at tarted  back. t stood on  bueno, he said.

    Late in t roubling dream and struggled doo use teleper and listened to it ring. It rang a long time. Finally her answered.

    Its Llewelyn.

    S  to talk to you.

    Yes she does.

    Do you knoime it is?

    I dont care ime it is. Dont you his phone.

    I told  o  I? Cer and verse. I said: t o pass. And no o pass.

    Dont you   her on.

    thisaway.

    , Llehem words?

    here are you.

    Piedras Negras.

    am I supposed to do, Llewelyn?

    Are you all right?

    No Im not all rig? People callin  you. I errell County. S t you was  dead.

    I aint dead.  did you tell him?

    could I tell him?

    con you into sayin somethin.

    Youre , aint you?

    makes you say t?

    I can  in your voice. Are you okay?

    Im okay.

    here are you?

    I told you where I was.

    You sound like youre in a bus station.

    Carla Jean I to get out of there.

    Out of where?

    Out of t house.

    Youre scarin me, Lle of o go where?

    It dont matter. I just dont tay to a motel.

    And do h Mama?

    S.

    S?

    Yes.

    You dont kno.

    Lle answer.

    Do you?

    I just dont ther her.

    You dont think?

    You need to get out. Just take h you.

    I cant take my mama to a motel. S forgot.

    did the sheriff say.

    Said  do you think he said?

    else did he say.

    S answer.

    Carla Jean?

    She sounded like she was crying.

    else did he say, Carla Jean?

    o get yourself killed.

    ell, ts w he would say.

    S a long time.

    Carla Jean?

    Lle even  t  us to be back like we was.

    e will be.

    No . Ive t about it. Its a false god.

    Yea its real money.

    So cry. ried to talk to  s ansening to ly in Odessa.  do you   me to do? he said.

    S answer.

    Carla Jean?

    I  to be like they was.

    If I tell you Ill try and fix evert I asked you?

    Yes. I will.

    Ive got a number  can help us.

    Can you trust them?

    I dont kno kno trust nobody else. Ill call you tomorro t you. Ill call you tomorrow.

    ells   ans it  ells. I t the wrong number, he said.

    You dont o come see me.

    his?

    You know w is.

    Moss leaned on ter,  .

    heres ells?

    kind of a deal did you cut h him?

    I didnt cut any kind of a deal.

    Yes you did. o give you?

    I dont knoalkin about.

    he money.

    did you do h ells.

    e  need to concern yourself about ells.  of ture. You need to talk to me.

    I dont need to talk to you.

    I think you do. Do you know where Im going?

    hy would I care where youre goin?

    Do you know where Im going?

    Moss didnt answer.

    Are you there?

    Im here.

    I know where you are.

    Yeah? here am I?

    Youre in tal at Piedras Negras. But ts not where Im going. Do you know  where Im going?

    Yeah. I know where youre goin.

    You can turn all this around.

    hy would I believe you?

    You believed ells.

    I didnt believe ells.

    You called him.

    So I called him.

    tell me  me to do.

    Moss sed . S stood on  answer.

    tell me someting.

    I could be in for you er a plane. You  t about t?

    t  you .

    ?

    You  old me. Anyway, I o go.

    You kno be there.

    It doesnt make any difference whey are.

    So here for.

    You knourn out, dont you?

    No. Do you?

    Yes. I do. I too. You just  accepted it yet. So t Ill do. You  bring me t able. the same as you.

    I dont kno t. But ts t deal youre going to get. I   tell you you can save yourself because you cant.

    Im goin to bring you somet, Moss said. Ive decided to make you a special  project of mine. You aint goin to o look for me at all.

    Im glad to . You o disappoint me.

    You  be disappointed.

    Good.

    You dont o by god  bein disappointed.

    before dayligal go over it.

    t of t iff  of  t iff and bloodstained.

    ood in treet looking tos. ion he corner. A few cars passed.

    o ts at t corner and stopped and leaned  t t ook one no dry.  o vomit. ood  time. t on save t it ed iron bars to discourage loiterers. A cab  by and  it kept going. o o go out into treet and after a tering time o the curb.

    tudied ake me across the bridge?

    he said.

    to ther side.

    Yes. to ther side.

    You got monies.

    Yes. I got monies.

    ty dollars, he said.

    Okay.

    At te t in t country were you born in? he said.

    ted States.

    are you bringing in?

    Not anything.

    tudied epping out here? he said.

    Moss pus seat to ease  of  tood.

    o your shoes?

    I dont know.

    You dont hes on, do you?

    I got clothes on.

    t. ed for to t second space there?

    t the cab in gear.

    ould you mind stepping ahe vehicle?

    Moss stepped ao t the engine.

    Moss looked at to be ing for o say somet  .

    took  eel ce office. Anotood leaning against a steel desk. he looked him over.

    o drink?

    I aint o drink.

    o you?

    do you mean?

    o your clothes.

    I dont know.

    Do you ification?

    No.

    Nothing.

    No.

    t . s to  go te into ted States of America?

    I dont knoizens.

    Some American citizens. ?

    You do I reckon.

    ts correct. And how do I decide?

    I dont know.

    I ask questions. If I get sensible ans to go to America. If I dont get  sensible ans. Is t t t you dont understand?

    No sir.

    to start over.

    All right.

    e need to  w hes on.

    I got a overcoat on.

    Are you jackin h me?

    No sir.

    Dont jack he service?

    No sir. Im a veteran.

    branche service.

    United States Army.

    ere you in Nam?

    Yessir. tours.

    outfit.

    try.

    es of tour duty.

    August seventeen and sixty-six to September second nineteen and sixty-eight.

    tcime. Moss looked at oy ting  h his  elbows on his knees.

    Are you all right?

    Yessir. Im all rig a ll come and get me if you all  me go on.

    any money? You got change for a phone call?

    Yessir.

    iles. A guard anding tted  t someone to his man.

    o get into toaxi gone?

    Yessir. It was clean.

    I kno someone to help him.

    Moss. here are you from?

    Im from San Saba texas.

    Does your wife know where you are?

    Yessir. I talked to  a while ago.

    Did you all ?

    Did w?

    You and your wife.

    ell. Somew of a one I reckon. Yessir.

    You need to tell her youre sorry.

    Sir?

    I said you need to tell her youre sorry.

    Yessir. I will.

    Even if you t was .

    Yessir.

    Go on. Get your ass out of here.

    Yessir.

    Sometimes you tle problem and you dont fix it and t aint a  little problem anymore. You understand ellin you?

    Yessir. I do.

    Go on.

    Yessir.

    It  daylig out up treet. A bloody  serum he inside of his leg.

    People paid tle mind. urned up Adams Street and stopped at a clotore  and peered in. Lig t ted and  knocked again. Finally a small man in a ie opened t at  open, Moss said, but I need some clothes real bad.

    the door. Come in, he said.

    to section. tony Lama, Justin,  Nocona. t s and some clot some  medical problems and I dont  to  I can help.

    the man nodded. Yessir, he said. Of course.

    Do you carry the Larry Mahans?

    No sir. e dont.

    ts all rigy-ty-four lengt  size large. Some socks. And ss in a ten and a .

    Yessir. Did you  to look at s?

    Moss looked across tore. I t  any of tockmans s s?

    Yes tle better grade in tetson. A five X, I t is.

    Let me see tetson. t silverbelly color.

    All rige socks all right?

    e socks is all I wear.

    about underwear?

    Maybe a pair of jockey ss. ty-two. Or medium.

    Yessir. You just make yourself comfortable. Are you all right?

    Im all right.

    turned to go.

    Can I ask you somethin? Moss said.

    Yessir.

    Do you get a lot of people come in hes on?

    No sir. I  say a lot.

    o t  and  from ted  across  tape but t  stick. s and took t and pulled t and up to  ood and pulled t again  and undid t from its cardboard forms and endless pins.

    of t over ood looking do ts. takes longer to break in, he said.

    Yea in too. t. Lets try t . I aint been duded up  like t out of the army.

    t top t aken it from. to close tel, he said.

    Bell nodded. I aint surprised.

    t. t feller  pulled but to  me t tc never even imagined suching.

    never of left.

    I t about t too.

    t  t none of em live long  enougo tell it.

    tic, Ed tom.

    Yea tic though.

    ell w would you call him?

    I dont kno?

    Its done closed, as far as t goes.

    You got a key?

    Yea a key. Its a crime scene.

    here and look around some more.

    All rig.

    t transponder unit sitting on a he hallway.

    Bell picked it up and turned it in  the knobs.

    t aint a goddamn bomb is it Sheriff?

    No.

    ts all we need.

    Its a trackin device.

    So  rackin they found.

    Probably.  been settin there do you reckon?

    I dont kno be able to guess rackin, though.

    Maybe, Bell said. t t dont rattle right.

    It aint supposed to.

    e got a ex-army colonel  of  you o ID off of s.  fingers  s off. Regular army. Fourteen years service. Not a  piece of paper on him.

    hed been robbed.

    Yeah.

    do you kno t you aint tellin, Sheriff?

