SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 9

back at the ranch del got the horse that jake was rideing up from the pasture. he ran his hands over the horses neck and down the fore legs then over the horses rump and down the right leg. but on the left leg just over the gaskin muscle he found a big lump. and when he toucheed it the horse kicked at him. it didnt have any hair to speak of growing over it. he carefully went around the out side of the lump with his fingers. feeling for anything that might have made the lump. but each time he touched the lump itself the horse would try to kick him. he finally gave up. he would need a vetranarian in order to search for anything more. he put the horse in a small corral and fed him. loading his horse in his trailer he headed to town. he needed to find jerry. at the sherrifs substation he he asked the desk clerk where he could find jerry. the clerk called jerry on the radion and was told to have del wait at the local cafe. it might be a while. del thanked the man and went across the street to the cafe. except for three men seated at a table the place was empty. the three were talking loud and laughing. del took a seat at the lunch counter and when lloyd the owner came to wait him he ordered a glass of ice tea. when lloyd brought the cold drink he leaned close and said, "listen to them yahoos, they have been laughing about getting some old man bucked off his horse a while back. i never saw them before, have you?" del perked up and slowley turned his head so as to hear a little better.""give them what ever they are drinking and ill pay for it. jerry is on the way. what are they driveing?" lloyd pointed out the window at a white pickup truck with a decal on the door. del slowley got up and pulling a napkin from a holder on the counter just stepped to the door where he could see the lisence plate on the truck he wrote it on the napkin. then the name on the truck door MAIN LAND ENERGY. he turned and bunped into one of the three men. "what you doin mr?"he asked. " just looking, never saw that name around here before. where yu boys from?del acteed friendly and smiled. " none of your business cowboy, now get out of our way!" the speaker pushed past del and was followed by the other two. they rushed to the truck , pileed into it and roared away. lloyd stepped up "not very sosialable were they?" " nope, they been here before?"del asked. "nope, do you think they had something to do with ole jake getting killed?"lloyd was curious. "i dont know. we better let jerry handle it tho. dont say nothing to anyone else ok?"del was folding the napkin and putting it in his shirt pocket.