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i just got off of death row。 theyd done shaved my head for the electric chair。 you can see where its started to grow back。
youre full of it。
be funny if it turned out to be true though； wouldnt it？
is the law huntin you？
everbodys huntin me。
what did you do？
i been pickin up young girls hitchhikin and buryin em out in the desert。
that aint funny。
youre right。 it aint。 i was just pullin your leg。
you said youd quit。
i will。
do you ever tell the truth？
yeah。 i tell the truth。
youre married； aint you？
yeah。
whats your wifes name？
carla jean。
is she in el paso？
yeah。
does she know what you do for a livin？
yeah。 she knows。 im a welder。
she watched him。 to see what else he would say。 he didnt say anything。
you aint no welder； she said。
why aint i？
what have you got that machinegun for？
cause theys some bad people after me。
what did you do to em？
i took somethin that belongs to em and they want it back。
that dont sound like weldin to me。
it dont； does it？ i guess i hadnt thought of that。
he sipped the beer。 holding it by the neck between his thumb and forefinger。
and thats whats in that bag。 aint it？
hard to say。
are you a safecracker？
a safecracker？
yeah。
whatever give you that notion？
i dont know。 are you？
no。
well youre somethin。 aint you？
everbodys somethin。
you ever been to california？
yeah。 i been to california。 i got a brother lives there。
does he like it？
i dont know。 he lives there。
you wouldnt live there though； would you？
no。
you think thats where i ought to go？
he looked at her and looked away again。 he stretched his legs out on the concrete and crossed his boots and looked out across the parking lot toward the highway and the lights on the highway。 darlin； he said； how in the hell would i know where you ought to go？
yeah。 well； i appreciate you givin me that money。
youre wele。
you didnt have to do that。
i thought you wasnt goin to talk。
all right。 thats a lot of money though。
it aint half what you think it is。 youll see。
i wont blow it in。 i need money to get me a place to stay。
youll be all right。
i hope so。
best way to live in california is to be from somewheres else。 probably the best way is to be from mars。
i hope not。 cause i aint。
youll be all right。
can i ask you somethin？
yeah。 go ahead。
how old are you？
thirty…six。
thats pretty old。 i didnt know you was that old。
i know。 it kind of took me by surprise my own self。
i got a feelin i ought to be afraid of you but i aint。
well。 i cant advise you on that neither。 most peoplell run from their own mother to get to hug death by the neck。 they cant wait to see him。
i guess thats what you think im doin。
i dont even want to know what youre doin。
i wonder where id be right now if i hadnt of met you this mornin。
i dont know。
i was always lucky。 about stuff like that。 about meetin people。
well； i wouldnt speak too soon。
why？ you fixin to bury me out in the desert？
no。 but theres a lot of bad luck out there。 you hang around long enough and youll e in for your share of it。
i think i done have。 i believe im due for a change。 i might even be overdue。
yeah？ well you aint。
why do you say that？
he looked at her。 let me tell you somethin； little sister。 if there is one thing on this planet that you dont look like its a bunch of good luck walkin around。
thats a hateful thing to say。
no it aint。 i just want you to be careful。 we get to el paso im goin to drop you at the bus station。 you got money。 you dont need to be out here hitchhikin。
all right。
all right。
would you of done what you said back yonder？ about if i had of took your truck？
whats that？
you know。 about beatin the crap out of me。
no。
i didnt think so。
you want to split this last beer？
all right。
run in there and get a cup。 ill be back in a minute。
all right。 you aint changed your mind have you？
about what？
you know about what。
i dont change my mind。 i like to get it right the first time。
he rose and started up the walkway。 she stood at the door。 ill tell you somethin i heard in a movie one time； she said。
he stopped and turned。 whats that？
theres a lot of good salesmen around and you might buy somethin yet。
well darlin youre just a little late。 cause i done bought。 and i think ill stick with what i got。
he went on up the walkway and climbed the stairs and went in。
the barracuda pulled into a truckstop outside of balmorhea and drove into the bay of the adjoining carwash。 the driver got out and shut the door and looked at it。 there was blood and other matter streaked over the glass and over the sheet…metal and he walked out and got quarters from a change…machine and came back and put them in the slot and took down the wand from the rack and washed the car and rinsed it off and got back in and pulled out onto the highway going west。
bell left the house at seven…thirty and took 285 north to fort stockton。 it was about a two hundred mile run to van horn and he reckoned he could make it in under three hours。 he turned the rooflights on。 about ten miles west of fort stockton on the i…10 interstate he passed a car burning by the side of the highway。 there were police cars at the scene and one lane of the highway was blocked off。 he didnt stop but it gave him an uneasy feeling。 he stopped at balmorhea and refilled his coffeebottle and he pulled into van horn at ten twenty…five。
he didnt know what he was looking for but he didnt have to。 in the parking lot of a motel there were two culberson county patrol cars and a state police car all with their lights going。 the motel was cordoned off with yellow tape。 he pulled in and parked and left his own lights on。
the deputy didnt know him but the sheriff did。 they were questioning a man sitting in his shirtsleeves in the open back door of one of the cruisers。 damn if bad news dont travel fast； the sheriff said。 what are you doin up here； sheriff？
whats happened； marvin？
had a little shoot…out。 you know anything about this？
i dont know。 you got