    You got ts I got.

    I aint talkin about facts. Do you th?

    Bell s know.

    You got a dog in t?

    Not really. A couple of kids from my county t mig of involved t oug to be.

    Sort of involved.

    Yeah.

    Are alkin kin?

    No. Just people from my county. People Im supposed to be lookin after.

    ransponder unit to the sheriff.

    am I supposed to do his?

    Its Maverick County property. Crime scene evidence.

    the sheriff shook his head. Dope, he said.

    Dope.

    t s to schoolkids.

    Its .

    ?

    Sc.

 VII

    I ONt tALK ABOUt to be a ed for it. t a medal. I dont even need  to kno t. t a day I dont remember it. Some boys I  kno on to sc Austin on to say about t. Didnt like tics. tions in try is a long time. Youre  talkin about ttlers. I used to tell em t ted like fisendency to make some people irritable but t seem to knoalkin about. I ties in try sobered  some of em up. I  did. I read in teac  out back in ties to a number of scry. ionnaire about eac and sent in from  around try ansions. And t problems talkin in class and runnin in t nature. So t one of t ed up a bunc em back out to ty years later.

    ell,  t. Because a lot of time ever  sort of smile and tell me Im gettin old. t  its one of toms. But my feelin about t is t anybody t cant tell t Ive got. Forty years is not a long time neit forty of it  from under t aint too late.

    ta  to a conference in Corpus Ci and I  got set next to t talkin  about t  . I aint even sure .

    tly just common people. Common as dirt, as told  and s me funny. S I   em, but of course ts a  in my part of t on, kept on.

    Finally told me, said: I dont like try is  my  granddaugo be able to ion. And I said  t  any  try is  goin I dont  but o say t not only o sleep. ty mucion.

    Ceen flige steps in te  o teel door on t t of tungun and opened tepped into t tood leaning against tgun in botening. Breat got up out of a c  do of t it in  and  on to tor and stood listening again. ook off s and  stood tor door and  do, walking  slowly, favoring his wounded leg.

    to to topped.  t  per see er   t it an odd oversig  fear of an enemy can often  blind men to ot least the world.

    rap from ank to tudied  tance of t from tguns follower sligo  cy off.

    tol at t. Cepped into t  en s. tors  use to take bird specimens. t over  and  to tcgun s and put it in  and o till drifting from ter fitted to tood looking do t but teadily t onto t  eye seemed intact and  Cried to speak from out of o one knee and leaned on tgun and looked at   is it?  are you trying to tell me?

    t.

    Can you hear me? Chigurh said.

    answer.

    Im t Carson ells to kill. Is t ed to know?

    c and a pair of arting to pool about his head and he was shivering as if he were cold.

    t  I didnt  to break to  rain glass on people in treet. ote stood outlined in t in t t  and t tol lying ty back on tgun and stepped past to ted t tood at tening.  out and doed  ank and tungun and got s and stepped into them up.

    t out tal door and doe steps to t his vehicle.

    to tation it  breaking daylig  rain falling. S and paid tip.  out and  around to trunk and opened it and got t tico and brougo urned and began to struggle out into the rain.

    Mama ? I need to get around there.

    I kno it o, t three year ago.

    It aint been three years.

    I used them very words.

    Just  till I get around there.

    In t t cancer, s t even a o go to.

    Yes mam.

    ere goin to El Paso texas. You know exas?

    No mam.

    Ss how many, she said.

    Yes mam.

    t in tared out at t t t  some more coffee? she said.

    t answer.

    You aint speakin, I reckon.

    I dont knoo speak about.

    ell I dont guess I do either.

    ever you all done you done. I dont knoo o run from the law.

    e aint runnin from the law, Mama.

    You couldnt call on em to hough, could you?

    Call on who?

    the law.

    No. e couldnt.

    ts .

    ted eetared out ter a

    seat. I got cancer, sold the driver.

    Carla Jean put t do look  at  o  it. No  revelation nor not give myself no credit. Anybody could of told you thing.

    ell I  askin.

    t t table  ted. I give myself no credit, s in to do t.

    Creet and s off turned off ts and  sat c time at  1:17.  till 1:22 and took t from t out  and closed truck door and crossed treet to the house.

    t tood listening. t coming from tc in one gun in ther.

    to topped and listened again. t came from a bare  bulb on t on into tchen.

    A bare formica and cable in ter of tanding  on it. tcor and looked in.  tgun in took out a can of orange soda and opened it ood  drinking it, listening for anyt migallic click of t ty can on ter and s tor door and  o t in an easy c at treet.

    After a airs. ood listening at  tair musty odor of sickness and  for a moment s even be lying  tc and  into tood  reading ttles on ty.  t  treet beloer ligreetlamps. the morning. Dry.

    Cold. Silent.  out and doo t the  house.

    ied  onto t sorting time to time some item and studying it in t from tic . eig t concerning t turning to album. Sc t tures of pocket.

    t up and pulled tgun alongside c from ter a ook tilted it and pusop backladder up under t  on ts and stretc and  to sleep.

    In tairs and dourned  to t to s tain pulled back, ter spraying onto tgun lying on ty a foot away.

    doo tce a boe. In  topped and looked at t in t door. ood t boable and crossed t over and picked up tood  sorting t.  in a co it.

    of calls. errell County Sment.  it back in t t-pocket. t into tc tgun off table and came back and stood wood before. o a cop drawer.

    tuffed gun do in t and piled it on to go t.

    Moss spent tel on to. el courtyard and ruggled up and sat on tain ts. t table  t  from a drugstore in too teet time in  five days and t on tub and taped fresh gauze over his wounds.

    t dressed and called a cab.

    anding in front of tel office , got  t to make some money? he said.

    Yea to make some money.

    Moss took five of tore to ted torn bills and put tpocket and looked at Moss in ted.

    s your name?

    Paul, said the driver.

    You got t attitude, Paul. I  get you in trouble. I just dont  you to leave  me some  to be left.

    All right.

    a flas?

    Yea a flas.

    Let me .

    t to the back.

    Youre the man, Moss said.

    here are we going.

    Dohe river road.

    I aint pickin nobody up.

    ere not pickin anybody up.

    tche mirror. No drogas, he said.

    No drogas.

    ted.

    Im goin to pick up a briefcase. It belongs to me. You can look inside if you .

    Nothin illegal.

    I can look inside.

    Yes you can.

    I  jerkin me around.

    No.

    I like money but I like stayin out of jail even better.

    Im the same way myself, Moss said.

    to. I   you to park under the bridge, he said.

    All right.

    Im goin to unscre of t.

    tche driver said.

    I kno.

    t off ts and looked at  Moss in took t and laid it in tic lens and   across t to t a  fees, he said.

    ty, talks close gro ly across the lens.

    tting in tside up and intact as if someone  it  tc and picked it up and made aking  by t to t t and got in carefully and s t to t. Lets go, he said.

    s in the driver said.

    Money.

    Money?

    Money.

    tarted t onto the road.

    turn ts on, Moss said.

    urned ts on.

    how much money?

    A lot of money.  ake to drive me to San Antonio.

    t about it. You mean on top of the five hundred.

    Yes.

    a grand all in.

    Everthing.

    Yes.

    You got it.

    t t.

    Moss took t and .

    if top us.

    t stop us, Moss said.

    how do you know?

    too muc still do I got to deal  aint goin to end here.

    I .

    trust me, Moss said.

    I e he driver said. I always did.

    hem?

    Yeas  th.

    t in a Rode of to do a paper and climbed laboriously back to  buy a gun from a dealer because ification but  of tec-9 ra magazines and a box and a o urned t omatic.   time you fired it? he said.

    I aint never fired it.

    Are you sure it fires?

    not?

    I dont know.

    ell I dont either.

    After  Moss  onto tel el  pilloood t c  across t   and o come.

    turned and o tel leaving t pillohe  ground.

    ed in to tub and  looked at t  looked pretty ugly.

    t ed to pull out but . er on  t  taped t some more of to t of ted tol and to t  and called a cab and picked up t case and  out and doairs.

    a 1978 Ford pickup  on  Nort title notarized in t title in to tel and c and left, tec-9 under t and t case and ting in truck.

    At t Boerne tccruck and looked at een, sixteen. Red  hair. how far are you goin? she said.

    Can you drive?

    Yea aint no stick s is it?

    No. Get out and come around.

    S  and got out of truck and crossed in front of it.

    Moss puso t in and put  truck in drive and t onto terstate.

    how old are you?

    Eighteen.

    Bulls.  are you doin out  you knos dangerous to chhike?

    Yea.

    ook off  and put it on t beside him and leaned back and closed his eyes.

    Dont go over t,  us stopped by tpot full of trouble.

    All right.

    Im serious. You go over t and Ill set your ass out by the road.

    All right.

    ried to sleep but .  of pain. After a

    off t and put it on and looked over at ter.

    Can I ask you somethin? she said.

    You can ask.

    Are you runnin from the law?

    Moss eased  and looked at  at t  makes you ask t?

    On account of  bein stopped by the police.

    if I was?

    t to just get out up here.

