"not quite, uncle jeeter, your honor, but more or less," barry said.

"mr. simpson, will you please approach?" jeeter asked.

"yes sir." simpson approached mr. mcclure.

"did you actually get shot in the right shoulder, or not?"

"i did, sir."

"are you willing to sign an affidavit to that effect?"

"of course i am, sir."

"and what do you think about my nephews contentions, sir?"

"i think he's a snotnosed son-of-a-bitch, if i may say so, sir."

jeeter grined. "sheriff, get a team up there to miss mccord's place, get me plaster prints from the river up. i need to know if they entered the house, footprints will do. i'm ordering mr. simpson to go to the hospital and document that gunshot wound, at the courts expense, and i want some information on that alleged handgun."

"right away sir," sheriff tate said.

"cleveland, please escort the boys in orange back downstairs, their attorney may accompany them, if he wants. this case is being held over for the grand jury, and the future investigation."

"we'll post bond, uncle jeeter," said barry.

judge mcclure raised his left eyebrow. "take that up with the grand jury, son, this ain't the place."

"you're railroading these guys, uncle jeeter!" barry snapped.

"have you fully investigated this case, barry?"

"what do you mean, uncle?"

"i mean, the things that lawyers do, have you talked to carlee, been out to her house?"

"no need to uncle jeeter."

"please meet me in my quarters, barry," judge mcclure said wearily. "kathy, get hold of the district attorney for me, honey." he headed to his quarters. cleveland escorted the men on orange downstairs. pork pie, simpson and i kept our seats.

"have a seat barry." barry did. "now son, and i hope you won't take offence at this." barry was silent. "why are you on this case?"

"i was appointed uncle jeeter."

"i'm sending a team out to carlee's, the evidence they bring back will substantiate what the police report said. do you believe that barry?"

"i don't know, sir."

"say that they do," mcclure said.

"well, then, i'll not able to defend them, if they lied to me."

"yes you will, you're appointed."

"i'll just tell them that i can't defend them, if that's true."

"did they teach you in law school, that everyone has a right to a defence?"

"yeah, but..."

"do you know these guys, barry?"

"i've seen 'em around."

"do you know about their court records?"

"no sir."

"next time, find out a little something about you clients before you volunteer, barry."

"i was appointed uncle jeeter."

"pack of lies, barry, you volunteered!" jeeter snapped. "now i've got work to do. excuse me please."

"you should wear better clothes to your office, uncle jeeter."

"don't push your luck, son. investigate some, next time." barry was dismissed.

a few minutes passed, the light began to fade. "my god in heaven." jeeter mcclure said.

"jeeter?"

"oh, forgive me skyler, i was sitting here, thinking, alone."

"an honorable past time, jeeter." skyler was the district attorney, and the two men had known one another for many years.

"why thank you skyler, actually it is."

"what did you need from me, jeeter?"

"i need for you to go with me to carlee mccord's. a case skyler, probably."

"good morning, mr. arnold."

"hi kathy, you're looking good."

kathy smiled. "coffee?" she asked.

"thank you kathy, but mr. arnold and i have some work to do," he said cheerfully.

"never wish to intefere with men at work," she replied, smiling.

"skyler, let's run up to carlee's."

"sure jeeter," he answered.

"hate to bother on saturdays."

"nobody else does, jeeter."

jeeter smiled. "carlee, we're going up to your spread."

"mr. mcclure?" i asked.

"what dear?"

"thanks."

jeeter smiled. "do you know skyler arnold?"

"no sir, pleased to meet you."

his hand was warm in mine. "nice to meet you ma'me."

"red necks, skyler, damnit, can read 'em like a book," jeeter said, as he drove.

"what's the problem, jeeter?"

"johnson and heron, you know them?"

"i've tried them 25 or 30 times." he laughed.

"well they're at it again, shot a fellow, tried to steal a telescope."

"they'll get theirselves in real trouble someday, jeeter."

"they're in real trouble now skyler, if they're guilty, i'm going to put them out of business, here."

"there's a question about it?"

"my nephew poses one."

skyler smiled. "well, we'll just have to see," he said. yellow tape was strung all over the place. the sheriff and his men were on the inside.

"can't get in, folks?" jeeter asked.

"i need to get in there, carlee," pork pie said.

"just a minute, pork," i replied.

