Chapter 1: Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Cold

Nate ‘Hawkeye’ Bumps---I am standing in front of my riding stables as the Sheriff’s car pulls up. The Sheriff and another man get out and walk towards me. I know what this is about.

“Sheriff Heyward.”

“Hawkeye, this is State Investigator David Game. We want to talk to you about the murder of Reny Magua.”

“Reny’s dead? Ain’t that a shame. I’ll cry no tears over that asshole.”

That’s when State Investigator Game took over the conversation.

“I’m going to read you your rights before we go any further.”

Then he proceeded to read me my rights.

“Do you understand your rights?”

“Hell yeah! I ain’t as stupid as I sound. Go ahead and ask me anything you want.”

“Hawkeye, we know you hated Reny...”

“That bastard murdered my wife and my un-born child and you let him get away with it. Damn right I hated him.”

“I didn’t let him get away with it. He beat the charges on a technicality.”

“Technicality? That asshole was drunk when he hit her. He happened to have a half-pint of unopened whiskey in his glove box and he gets some dim-witted old lady to fetch it for him under the guise of him being so up-set and needing a drink to calm down. She opens it and he takes a few chuggs then hands her the bottle. For that the judge threw out the DUI evidence and says it was my wife’s fault for crossing in the middle of the block? Reny walked out a free man. Damn right I hated his guts.”

Game asked, “Do you own a 30-06 rifle?”

“No sir, I shoot a 308. That’s what I trained with in the Marine Corps.”

“Speaking of that, Sheriff Heyward tells me you were a sniper. Is that right?”

“Yes sir.”

“Reny was shot from a distance of over 800 yards while walking to his car. He was hit just above the right ear. I doubt there are many men in this entire state that could make that shot besides you.”

“Maybe. It’d take some practice. But like I said, I don’t own a 30-06.”

“Where were you yesterday morning at 6:30?”

“Where I’m always at around 6:30. Here at the stables, feeding the horses.”

“Can anyone verify your alibi?”

“Well...”

“I CAN!”

Everyone turned to see who shouted.

“I left my house at 6:15. Daddy and I left at the same time. I wanted to get here early and lunge my horse before my lesson started. Hawkeye is teaching me how to change leads on the fly. Anyway, it’s about 20 minutes from my house to the stables. Right Sheriff?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Well, when I got here, Hawkeye was just finishing up feeding. You have how many horses stabled here, 25?”

“Thirty-two.”

“I waited until my horse was finished eating then I took him outside and brushed him, saddled up, then lunged him. Hawkeye and I went to the back corral, and I started doing figure eights. After about an hour, I cooled him off then put him back in his stall. Hawkeye was with me the entire time. I left about 8:30 and went home. I had to take Momma to her doctor’s appointment.”

“How’s your momma doing?”

“She’s responding well to the chemo or so the doctors say. Thanks for asking.”

“You tell her me and my missus are praying for her.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll be sure to tell her. Now if you need anything more, like a written statement, you just stop by the house.”

“No, Miss Cora, I think you have cleared up everything. You give my regards to your daddy and your granddaddy.”

“I will. Hawkeye, tomorrow I want to work on backing-up. He seems a little skittish when it comes time to back-up.”

“We’ll do that. Same time?”

“Yes, ya’ll take care now.”

She walked over to her Jeep, got in and drove off.

“Fellows if that is all, I need to get to work.”

“Sorry to have bothered you, Hawkeye.”

They got back in the Sheriff’s car and drove off.

What the hell just happened?