    You dont t. You just  to know wand.

    S  of tudied try. If you  spent tations. Be no trick at  all.

    Stle  ions?

    No. I dont o. Are you hungry?

    Im all right.

    last.

    I dont like for people to start askin me .

    All rig last?

    I kno-ass from time I got in truck.

    Yea t exit. Its supposed to be four miles. And reac  mac.

    Bell drove slotleguard and got out and closed te and got back in  truck and drove across ture and parked at t out and o tank.  er and raised a palmful and let it spill again.

    ook off  and passed   t at tic of turning in t grass. A lorundling under . t stood t sloure of a man per buried somet knohing, he said.

    ing. o tc to to  it.

    Did s texas number.

    S said it he number.

    to tel outside  of El Paso. I need for you to tell me somethin, she said.

    All right.

    Is your word good?

    Yes it is.

    Even to me?

    Id say especially to you.

    raffic in tance.

    Sheriff?

    Yes mam.

    If I tell you w no o him.

    I can give my  no o .

    After a while she said: Okay.

    tting at ttle plyable t folded up from to a ing on took off t and laid it on table in  front of urned and looked torailer c  on to? he said.

    t up and s te and then he  rose and came forward.

    You got it?

    I got it.

    ore t off t to  and folded it and put it  into pocket. tcs and  took out a camouflage-finisepped doo t and s to arted ttle a couple of times and t onto top and turned on ts and sed into second gear and  up tting on tires and fisires whining and  unspooling clouds of rubbersmoke behind him.

 VIII

    IVE LOSt A LOt OF friends over t fe all of em older t gettin older is t not everbody is goin to  get older ry to re payin your salary and of course  you cant  t ty  y-one years. No nine of em in one  kno you. time is not on your side. I dont knod be any compliment if you was known for second guessin a bunch of dopedealers.

    Not t t mucrouble second guessin us. t   for t aint . t even t t dont seem to even  concern em. Of course onio t and killed a federal  judge. I guess o t t ttin ricics. ts a painful to kno is for me. I dont believe  t rue even ten years ago. A crooked peace officer is just a damned abomination.

    ts all you can say about it. en times   goin as about t aint goin ao?

    And t but I t of it is kno probably  till alive is t t for me. And ts very  painful. Very painful. It   of t about  even a few years ago. y.

    Just settin out in t. t and graded out a sort of  landin strip and set out roarbarrels for lig t t of t ripped out to t s seat  in it. You could smell t need no dog. ell t say ed to get set up and nail em  nobody comin back. Never  ood  ellin  got real  quiet and turned around and got in .

    buy a  masonjar no up your preserves and suc none to be  it o put  t tick em  do things.

    o believe t a man  nig, but t.

    I tan and you tin around tryin to t   bring to its knees ics. Maybe old t to somebody at breakfast tan. I said ell t aint t. And t  do you? I o t t. I guess as a boy I did. Come t. Noartin to lean back t of t ot ion. Or not to me t.

    MOSS SEt ter it. ed t stood along ard and ketced into  te.  look up.  are you havin, he said.

    I dont kno looked at the menu.

    in front of urned and looked for tress.

    are you? the girl said.

    am I havin?

    No.  are you. Are you a cer?

    udied  know w a cer is, ers.

    I mig be a felloraveler.

    Felloraveler.

    Yeah.

    ell you are now.

    Youre , aint you?

    makes you say t?

    You cant hardly walk.

    Maybe its just a old war injury.

    I dont t o you?

    You mean lately?

    Yeaely.

    You dont need to know.

    ?

    I dont  you gettin all excited on me.

    makes you t excited?

    Cause bad girls like bad boys.  are you goin to have?

    I dont kno you do?

    tizen. orkin a nine to five job. Eigo four,  anyo you t ask first. t require  your permission.

    ts trut told, she said.

    You .

    You think Im a bad girl?

    I to be.

    s in t briefcase?

    Briefs.

    s in it.

    I could tell you, but to kill you.

    You aint supposed to carry a gun in a public place. Did you not kno? In particular  a gun suc.

    Let me ask you somethin.

    Go ahead.

    in starts her be armed or be legal?

    I dont  to be around no sin.

    Yes you do. Its e all over you. You just dont  to get s.  are you havin?

    are you?

    Ce milk.

    tress came and t t beef sandoes and gravy. You aint even asked me where I was goin, she said.

    I know where youre goin.

    hen.

    Dohe road.

    t aint no answer.

    Its more t a answer.

    You dont knohing.

    No I dont.

    You ever kill anybody?

    Yeah, he said. You?

    S never killed nobody.

    I dont kno.

    ell I aint.

    You aint, then.

    You aint done, either. Are you?

    Done w.

    I just said.

    Killin people?

    So see if t be overheard.

    Yes, she said.

    Be o say.

    After a  of  mayonnaise and squeezed out tents over chup. here you from? he said.

    Sook a drink of ea and hur,  she said.

    ook up t into it and sat back,  c never been to Port Arthur.

    I aint never seen you there.

    never been there?

    I couldnt. I  sayin I aint. I h you.

    Moss shook his head.

    te. ched her.

    I reckon youre on your o California.

    ?

    ts tion youre headed in.

    ell ts where Im goin.

    You got any money?

    s it to you?

    It aint noto me. Do you?

    I got some.

    of t and took out ted out a to t to. Lets go, he said.

    s t for?

    to go to California on.

    do I gotta do for it?

    You dont o do not  t up and lets go.

    t to truck. You  callin me a sow back yonder was you?

    Moss ignored he keys, he said.

    Sook t and  maybe youd forgot  I had em, she said.

    I dont forget much.

    I could of just slipped off like I o took your truck and left  you settin there.

    No you couldnt of.

    ?

    Get in truck.

    t in and  tec-9 out of  and  slid it under t.

    ? she said.

    Dont be ignorant all your life. In t place I could see all to t door  and out t clear to truck. In to set o t called a cab and run you do t out of you and left you layin there.

    S real quiet.  tion and started truck and backed it out.

    ould you of done t?

    do you think?

    o Van   nig a good part of  to a truckstop and s  off t up and looked at  at t. here are we? she said.

    Van horn. You hungry?

    I could eat a bite.

    You  some diesel fried chicken?

    ?

    ed to the sign overhead.

    I aint eatin not, she said.

    Sime.  sed to know if hed  ordered.

    I did. I ordered some of t chicken for you.

    You aint done it, she said.

    teaks. Do you live like time? she said.

    Sure. ime desperado t.

    s t on t chain?

    this?

    Yeah.

    Its a tush off of a wild boar.

    do you  for?

    It aint mine. Im just keepin it for somebody.

    A lady somebody?

    No, a dead somebody.

    teaks came. c. Does t? he said.

    ?

    I said does anybody know w.

    Like who?

    Like anybody.

    You.

    I dont kno know who you are.

    ell t makes two of us.

    You dont know who you are?

    No, silly. I dont know who you are.

    ell,  keep it t  neit not?

    All rigd you ask me t for?

    Moss mopped up steak gravy  t it rue. For  you its a luxury. For me its a necessity.

    er you?

    Maybe.

    I do like it t  part right.

    It dont take long to get a taste for it, does it?

    No, s dont.

    ell, it aint as simple as it sounds. Youll see.

    .

    t. Kno.

    Are you talkin about God?

    No. Im talkin about you.

    Se. ell, s know w.

    I dont know. ould you?

    I dont know.

    Suppose you  you didnt kno kno  c w.

    S about t. I try not to t stuff like t, she said.

    You t to California youll kind of start over.

    tentions.

    I ts t. to California and t t  to shere.

    Shere.

    Yeah.

    You mean and not knohere?

    Yea knohere.

    I dont know .

    I dont eits t.

    Se. S some coffee? she said.

    You can get anyt. You got money.

    S  sure  is, she said.

    t is t no point.

    No. I mean  knowin where you are.

    er a  about kno  t t takin anytions about startin over.

    Or anybodys. You dont start over. ts s about. Ever step you take is forever.

    You cant make it go a. You understand w Im sayin?

    I think so.

    I kno but let me try it one more time. You terday dont count. But yesterday is all t does count.  else is there?

    Your life is made out of ts made out of. Not t knoart over. And t there?

    She nodded.

    You understand w Im sayin?

    I understand t. I been there.

    Yeah, I know you have.

    So are you sorry you become a outlaw?

    Sorry I didnt start sooner. Are you ready?

    of tel office he handed her a key.

    s t?

    ts your key.

    Sed it in  s up to you.

    Yes it is.

    I guess youre afraid Ill see  bag.

    Not really.

    arted truck and pulled do beel office.

    Are you queer? she said.

    Me? Yea.

    You dont look it.

    Is t rig of queers?

    You dont act it I guess I should say.

    ell darlin  it?

    I dont know.

    Say it again.

    ?

    Say it again. I dont know.

    I dont know.

    ts good. You need to practice t. It sounds good on you.

    Later  out and drove doo top. o tel   tudying t. t out.

    o apped at ted. apped again. ain move and tood t-s. S woken up.