"you laverne 'pork pie' anderson?"

"in person. who are you?"

"skyler arnold."

"never heard of you."

"well, that's because i'm insignificant," skyler said. pork stood back. i admired him for doing that. i knew he wanted to say plenty, but didn't.

"mr. mcclure," the sheriff said.

"yes jimmy?"

"they were here alright, blood on the ground, footprints, leading from that telescope to the house, looks like what miss mccord's group said was the truth."

"alright jimmy, let's wrap it up, get plaster prints, retain some blood samples. are there any prints in the house?"

"yes sir, but they've been contaminated."

"can you raise a reasonable print?"

"i think so sir."

"then do it," mcclure said. "you satisfied skyler?"

"sure, can we go now?"

"may as well."

"i want to see andy's babe first," skyler said, and smiled.

jeeter and shyler slowly drove back to the court house. "beautiful horse, jeeter," skyler said.

"yeah, sure is. hey, there's my nephew."

"hey, you guys find anything up there?" barry asked.

"you want him skyler?"

skyler chuckled. "nope, you're doing ok."

"now's the time for some serious plea bargining." he smiled.

"hey uncle jeeter," barry said. "didn't find nothin' incriminating up there, did you?"

"oh no, son, only enough to burn your boys for about five to ten years."

"you're kidding, uncle jeeter?"

"nope, listen, didn't you know, barry?"

"no sir, i took them at their word."

"skyler?"

skyler looked at barry. "listen boy, i've been against these two plenty of times, never good, they're repeaters, that's it. they'll need a good attorney."

"why thank you sir."

skyler just rolled his eyes. "lets get a drink jeeter."

"good idea." jeeter said. jeeter and skyler sat down in the small kitchen in back of jeeter's office. jeeter opened a bottle of jack daniels and poured two generous shots. "ice?"

"a small amount, please." jeeter put in a small amount. "it's a little early," skyler offered.

"true, but it's good." jeeter said. "you gonna try this one, skyler?"

"not if i can find someone else to do it," skyler said. "i'm afraid of your nephew." he smiled.

jeeter removed his hat. "the thrill of battle doesn't interest you, skyler?"

"nah, just getting the job done. mind you, i want redbone and goodie off the streets as well as the next guy, but the younger fellows can do that."

jeeter smiled. "with your instructions?"

"oh god, please don't think for a moment that i wouldn't do anything without my instructing," skyler said.

jeeter drank his drink. "how long have you been d.a., skyler?"

"well, you should know, judge, you were on the bench when i took office."

"skyler, skyler, how long do we allow people like redbone and goodie to keep on pushing others around?"

"i don't know, jeeter, it's been too long now."

"how many times have you tried them?"

"oh, 'bout seven."

"that's too damn many, let's do it."

simpson went down to talk with mr. crabb. pork pie and i went inside. "what will happen now, pork?" i asked.

"pour me a drink and i'll tell you, angel." i made him a large one. "i'll tell you something baby, i like that guy, mcclure, looks like a regular hay seed, but he's smart cookie, i'll bet he burns them two."

"simpson may have to be in court," i said. "could he stay a while, i mean with me?"

pork pie downed his drink. "well, we'll see."

simpson reappeared on cue. "i forgot to pick up mr. crabb's wire, would you drive me back to the electrical shop ma'me?"

"sure simpson." i changed into a pair of red shorts with 'sexy' on the tail of them, and a white tee that said 'see tail end.' my mocassins were fine. "you like, simpson?" i smiled and said, spinning round.

simpson smiled. "very nice miss, good enough for the electric store."

"simpson, can you stay a few days."

"i suppose, ma'me, why?"

"they'll need you in court."

"i could return. mr. anderson doesn't do well when i'm away."

"oh."

"it's alright ma'me, you two can share me."

i laughed. "simpson, you'll do, i guess."

we drove to the electric shop. "be right back," he said. he returned a couple of minutes later and sat the wire in the back seat.

"simpson?"

"yes ma'me?"

"what's going on in louisville?"

he smiled. "nothing, it's mostly here, melissa's manning the house."

"oh, shit."

"i know," he smiled. we drove slowly back.

"simpson, may i tell you something?"

"surely, miss."

"i don't know how to tell you, exactly."

