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as meanin that the truth cant pete。 but i dont believe that。 i think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet。
it dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time。 you cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt。 you cant corrupt it because thats what it is。
its the thing youre talkin about。 ive heard it pared to the rock — maybe in the bible—and i wouldnt disagree with that。 but itll be here even when the rock is gone。 im sure theys people would disagree with that。 quite a few； in fact。 but i never could find out what any of them did believe。
you always tried to be available for your social events and i would always go to things like cemetery cleanins of course。 that was all right。 the women would fix dinner on the ground and of course it was a way of campaignin but you were doin somethin for folks that couldnt do it for theirselves。 well； you could be cynical about it i reckon and say that you just didnt want em in around at night。 but i think it goes deeper than that。
it is munity and it is respect； of course； but the dead have more claims on you than what you might want to admit or even what you might know about and them claims can be very strong indeed。 very strong indeed。 you get the feelin they just dont want to turn loose。 so any little thing helps； in that respect。
what i was sayin the other day about the papers。 here last week they found this couple out in california they would rent out rooms to old people and then kill em and bury em in the yard and cash their social security checks。 theyd torture em first； i dont know why。 maybe their television was broke。 now heres what the papers had to say about that。 i quote from the papers。 said： neighbors were alerted when a man run from the premises wearin only a dogcollar。 you cant make up such a thing as that。 i dare you to even try。
but thats what it took； youll notice。 all that hollerin and diggin in the yard didnt bring it。
thats all right。 i laughed myself when i read it。 there aint a whole lot else you can do。
it was almost a three hour drive to odessa and dark when he got there。 he listened to the truckers on the radio。 has he got jurisdiction up here？ e on。 hell if i know。 i think if he sees you mittin a crime he does。 well im a reformed criminal then。 you got that right old buddy。
he got a city map at the quickstop and spread it out on the seat of the cruiser while he drank coffee out of a styrofoam cup。 he traced his route on the map with a yellow marker from the glovebox and refolded the map and laid it on the seat beside him and switched off the domelight and started the engine。
when he knocked at the door llewelyns wife answered it。 as she opened the door he took off his hat and he was right away sorry hed done it。 she put her hand to her mouth and reached for the doorjamb。
im sorry mam； he said。 hes all right。 your husband is all right。 i just wanted 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。
what did you want。
i just wanted to visit with you a little bit。 talk to you about your husband。
well you cant e in here。 youll scare mama to death。 let me get my coat。
yes mam。
they drove down to the sunshine cafe and sat in a booth at the rear and ordered coffee。
you dont know where hes at； do you。
no i dont。 i done told you。
i know you did。
he took off his hat and laid it in the booth beside him and ran his hand through his hair。
you aint heard from him？
no i aint。
nothin。
not word one。
the waitress brought the coffee in two heavy white china mugs。 bell stirred his with his spoon。 he raised the spoon and looked into the smoking silver bowl of it。 how much money did he give you？
she didnt answer。 bell smiled。 what did you start to say？ he said。 you can say it。
i started to say thats some more of your business； aint it。
why dont you just pretend i aint the sheriff。
and pretend youre what？
you know hes in trouble。
llewelyn aint done nothin。
its not me hes in trouble with。
whos he in trouble with then？
some pretty bad people。
llewelyn can take care of hisself。
do you care if i call you carla？
i go by carla jean。
carla jean。 is that all right？
thats all right。 you dont care if i keep on callin you sheriff do you？
bell smiled。 no； he said。 thats fine。
all right。
these people will kill him； carla jean。 they wont quit。
he wont neither。 he never has。
bell nodded。 he sipped his coffee。 the face that lapped and shifted in the dark liquid in the cup seemed an omen of things to e。 things losing shape。 taking you with them。
he set the cup down and looked at the girl。 i wish i could say that was in his favor。 but i have to say i dont think it is。
well； she said； hes who he is and he always will be。 thats why i married him。
but you aint heard from him in a while。
i didnt expect to hear from him。
were you all havin problems？
we dont have problems。 when we have problems we fix em。
well； youre lucky people。
yes we are。
she watched him。 how e you to ask me that； she said。
about havin problems？
about havin problems。
i just wondered if you were。
has somethin happened that you know about and i dont？
no。 i could ask you the same thing。
except i wouldnt tell you。
yes。
you think hes left me； dont you。
i dont know。 has he？
no。 he aint。 i know him。
you used to know him。
i know him yet。 he aint changed。
maybe。
but you dont believe that。
well； i guess in all honesty i would have to say that i never knew nor did i ever hear of anybody that money didnt change。 id have to say hed be the first。
well hell be the first then。
i hope thats true。
do you really hope that； sheriff？
yes。 i do。
he aint been charged with nothin？
no。 he aint been charged with nothin。
that dont mean he wont be。
no。 it dont。 if he lives that long。
well。 he aint dead yet。
i hope thats more fort to you than it is to me。
he sipped the coffee and set the mug down on the table。 he watched her。 he needs to turn the money in； h