    I kno old enougo drink but I t Id see if you ed a beer.

    Yeah, she said. Id drink a beer.

    ed one of ttles out of t to her. here  you go, he said.

    urned to go. Sepped out and let t be  need to rusaway, she said.

    opped on tep.

    You got anot sack?

    Yea to drink both of em.

    I just meant maybe you could set h me.

    ed at ice rouble takin no for a ans starts about age three.

    about men?

    t used to it. tter.

    I  say a  set here.

    You  say a word.

    No.

    ell ts already a lie.

    ell I  say .

    on tep and pulled one of ted off tilted ttle and drank. S on t step up and did the same.

    You sleep a lot? he said.

    I sleep he chance. Yeah. You?

    I aint s sleep in about t kno s beginnin to make me stupid.

    You dont look stupid to me.

    ell, ts by your lights.

    does t mean?

    Not raggin you. Ill quit.

    You aint got drugs in t satchel have you?

    No. hy? You use drugs?

    Id smoke some weed if you had some.

    ell I aint.

    ts all right.

    Moss shook his head. he drank.

    I just meant its all rig set out here and drink a beer.

    ell Im glad to s all right.

    never said.

    o say.

    You aint goin to California though, are you?

    No. I aint.

    I didnt think so.

    Im goin to El Paso.

    I t you didnt know where you was goin.

    Maybe I just decided.

    I dont think so.

    Moss didnt answer.

    ttin out here, she said.

    I guess it depends on wtin.

    You aint just got out of tentiary or somethin have you?

    I just got off of deatric cs started to grow back.

    Youre full of it.

    Be funny if it turned out to be true t it?

    Is tin you?

    Everbodys in me.

    did you do?

    I been pickin up young girls c in t.

    t aint funny.

    Youre rig aint. I  pullin your leg.

    You said youd quit.

    I will.

    Do you ever tell truth?

    Yeaell truth.

    Youre married, aint you?

    Yeah.

    s your wifes name?

    Carla Jean.

    Is she in El Paso?

    Yeah.

    Does s you do for a livin?

    Yeah. She knows. Im a welder.

    Sco see hing.

    You aint no welder, she said.

    I?

    t machinegun for?

    Cause ter me.

    did you do to em?

    I took somet belongs to em and t it back.

    t dont sound like o me.

    It dont, does it? I guess I  t of t.

    by tween humb and forefinger.

    And ts  bag. Aint it?

    o say.

    Are you a safecracker?

    A safecracker?

    Yeah.

    ever give you t notion?

    I dont know. Are you?

    No.

    ell youre somet you?

    Everbodys somethin.

    You ever been to California?

    Yeao California. I got a brothere.

    Does ?

    I dont know. here.

    You  live though, would you?

    No.

    You ts o go?

    retc on te and  crossed s and looked out across t tos on t to  go?

    Yeae you givin me t money.

    Youre welcome.

    You didnt o do t.

    I t you  goin to talk.

    All rigs a lot of money though.

    It aint  you t is. Youll see.

    I  blo in. I need money to get me a place to stay.

    Youll be all right.

    I hope so.

    Best o live in California is to be from someo be from Mars.

    I . Cause I aint.

    Youll be all right.

    Can I ask you somethin?

    Yeah. Go ahead.

    how old are you?

    ty-six.

    ts pretty old. I didnt kno old.

    I kno kind of took me by surprise my own self.

    I got a feelin I ougo be afraid of you but I aint.

    ell. I cant advise you on t neit peoplell run from to get  to   to see him.

    I guess ts hink Im doin.

    I dont even  to know w youre doin.

    I  you this mornin.

    I dont know.

    I  stuff like t. About meetin people.

    ell, I  speak too soon.

    o bury me out in t?

    No. But t of bad luck out t.

    I t even be overdue.

    Yea.

    ?

    me tell you somettle sister. If t t you dont look like its a bunch of good luck walkin around.

    ts a eful to say.

    No it aint. I just  you to be careful. e get to El Paso Im goin to drop you at tation. You got money. You dont need to be out chhikin.

    All right.

    All right.

    ould you of done  if I ook your truck?

    s t?

    You kno beatin t of me.

    No.

    I didnt think so.

    You  to split t beer?

    All right.

    Run in t a cup. Ill be back in a minute.

    All rig changed your mind have you?

    About w?

    You kno w.

    I dont co get it rig time.

    arted up tood at tell you sometime, she said.

    opped and turned. s t?

    t of good salesmen around and you mig.

    ell darlin youre just a little late. Cause I done bougick   I got.

    on up tairs and  in.

    to a truckstop outside of Balmoro t out and s t it. tter streaked over t-metal and  and got quarters from a c t and  took do off and got back in  and pulled out onto t.

    Bell left t seven-ty and took 285 norto Fort Stockton. It  a  turned ts on. About ten miles  of Fort Stockton on terstate   t stop but it gave opped at Balmortle and o  Van  ten ty-five.

    kno of a  motel ty patrol cars and a state police car all s going. tel ape.  s on.

    ty didnt knoioning a man sitting in  sleeves in t  travel fast, t are you doin up here, Sheriff?

    s happened, Marvin?

    tle s-out. You kno this?

    I dont kno any victims?

    t out of  a wo men and a woman.

    t to make it eit.

    Do you know whey were?

    No. One of tin for a registration on tin  over yonder. asnt a one of em ification. On em or in ther one.

    does this man say?

    arted it. Says  of

    t t urned and s andin in  front of 117, rig em o tness teps and t t see .  all to pieces. You can see time. About seven minutes,  I t s dead.

    No ID.

    No ID. truck is got dealer tags on it.

    Bell nodded.  tness. tness te and  it  and sat smoking. ty comfortable.  in the back of  police cruisers before.

    t woman, Bell said. as she anglo?

    Yea of reddish, maybe.

    Did you all find any dope?

    Not yet. ere still lookin.

    Any money?

    e aint found not. to 121.  and stuff was all.

    Bell looked doel doors. People standing around in small groups  talking.  the black Barracuda.

    t anyto turn tires h?

    Id say it urn em pretty good. Its got a four-forty under t.

    A blower?

    Yep.

    I dont see one.

    Its one of ts all under the hood.

    Bell stood looking at turned and looked at t  away from e?

    I can.  did you have in mind?

    I just t I mig you to ride over to th me.

    All rig ride h me.

    tll be fine. Let me just park my cruiser a little better.

    s all rigom.

    Let me just pull it up  of t always know  off someplace.

    At to t nurse by name. S Bell.

    o make a identification, the sheriff said.

    S  of er about  ty minutes ago. Or maybe you already kne.

    Nobody tells me nothe sheriff said.

    trail of blood along te  floor. t of been o find, hey? Bell said.

    t t read Exit. Before t turned and fitted a key to a steel door on t and opened it and sc.

    te block, y save for teel  macs tables on ic ss.

    Sood o t.

    a friend of yours is om?

    No.

    ook a couple of rounds in t to look too good. Not  t I aint seen   tell trut it.

    . Bell able. turned to tly opened.  teet out.

    Is t him?

    Yeas him.

    You look like you .

    I get to tell his wife.

    Im sorry about t.

    Bell nodded.

    ell, t not it.

    No, Bell said. But you alo there is.

    ted back tic at table  and looked at Bell. Bell shook his head.

    ted ter. Just a scrawl.

    his name was Moss.

    All rig your information do ttle  old girl.

    Yeah.

    reckon o like t part of it neither, he  said.

    No, I dont expect she will.

    t till standing leaning against times was s? he said. Do you know?

    No I dont, S . I dont mind and I know s.

    ts all rigll be on topsy. Are you ready, Ed tom?

    Yeah. I was ready fore I come in here.

    in t and stared at the desk.

    Finally  up and  out. ty looked up.

    hes gone home, I reckon.

    Yessir, ty said. Can I hin, Sheriff?

    to El Paso?

    Its about a y miles.

    You tell omorrow.

    Yessir.

    opped and ate on to in tcs out on t make sense out of  it.  c and got in t  to tersection and turned east and drove back to tel  again.

    Co a motel on tbound interstate and  across a crucks loomed up in tted on c back to tel.

    off  up and s to ruck  it be.

    el parking lot and  time. Leaning back in t and cape across ted in trucks droned past  out and o t tungun and ty  t from ttle bedside table over to tood and  took a screo back t of teel cover of t.  it on table and reac  tepped doo t at t. ook tol from be and opened tepped out and  closed it beooped under tape and o ruck and got in.

    to turn on tion y cruiser pull into t in front of tel office a   a back. to a parking space and ts  out. tor. Ced, tol in his lap.

    out ook a look around t and to t 117  and tried tape and puscurned on t.

    t table.  tood tepped to t tain out at t. ood time. Notepped over and picked it up but   it  in  on ttle piece of brass in ilted it into tray on table.

    elep t the cradle.

    ook ol from ter and flipped open te and ce  ol resting on his  knee.

    You dont kno  there, he said.

    Yes you do. You kne at taurant. ts why you come back here.

    ell o do?

    up and c. Five bulletood .

    o tudying t. Pickup trucks for t part.

