SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 11

it was getting late in the day but del was going back up the slope to where he had found jake. he was determined to bring this problem to a end. he had the bit between his teeth as the old timers would say. the sun was law in the western sky when he rode up on the boulders where jake had died. he tied his horse back away from the ground that was tore up from jakes horse bucking when he got stung. the first thing del did was sit down on a low rock on one side of the area he was going to search. he ran his eyes over the site in a methodical search pattern. but it was getting late and the shadows were growing long. soon he spied a sliver of granite half covered by the soil. he very carefully crawled out into the site and plucked it from the dirt. but it wasnt big enough. it was just a long narrow sliver. he carefully put it in his shirt pocket and began rakeing the loose soil with his fingers as a rake on the end of his hand. it was getting dark. late that night del rolled his pick up to a stop in front of his house. a light still burned through a liveing room window and into the yard. he slowley trooped up the steps and into the house. sharon was sitting in the liveing room sewing a rip in mikes pants.she held them up for del to see" that boy is wearing his clothes out before he out grows them." she laid them aside and got up" ill get your supper, you look wrung out." del went to the cabinete and took down his whiskey bottle and poured a double shot from it. then held it up and apraised the amount left in the bottle." yeah ime plum limber. but i think i got what i went after, or at least some of it." he sat down at the table and took a long swallow from his glass. then started picking peices of granite from his pocket. when sharon brought his plate to the table she saw he was laying the peices out and fitting them to gether like a puzzle. "i think jakes horse must have stepped on the peice that stung him these are all the peices i could find. they almost make a chip like the vet said hit that ole horse and caused him to buck ole jake off and kill him." i think jerry will be by in the morning to see what i found. i left my horse over at jakes. at least he will get a good nights rest." del attacked the plate of food like what he was, a hungry cowboy. "jerry was already here tonite looking for you. he said he will be back tomorrow"sharon told him in a sheepish voice. " ha ha tell me the truth, he came to see you. i was secondary." del was laughing around a mouth full of food. sharon blushed like a school girl.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 10

ABOUT A HOUR LATER JERRY PARKED HIS PATROL CAR IN front of the cafe. he came strolling in like it was a sunday picnic. del met him just inside the door and started explaining things to him. he perked up. and when del handed him the napkin with the plate number he did perk up. he went to his car and grabbed the mic for the radio and called in the number to dispatch. he also had dispatch contact the local vetrenarian to look at jakes horse. things were maybe, just maybe comming to gether. later that afternoon del, jerry and the vet were at jakes place checking out the bruised horse. he agreed that the bruise could have been caused by a flying rock chip. but wouldnt swear to it he drained the bruised pocket of any fluid and left some ointment for it. he promised a written report. del admitted to jerry he hadnt looked for a rock chip but would go back and try to find one that might match the bruise. he handed over the shell caseings he found also. " what you think those birds are up to jerry?"del asked. " i got no idea, but let me make a few calls. the best thing would be to ask those birds a few questions and maybe get some direection on things."jerry responded. on the way back to town jerrys dispatcher called and told them the plate number belonged to a truck that belonged to a landscapeing commpany from a neighboring town. "land scapeing?"jerry and del said at the same time. he also told them the landscapeing company belonged to a high end land developer. " now what the hell is a land scapeing company doing out there?"del askked the open window as they cruised back into town. in town jerry dropped del off at his pick up. del stated he was going back to the site where he found jake and try to find the rock chip. the vet had thought it was as big as a fiftey cent peice. jerry agreed it would help to have it. as he drove back to jakes ranch dell kept asking himself what a landscapeing company was doing in jakes pasture.