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.