    You could al. Just not first enoug  so.   came on. epped in and pulled  t and laid tol on t beside  out  it in  tion and started t of tcs and s of t.

    of sigel o took t tral and rolled back doil  see tel sign.  c seven minute  time  1:52. ed. At tel not 1:52 ail eacs  blazing.  el. Any ve came out of t and ermined to run it off the road.

    o tel arted turned on ts and  did a U-turn and  back doo t and got  out.

    t do ves and t one back and ood leaning against o ties. Gentlemen, generaled.

    tered tols. y o t and the lock cylinder.

    s  y said, he cylinder in his hand.

    Its a long story, Bell said. Im sorry to of got you all out hin.

    Not a problem, Sheriff.

    You tell the sheriff Ill call him from El Paso.

    Yessir, Ill sure do it.

    t side of to t to  to bed.  six as  up  and closed tains and  back to bed but  sleep. Finally  up and  s doo t  and read  t Moss and t. ress came  time t the evening paper.

    I dont kno.

    I dont blame you. I would if I could.

    I quit readin it and I made my  readin it.

    Is t right?

    I dont kno call t stuff news.

    No.

    time you read somet Jesus C in the newspaper?

    Bell s kno would be a while.

    I guess it oo, she said. A long while.

    of message, it  all t neo him.

    ain move sligood ttail out looking at  ing. ook off   and s turned her face away.

    Im sorry, mam, he said.

    Oaggered back into to tood t.

    knoo do.  see any sign of t co eacepped into the door.

    Carla Jean, he said.

    Oh God, she said.

    Im just as sorry as I can be.

    Oh God.

    ood t in his hand. Im sorry, he said.

    S and tell me youre sorry? My and t? You  say youre sorry one more time and by God if I  get my gun and s you.

 IX

    I O tAKE   a lot else you could do. I never sao tell  t in t rig   girl. It turned out seen years old. I dont believe t o do e it t s t. imes but s blame old me w  .

    It didnt make no sense. I drove up t t noto be done.  died too. I tried to see if I could get s off tabase but t dreed to kno  there.

    You  t o just come and go tain to  . Or maybe not. Its easy to fool yourself. tell  yourself  to  and you t t sure anymore  is I do  to ell yourself t maybe t you kno aint. You can wis.

    My daddy alold me to just do t you kneruto set a mans mind at ease like  o decide and up and say you  done it and say youre sorry and get on . Dont uff around  sounds pretty simple today. Even to me. All to t it.

    say a lot so I tend to remember   of patience o say to listen t time. I  migrayed from all of t some as a younger man but   road I pretty muc to quit it again and I didnt. I trut ty muc to be. It needs to be simple enougo  understand. Otd be too late. By time you figured it out it oo late.

    COOD At tionists desk dressed in suit and tie.  t  and looked around the office.

    ? she said.

    old her.

    Is ing you?

    No. . But o be glad to see me.

    Just a minute.

    S  in, she said.

    tood up and looked at   name, he said.

    t on a sofa in t table  and nodded at it. ts yours, he said.

    is it?

    Its some money t belongs to you.

    t looking at t up and  over to tton. hold my calls, he said.

    urned and put udied Chigurh. how did you find me? he said.

    difference does it make?

    It makes a difference to me.

    You dont o worry. Nobody else is coming.

    how do you know?

    Because Im in c. I to address t  to spend a lot of time trying to put your mind at ease. I t  s talk about money.

    All right.

    Some of it is missing. About a  of t olen and part  of it  to cover my expenses. Ive been at some pains to recover your property so Id  prefer not to be addressed as some sort of bearer of bad ne  t case. Im sorry I couldnt recover it all, but there you are.

    t moved. After a whe hell are you?

    My name is Anton Chigurh.

    I kno.

    then why did you ask?

    do you . I guess ts my question.

    ell. Id say t t is simply to establis in a difficult field. As someone ely . Somet.

    Someone I migh.

    Yes.

    Youre serious.

    Completely.

    Cccion in ery of  e of  put  relaxed. ill standing in tical attitude but  look t way anymore.

    t a bomb in t damn bag is there?

    No. No bombs.

    Craps and unlatcipped the case forward.

    Yes, t t away.

    Cood up from  th his foreknuckle.

    I t you need to consider, C t  place. ened to and w happened when you did.

    Yes. e cant talk here.

    I understand. In any case I dont expect you to absorb all of t one sitting. Ill call  you in time.

    All right.

    Co of  business on your o, he said.

    C to talk about,  be any more problems.

    o the old people?

    to ot everyone is suited to t of outsized profits leads people to exaggerate ties. In tend to t trol of events  is alance upon uncertain ground t invites ttentions of  ones enemies. Or discourages it.

    And you?  about your enemies?

    I  permit suching.

    o a painting on  t original?

    t ting. No, s not. But I o in  a vault.

    Excellent, said Chigurh.

    tood beside er. ters  in front of ing in   and patted it. S maybe  talked s someone cwice she even looked around.

    It o tc ttle on and sat  at tcable. S felt like crying. Now so  her folded arms. Oh Mama, she said.

    upstairs and turned on t in ting at  ttle desk ing for her.

    Sood in tc at all. Sood t. Finally s done  h.

    Smart girl.

    I aint got it.

    Got w?

    I need to set down.

    Co and put  on t up again and  to her.

    too late, Chigurh said.

    I know.

    is it t you  got?

    I t Im talkin about.

    how much do you have.

    I dont . I  seven told and I can tell you its  been long gone and ty left to pay yet. I buried my motoday. I aint  paid for t neither.

    I   it.

    S table.

    Its not there, he said.

    S slumped foro  me,  she said.

    I kno I gave my word.

    Your word?

    Yes. ere at this case your husband.

    t dont make no sense.

    Im afraid it does.

    I dont  got it.

    I know.

    You give your o my o kill me?

    Yes.

    hes dead. My husband is dead.

    Yes. But Im not.

    You dont oo dead people.

    Cly. No? he said.

    how can you?

    ?

    theyre dead.

    Yes. But my  dead. Not.

    You can c.

    I dont t find it useful to model er God.

    Very useful, in fact.

    Youre just a blasphemer.

    be undone. I tand t. Your  ressed to learn, unity to remove you from  to do so.  option and his answer was no.

    Ot be here now.

    You aim to kill me.

    Im sorry.

    S t dourned and looked out trees in t of ting again in t kno.

    Ching.

    Simes Ive said t again.

    Youve suffered a loss of faith.

    Ive suffered a loss of everted to kill me?

    Yes. Is t youd like to say?

    to who?

    Im the only one here.

    I dont o say to you.

    Youll be all rigry not to  it.

    ?

    I see your look,  doesnt make any difference  of person I am, you  knohink Im a bad person.

    I knoin tly ore for me. Even if I couldnt of said it.

    Cs a o understand, ruggle .

    t. thing.

    do they say.

    t o do this.

    You dont.

    Its not any ?

    No.

    So w?

    I aint never said it before.

    Any of you.

    t me, s nobody else.

    Yes. Of course.

    S turned ah her head down, her shoulders  shaking. Oh Mama, she said.

    None of t.

    She shook her head, sobbing.

    You didnt do anyt was bad luck.

    She nodded.

    c,  I can do.

    raig o  and dre a feook one and  up. urned it. For o see tice of it.  bet spinning in t it and slapped it do, he said.

    S  . ? She said.

    Call it.

    I  do it.

    Yes you .

    God   me to do t.

    Of course ry to save yourself. Call it. t chance.

    heads, she said.

    ed ails.

    Im sorry.

    S answer.

    Maybe its for t.

    S like it  youre the one.

    It could her way.

    t   you.

    Per look at it my  he coin did.

    S sobbing softly. S answer.

    For t a common destination t alo see. But  there.

    Evert urned out different, s t part of  my life I could of guessed. Not t none of it.

    I know.

    You  of let me off noway.

    I ter. Every moment in your life is a turning and every one a  co ting is  scrupulous. ty to  move a coin to your bidding.  cly. And the beginning.

    S sobbing. She shook her head.

    Yet even told you  it not too  muco ask t you o lift your  before  the darkness. Do you see?

    Oh God, she said. Oh God.

    Im sorry.

    S ime. You dont o, s. You dont.

    I make myself vulnerable and t I can never do.

    I o live. It doesnt allooss pero small purpose. Most people dont believe t there can be such a person.

    You can see  must be for to prevail over t ence of. Do you understand? o your life  your life   turned out differently. t t  mean? t some ot I second say the world. Do you see?

    Yes, sruly do.

    Good, s good. t her.

    t  Cersection ten year  old Buick t op-sign. t te and ttempt to brake. Cbelt driving in ty because  of just suco truck t carried to antly  and broke   of taggered to t in t icking up under t good. A  woman in a  screaming.

    Blood kept running into ried to turned it and  tried to see  ery .  yet.

    teenage boys anding t him.

    Are you all riger?

    Yea. Let me just sit e.

    t to call one.

    All right.

    You sure youre all right.

    C t ake for t s? he said.

    t eac s?

    Any damn s. how much?

    raig  and got out o wrap around my his arm.

    One of to unbutton . er.  you say so? Ill  give you my s.

    Cook t and bit into it and ripped it in ted t into a sling and put .

    tie this for me, he said.

    t eacher.

    Just tie it.

    t-s stepped for and knotted t arm dont  look good, he said.

    C of t t and took t to  and  out.

    er. I dont mind . ts a lot of money.

    take it. take it and you dont know w I looked like. You hear?

    took the bill. Yessir, he said.

    tc off up t of t ly. Part of ts mine, ther boy said.

    You still got your damn s.

    t aint  was for.

    t may be, but Im still out a s.

    t into treet eaming. treetlamps ifreeze ing in tter. ruck t-s stopped t I see? he said.

    S, ther one said.

    tol lying in truck. tance. Get it, t one said. Go on.

    hy me?

    I aint got a s to cover it h. Go on. hurry.

    eps to tapped loosely at took off  and pressed sleeve against   back on again.

    Come in, a voice called.

    epped into the cool darkness. Ellis?

    Im back here. Come on back.

    o tcting beside table in his chair.

    tale ove and over it  all lay a faint tang of urine. Like ts but it  just cats. Bell stood in took  off. t om,   know w was.

    ?

    Youre lookin at it. You by yourself?

    Yessir.

    Set do some coffee?

    Bell looked at tter on ttles of medicine. Breadcrumbs.

    Quartere it.

    I ter from your wife.

    You can call ta.

    I know I can. Did you know ses me?

    I guess I kneime or two.

    Its more time or tty regular. tells me the family news.

    I didnt knohere was any.

    You might be surprised.

    So  tter then.

    S told me you tin, ts all. Set down.

    t co see if . o rolling te from a sack of tobacco at ed turned it around and lit it er o t  smoking, te pencilwise in his fingers.

    Are you all right? Bell said.

    Im all right.

    ly sidec to  say you look older, he said.

    I am older.

    t a c and   on table.

    Let me ask you somethin, he said.

    All right.

    s your biggest regret in life.

    t ion. I dont kno all t  many regrets. I could imagine lots of t you migo imes, but in t  as  just never did get  t.

    I know w you mean.

    I know you do.

    t youre askin me is  t.

    Yessir.

    And it aint t aint tton eye.

    Yessir. I kno.

    You sign on for t at least some notion of . But if its just t it turned out to be a little roug  you s somethin else.

    Bell nodded.

    I guess some tter not put to test.

    I guess ts right.

    take to run Loretta off?

    I dont kno ty bad. It damn sure   be just cause t a little rougime or two.

    Ellis nodded. ipped to a jar-lid on table. Ill take your  , he said.

    Bell smiled.  coffee?

    I ts all rig  over.

    Bell smiled again and rose and carried t to ter and plugged it in.

    t at table drinking coffee out of t   tc change, I reckon.

    be? the old man said.

    know.

    I dont either.

    s you got?

    Several. Depends on . Some of em are  are  just outla truck.

    Did you ruck?

    ?

    I said did you¡­ Youre tle fun h me.

    give you t idea?

    Did you?

    No. I seen ts skedaddle.

    You  some more of this?

    Im done.

    t s you died in prison.

    In Angola. Yes.

    would you of done if hed been released?

    I dont kno be no point to it. t no point to it. Not to  any of it.

    Im kindly surprised to .

    You , Ed tom. All time you spend tryin to get back ook from  you t ter a ry and get a tourniquet on it.

    Your grandad never asked me to sign on as deputy  my own self.

    o do. Paid about t oo old for t one. But I seen  of it. You can be patriotic  and still believe t some t more t tar mot t t for it. You aloo much.

    Particularly for promises. t no suching as a bargain promise. Youll see.

    Maybe you done have.

    Bell didnt answer.

    I al  God  of come into my life in some   blame  me t  he does.

    You dont know w hinks.

    Yes I do.

    Bell. I can remember one time you come to see me after you all o Denton. You ended to do.

    All right.

    You  ask me nohough, would you?

    Maybe not.

    You .

    he rank black coffee.

    You ever t harold? Bell said.

    harold?

    Yes.

    Not mucy-nine. Pretty sure ts  rig made you t harold?

    I ters to s all. I just  him.

    as tters from him?

    No.

    You t your family. try to make sense out of all t. I kno did to my  mot over it. I dont kno makes eit gospel song? ell understand it all by and by? t takes a lot of fait ceen year old.

    You tell me. Because I damn sure dont know.

    I  to go somewheres?

    I dont need nobody o just set rigom.

    It aint no trouble.

    I kno.

    All right.

    Bell cubbed out te in tried to t ried not to. You aint turned infidel have you Uncle Ellis?

    No. No. Not.

    Do you ts happenin?

    I expect he does.

    You top it?

    No. I dont.

    t quietly at table. After a  of old pictures and family stuff.  to do about t. ell. t noto do  about it I dont reckon. Is there?

    No. I dont reckon there is.

    I told o send Uncle Macs old cinco peso badge and er to the Rangers.

    I believe t a museum. But I didnt knoo tell  stuff here.

    In t rolltop desk is full of papers. ilted to ttom of it.

    s all bull. I dont knoed  t.  down on y.

    ts w I always heard.

    t of em come to tin tin t.   back in t gun but t  and tried to stop tried to  get  tryin to get gun again. t  set t. I dont know whin scared em, I reckon.

    One of em said someturned and left out. t

    on t noto be done.

    S left  I dont kno

    c t.  t lung. And t . As they say.

    hen did he die?

    Eigy-nine.

    No, I mean  rig or w.

    I believe it  nig   packed tc of  t ime back in ties.   fell doake you to it today. to  be standin and it may be yet. t of land proved up on. Eigen  sections if I remember. S pay taxes on it, little as t sell it.

    Did you remember her?

    No. I seen a pograp four. Stin in a rocker on  tandin alongside of  I dont.

    Ser years seacry  o  to account. In a  seems  peculiar. t t. You t  this one family.

    I dont kno  kno to ask .

    So I go back to t.  feel like try  a lot to ans. You can say t try is just try, it dont actively do  not t dont mean muc ruck gun  one time.  of t it done sometry   and still people love it. You understand w Im sayin?

    I t?

    I guess you could say I do. But Id be t one to tell you Im as ignorant as a box of  rocks so you sure dont  to go by nothin Id say.

    Bell smiled.  up and  to turned tly to  w are you doin? he said.

    I t Id just washese here dishes.

    om. Lupell be he mornin.

    It  take but a minute.

    ter from tap er. her.

    I t you used to elevision set in here.

    I used to  of things.

    you say somet you one.

    I dont need one.

    Keep you company some.

    It didnt quit on me. I t out.

    You dont never che news?

    No. Do you?

    Not much.

    to drain and stood looking out t ttle  wo railer on blocks.

    You used to have chickens, he said.

    Yep, the old man said.

    Bell dried o table and sat.  o t well nobody?

    about t. Id say I  anybody  is  it youve found out about me?

    Im serious.

    All right.

    I mean somethin bad.

    how bad.

    I dont knouck h you.

    Like someto jail for?

    ell, it could be somet I reckon. It  o be.

    Id o t t.

    No you .

    s got into you? I aint goin to invite you out here no more.

    You didnt invite me time.

    ell. ts true.

    Bell sat able and ogetc fixin to make some terrible confession,  not  to  .

    Do you  to ?

    Yeah. Go ahead.

    All right.

    It aint of a sexual nature is it?

    No.

    ts all rigell it anyways.

    Its about bein a war hero.

    All rig be you?

    Yead be me.

    Go ahead.

    Im tryin to. tually  me t commendation.

    Go ahead.

    e ion monitorin radio signals and one  never did quit  rainin. Rained like all get-out. Someor ook  off and en. ell, ened. And   is it? And hin.

    I said  talkin about, not did you  en. And . t a sound nowheres.

    No field-piece or not  t  tside in t kno part of t one end andin was all.

    A mortars blo all to

    inside  my  t  up and o  of it and I seen one of our men buried in  timbers and I tried to move some stuff to see if I couldnt get to  felt numb. And  and   of a patc t knoly ickin out from under some  timbers. t t  fed out of a metal box and I figured if I  let em run up a little more on me I could operate on em out t call in anotoo close. I scratc t t, it and tripod, and I dug around some more and come up  and I got set up beion of y and .

    It ell  of t but I  kneied out about t of belt and I kept c  ter itd been quiet tes one of ts jumped up and  tried to make a run for t I . I kept t of em pinned  do knoo do come dark. And ts ar for. t put me in for it er and old

    it. And  set t me and directly in on  you to tell me your reasons for in to refuse a military commendation. So I told him.

    And  tion. I guess to make it look good. Look like it counted for sometion.  it and if you tell it around old me it  back to me and  o wis clear?

    And I said yessir. Said t  as clear as you could make it. So t .

    So noo tell me w you done.

    Yessir.

    got dark.

    got dark. Yessir.

    did you do?

    I cut and run.

    t about t. After a o assume t it seemed  like a pretty good idea at time.

    Yea did.

    here?

    ther round.

    Yeah.

    Bell sat t  sure  is youre askin me.

    I aint either.

    You left your buddies behind.

    Yeah.

    You didnt have no choice.

    I ayed.

    You couldnt of helped em.

    Probably not. I t about takin t .30 caliber off about a  or so and  in till tever. Lettin em come on up. I could of  killed a fe kno tc come night.

    Pretty sunset. It  rainin. t field s and t talks. Fall of tc get dark and I

    could of all been dead by t I didnt kno. And quick as it got dark I  got up and I left out of t even   .30  caliber  in some and I could even tle. It   rainin but I  to terin. I could  make out t as near as I could make it and I just kept  goin. I passed a  t nobody around. It tle-zone, t  country. People  left out. Come dayligc

    treetrunks   . And sometime t next nigo an American position and t ty muc. I t after so many years it  kno. t t maybe I could make up for it and I reckon ts o do.

    t. After a  see it bein all t  bad. Maybe you ougo ease up on yourself some.

    Maybe. But you go into battle its a blood oato look after t  knoed to.  you o make up  your mind t youll live  you dont kno of t your o you didnt  plan on. If I o die over t Id give my o do ts   any  but ts t is. I s and I didnt. And some part of me   knoeal your o kno it  t anyt steal. I t   I kne still  mine. It never has been.

    t for a long time.  slig ter  a whis is goin, he said.

    Yessir.

    do you think he would of done?

    I know w he would of done.

    Yeaoo.

    till ayed a whe ice.

    Do you t makes ter man than you?

    Yessir. I do.

    I migell you some t  y good.

    ell sir, I doubt t you could. it. Besides  you  would.

    I aint. But t say t  times. y  years later  of  viehings.

    You mig nobody in t.

    Yea ts true.  Bell.  did you tell me for?

    I t needed to unload my wagon.

    You ed long enoug doin it.

    Yessir. Maybe I needed to  myself. Im not time they say I am.

    I wisime.

    Or maybe t a practice run.

    Maybe.

    You aim to tell her?

    Yessir, I guess I do.

    ell.

    do you think shell say?

    ell, I expect you mig of it a little better t you think.

    Yessir, Bell said. I surely hope so.

 X

    ryin to set t. I guess truto t. But it aint trut t a  old age and  is t. And  dont last long. I ed for o smile but  . I said s pretty cold. And   ts  called for. So t  t. I kne people you try and ligs self- ordained. t  around to but I believe  it to be related because I believe t   back to you.

    If you live long enoug  no- good to of killed t girl.  did so rut place. No t Mexican up sville for  killin t state trooper t

    and I dont  believe . But ts  ty for. So ion t of ed for all of to go a. I t arted. It  feel to it.

    Like I o get drug into someto be a pretty  long one.

    er so many years I said t it  I  ignored it for t part. But , it did come up. I  times people  t  all. old it,  took a s  to   oo. It old me one time  if  injury and it bottle bit, nagged at ter. It kept ead of a and t.

    Not t it ching.

    I t if I lived my life in trictest  on me ta I y-one years old and I  itled to one mistake, particularly if I could learn from it and become t of  man I  in my mind to be. ell, I  all of t. Noo quit  and a good part of it is just kno I  be called on to  to me t I aint c and I dont kno I   t. ty-six years. ts a painful to know.

    One ot ed eigo come into  youd still o  figure t   knoion of God you  could  you end up  to are t must  of needed it t. ts not a easy to accept. Particularly as it migo  someone like Loretta. But the glass. Always have been.

    Aunt Carolyns letters to ters  ters ore and covered  kno  tters. ell for one tell t country people. I dont t of Irion County, let alone tate of texas. But t tters ell t to   ever goin to be o see noy some years on. But t ion  at all. You can say you like it or you dont like it but it dont cold my  deputies more t you fix  t go. If t noto be done about it it aint even a problem. Its just a aggravation. And trut  is bre t harold  did.

    Of course as it turned out  all. t notters to suggest t s possibility.

    ell, you kno of said not it to him.

    Ive still got t medal of course. It come in a fancy purple box   ook it out and put it in table  it. Not t I ever looked at it, but it   get no medal.  come   believe tar mot orld ar but if t  Carolyn  of got one of t ural son. But s her.

    So. I  back out time. I  ground and ttle sign t anytook place t   it. I stood out time and I t about t  in ter sometimes. A little ill keep t is  somet try. Sort of t about my family and  about  t just seemed to me t try  a strange kind of ory and a damned bloody one too. About anyand back off and smile about sucs as t I still   make excuses for t no more. I talk to my daughter.

    Sy nos all rig care  sounds. I like talkin to her.

    Call it superstition or . I kno over t I aled for myself and ts all rigs o  t from  dont get mixed up  sounds and I guess Id o say t I dont care. I never  even told my   of secrets from one anot t some migom? Yeao s a lunacy  . I s all rigen to . ell, ts enoug.

    o the phone. Sheriff Bell, he said.

    Sective Cook he Odessa police.

    Yessir.

    t  o do  was murdered here back in March.

    Yessir. I appreciate you callin.

    tics database and traced it  doo a boy  t of a truck at a accident  scene. Just seen it and took it. And I expect ts rigalked to  and it  turned up in a convenience store robbery in S Louisiana. No   took place on t  o it in truck and disappeared and  been  get a lot of unsolved  like em. Can I ask you erest in the case, Sheriff?

    Bell told ened. t igator of t. Roger Catron. Let me call . alk to you.

    ts all rigalk to me. Ive known him for years.

    ron answered.

    om.

    I aint braggin.

    can I do you for.

    Bell told  tron said. Sure I remember it. t ill aint found ther vehicle.

    happened?

    Boysd been smokin dope. topsign and  a brand neotaled it out. t and just took off up  treet. Fore  truck  in Mexico. Illegal. No EPA or  notration.

    about ther vehicle.

    t. Nineteen, ty years old. All of em Mexican. t. Apparently t tersection probably about sixty mile a  t-boned  truck. t and crossed treet and landed on a tin some mail in  miss  off doreet in  a  t yet.

    did you all do  took the gun?

    e cut him loose.

    If I come up talk to him?

    Id say you could. Im lookin at  now.

    s his name?

    David DeMarco.

    Is he Mexican?

    No. t him.

    ill alk to me?

    One o find out.

    Ill be the mornin.

    I look foro seein you.

    Catron alked to o t seem particularly  anyto t and sucked at eet Bell.

    You  some coffee?

    Yeaake some coffee.

    Bell raised a finger and tress came over and took  the boy.

    I ed to talk to you about

    comes to mind about   remember.

    the room.

    ?

    I dont kno looked like his arm was broke.

    else.

    on  say . he could walk.

    Bell ched him. how old a man would you say he was?

    knoy bloody and all.

    On t you said e ties.

    Yea.

    h.

    ?

    h.

    asnt h nobody.

    t, wo of you.

    ell, .

    Yeaalked to o me to be about as unfull of it as  they come.

    tress broug a quarter cup of sugar into  stirring it.

    You kno got done killin a  wreck.

    Yea kno at time.

    You know how many people hes killed?

    I dont kno him.

    all was he would you say?

    Not real tall. Sort of medium.

    as s.

    Yeas.

    kind of boots.

    I t of been ostrich.

    Expensive boots.

    Yeah.

    how badly was he bleedin?

    I dont know.  on his head.

    did he say?

    say nothin.

    did you say to him?

    Not.

    You t of died?

    I got no idea.

    Bell leaned back. urned tcellar a urn on tabletop. turned it  back again.

    tell me wh.

    asnt h nobody.

    Bell studied eet it down again.

    You aint goin to help me, are you?

    I done told you all I knoo tell. You seen t. ts all I knoo tell you.

    Bell sat c up and put on  and left.

    In t to t some names from DeMarcos teacher.

    t one alked to ed to kno ennis s a size  fourteen and  and Rigten on toecaps in purple ink.

    t tellin me.

    the boy shook his head.

    Did en you?

    Naw.

    did he look like? as he Mexican?

    I dont ted is all.

    ere you afraid of him?

    I  till you s of took t  o do. I aint goin to set

    was. Im big enougo say no.

    Yes you are.

    It  rouble over this?

    else did o you.

    t in tears. If I  to do over  again Id do it different. I kno.

    did he say.

    know w he looked like. he give David a hundred dollar bill.

    A hundred dollars.

    Yea. to make a sling for his arm.

    Bell nodded. All rig did he look like.

    . Medium build. Looked like ies  maybe. Dark  know, Sheriff. he looked like anybody.

    Like anybody.

    t  Bell.  look like anybody. I mean  t not   look like anybody youd   to mess ened. tickin  out under t pay no more attention to it thin.

    All right.

    Am I in trouble over this?

    No.

    I appreciate it.

    You dont know wake you, do you?

    No sir, you dont. I t. If ts any use to you.

    It is. Do you thing?

    t know,  speak for David.

 XI

    I got Molly to run doo  go up to myself  to do but I  anyalked  to  sound like in to see me or  in but  o come on so . Cel  to  he mornin.

    out on tea and I  guess  t of said somet oldern me.

    ten years maybe. I told  Id come to tell  old s.

    set ttin in a stle and  glass of tea in  knoo say so I just s  up and  te some time. And t look at me,  looked out across t rifles I ever sa knoo say. I said: Yessir.

    nam you know.

    I said I didnt kno.

    in no drug deals.

    No sir. .

    raised t way, he said.

    Yessir.

    as you in the war?

    Yes I re.

    to visit several families of buddies of

    made it back.  up.  knoo say to em. tin t  in  tand.

    Yessir. I can understand t.

    I can too. But aside from t t t as soon  left over t  in ttle of it. ar out of one or ttin on   of t come back, till  it  ry be I t mig even. try t still is. It  t. It  t of t got sent over teen, nineteen year old.

    urned and looked at me. And t  older. ell you it nam brougry to its knees. But I  never believed t. It  the cake.

    e didnt o give to em to take over t em  rifles I  dont kno muc go to . You  cant go to  God. I dont knoo  one  comes. I surely dont.

    And t ty muc ime. t day o be my last day in to t. I drove back to  I-10 along to Cook 501. I tried to put tive but sometimes youre just too close to it. Its a lifes o see yourself  for  be  is somet   to be . Ive t about ed to be a la of me t ed to be in cty muced on it.

    anted people to listen to  t of me too t just  ed to pull everbody back in t. If Ive tried to cultivate anyts been t.

    I t is to come and I dont care akes. And  it ain us. talk to, if you could of told em t treets of  our texas to even understand,  flat out  of believed you. But old em it  is signs and  it dont tell you  got t  dont tell you not s fixin to  get, neit of it  I could at least some t  and I guess I just dont feel t  knoalkin about.  goin to get better neito stand for somet I dont  I once did. Asked to believe in  somet not s t it even  . Seen any number of believers fall away.

    Ive been forced to look at it again and Ive been forced to look at myself. For better or  for  kno kno I o ts of doubts before. If Im   come at a price. Pretty good price too. old tin s first didnt  take me to mean it literally but I told . I told y er sense to even vote for me. I told  feel  rigakin t mean t and I told  it ever   over too and I dont knoo do about t eit set time. I didnt t

    done. Finally I just said: Loretta, I cant do it no more. And so quit o quit. I  aint a. I never  up. I   as soon t it  of got told but t it in t up to  Ozona and talked to trict attorney up talk to t  Mexicans laed and maybe testify at trial but t hey would do.

    Meanin t t do not and of course it didnt  come to not ty. So I  up to sville to see

    dorial and all and  did you bring me?

    And I said I didnt bring  I must of brung  on  t ty-five,  forty year old. Spoke good engliso  I didnt come up to be  insulted but I just ed o kno I done t I could for  I  t and  rared back and laug you in diapers yet? I s t son  of a bitc beto  to grease.

    ell. tty good. If I   guard  of said word one. And . .

    I seen t county prosecutor comin out of t a little to talk to  and opped and visited some. I didnt tell

    me tryin to  man and  could of put toget know.

    ask me not  ask me hin.

    t dont ask a lot of questions. One is too dumb to and t need to. Ill leave it to you to guess andin time in told  me t  of laorney for a ed.   to spend t of o on a daily basis just as a matter of course. I told  a laime told me  t in laeac to  rig just  follo so sure about t.  about t and  ty muco agree  la follo and  save you.  it dont chink. Finally I asked him if he knew who  Mammon was. And he said: Mammon?

    Yes. Mammon.

    You mean like in God and Mammon?

    Yessir.

    ell,  say as I do. I knos in t the devil?

    I dont knoo look it up. I got a feelin I ougo know w is.

    be getting ready to take up the  spare bedroom.

    ell, I said, t o familiarize myself  s.

    ion. ery man  you t trooper and burned  do you kno him?

    I dont kno.

    Yeah.

    ty muc.

    Is ty much or is he one?

    No,  t. But he is.

    you  o  him.

    I said t  about it since and I to ion is t ain tain  t you  you may very  be  equal to and I t t its real and  not just in your  all t sure  is you have said.

    Loretta did say one to t t it  my fault and I  said it  t too. I told  if you got a bad enougay out of it. And t.

    t  to tarted to go back to t topped and  about  and  to tackroom and got  out into tled at call door do th his ears scissoring.

    ting talked to t. Feels good to be out, dont it. You knos all rig  you  it. ell find em.

    Forty minutes later opped and sat tc ridge to tting o of t, tain of it folloill air. ts my  yonder, old t always was.

    toget to arners ell and dismounted and sat under ttonanks. Late in t be  seein them much longer.

    Se in the year, she said.

    You e it.

    Leavin here?

    Leavin here.

    Im all right.

    Because of me t it?

    S a certain age I dont guess thing as  good change.

    I guess rouble then.

    ell be all rigo like havin you home for dinner.

    I like bein ime.

    I remember old ter or for  I  didnt say not lunch.

    Bell smiled. Ill bet she wishes he could come home now.

    Ill bet soo. Ill bet I do, for t matter.

    I s ougo of said t.

    You didnt say nothin wrong.

    Youd say t anyways.

    ts my job.

    Bell smiled. You  tell me if I he wrong?

    Nope.

    if I ed you to?

    tough.

    ctle brindled desert doves come stooping in under t. Is  t true? he said.

    Pretty muc altogether.

    Is t a good idea?

    ell, sever it  youd get it figured out h no help from me.

    And if it  disagreed about I reckon Id get over it.

    not.

    S  it up, ss nice just to be here.

    Yes mam. It is indeed.

 XII

    ILL AKE LOREttA UP just bein aimes Ill go in tc  t t made me a spiritual person. Not like  me, too. I see  it. I reckon I t t because I  ss s I know w lies.

    I t  aint  just tunes bein accumulated out t t nobody even  kno.  do o come of t money? Money t can buy   done  buy t t it  you in  bed  not to be ts not even a la problem.

    I doubt t it ever ics. But people dont just up and  decide to dope t   t. In particular I dont o take  from. I told a reporter  tryin to be a reporter. So let crime get so out of y? Sounded like  a fair question I reckon. Maybe it ion. Anyold  starts  ime you quit ty muc. I told  reaco ever strata. Youve  t aint you? Ever strata? You finally get into t of breakdoile et leaves people settin around out in t dead in ts just too late.

    S told  of  said it, I told  you cant  dopers. A lot of em are   me its  alion. Years back I dont remember t. I dont remember it  even look confused. t look  crazy. t bots like t kno.

    At supper told me s Joions. Any time I  get to talkin about ions o say about takin and s  me kno. I dont knos a good sign or not.

    t  me on  t of   knoo put it in, neither.

    It ery day  time. Some  men could put t it never felt natural to eps and out t in ruck and sat t name t  it  ting tead of starting truck.  like t not in a long time and  it   . It en. More bitter to o get  over t, arted truck.

 XIII

    out t one er trougrougayed pretty mucoppin time and squattin do it and I got to t it. I dont kno   six foot long and maybe a foot and a  t deep. Just c of t to t t  done t. t country  ime of peace muc all t I  knetle of tory of it since and I aint sure it ever   t do a stone er trougo  last ten t?   t   t  not you migo knotern  t. Ive t about it a good deal. I t about it after I left t  o pieces. Im goin to say t er troug. It ook  someto move it, I can tell you t. So I t tin t a er supper, I dont kno t t of promise in .

    And I dont entions of carvin a stone er troug I o be able  to make t kind of promise. I ts  of all.

    t I  said muc my fat done  ice. Ive been older no ty years so in a sense  Im lookin back at a younger man.  on tradin   mucold me t time or tty good but  rader one time   old o trade  even  bein some people ually tell you  is to do to you and   to listen. t stuck   he was doin.

    Very easy on talked to em a lot. . As t look at it I suppose I ter man.

    Bad as t sounds to say. Bad as t is to say. t  to of been o live h.

    Let alone  to college I t  about  less t aint rig er  remember  t one all t  it  meetin o. But t imes and I   me and kept on goin. Never said not rode on past and   inside of it. About t  o make afire some  dark and all t cold and I kne hen  I woke up.

 ALSO BY CORMAC McCARTHY

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    the Crossing

    All tty horses

    tonemason (a play)

    the Gardeners Son (a screenplay)

    Blood Meridian

    Suttree

    Child of God

    Outer Dark

    the Orchard Keeper

    Set in our oime along tier betexas and Mexico, t novel since Cities of ted - selling Border trilogy.

    Lleelope near tead finds men s dead, a  load of ,  only after tims burning  car lead So t in t, and ely Moss and ection. One party in transaction o defend erests against a  mesmerizing freelancer, o spectacular  violence and may stretcicipant seemingly determined to ans order to abandon his life?

    A ory of a  society is self, and an enduring meditation  on ties of love and blood and duty t inform lives and sinies, No Country  for Old Men is a novel of extraordinary resonance and power.