"you'll think of a way, miss." we pulled up in the driveway. simpson walked toward mr. crabb. "your wire sir."

"you and cat have a good time out there dude? i needed this shit an hour a go."

"i'm sorry sir, i simply forgot it when we were at the court house."

"alright simpson." he snatched the wire from simpson. same ole crabb, i thought.

"hey, you too!" another precinct of bad manners heard from, how would i survive these two? "you know, those bastards oughta hang."

"hmmm?"

"that goddamn redbone and what's his face."

"pork pie, they've already been arrested."

"not for drinkin' all the wile turkey up!"

"oh hell, pork, there's more in the pantry." i got a fresh fifth and laid it on the bar for pork.

"now that's more like it," he said. "i'll tell somethin' else, that son-of-a-bitch that's putting in the security system sucks, too."

i smiled, so, pork pie had seen mr. crabb's bad side. "you're right, pork."

"why in the hell does he call you cat?"

"when he was installing my hot tub, i had on a tee shirt with my e-mail address on it."

"well, someone ought to knock his ass off."

god, i just hoped he wasn't thinking of it. i changed the subject. "pork, what are we going to do with andy's babe?"

"the horse is being taken care of baby," he replied. "ya know, i just can't help thinking about those guys. wonder what they'd do if i jest walked out there and gave crabb a dose of what he needs?"

"pork pie, he simpson's friend!" i snapped.

"the son-of-a-bitch just rubs me the wrong goddamn way, carlee."

"i know pork, he does me too, but please, give it a break, he'll be gone soon."

"the babe don't like him either." he switched his cigar from the right side of his mouth to the left. "motherfucker!" he was turning red again. it looked bad.

"ah, simpson tells me that melissa is taking care of your house, pork."

"son-of-a-bitch!" god, even changing the subject wasn't helping.

"drink your drink, pork." he did and i went outside. "you guys are working kind of late," i said.

"so fuckin' what?" mr. crabb stated.

"you're overworked, mr. crabb, maybe you should quit for the day?"

"go fuck yourself, cat." mr. crabb said.

"please, mr. crabb, you're out of line!" simpson snapped.

"and fuck you too, buddy." crabb said.

"miss, please go to the house."

"what are you going to do simpson?"

"defend your honor, ma'me."

"simpson, please," i said.

"come on, defend!" mr. crabb shouted.

"let me first write you a check for your services, sir." simpson got out a check book and began to write.

"four thousand and forty two dollars," crabb said, and simpson wrote, then handed mr. crabb the check, followed by a punch in the eye. mr. crabb looked dumbfounded.

"care for another one?" simpson asked.

"yeah!"

"very well, sir." simpson pointed his finger. the laser was turned to high, and fire came out of mr crabbs chest.

"goddamn!" mr. crabb shouted.

"more?" simpson asked.

"shit no, i got the message." mr. crabb said grimly, as he walked to his pick up.

i waited a few moments, then hugged simpson. "you did it again, simpson," i smiled and said.

"modern technology madam, must use some shortcuts these days."

"come on, i'll make you a drink."

"that would be nice," he said. i made us all a round.

pork pie was sitting on the love seat, half asleep. "what happened to that bastard crabb?"

"gone sir," simpson said.

"damn buzz, i smell smoke, you didn't burn him, did ye?"

"a little, sir."

"haven't you got us in enough trouble with the damn laser, buzz? i thought i sent you here to get rid of it?"

"it's not attached any longer sir, i find other ways to use it."

"yeah, pork he used it to save andy's babe at the river."

"carlee, simpson's laser thing is exactly why were here in the first place!" pork pie snapped.

"not exactly, sir," said simpson, with a grin.

"sakajawea!" pork said. "hell, drink up be somebody."

"whenever we want it to, jeeter," skyler answered.

"let's make it soon, get this show on the road."

"what's the hurry, jeeter?"

"i'm tired if these fuckin' rednecks runnin' rough shod over honest people," jeeter said.

"going to change the world now, jeeter?"

"maybe so, we've got to start somewhere."

"excuse me, i thought that's what we've been working our asses off for, over the years?"

"have you read these two's police report?"

"not recently."

"shit, if them guys hadn't have been there, anything could have happened to carlee, i hate to think about it," jeeter said.

"god, i don't know which is worse, laverne 'pork pie' anderson or your two guys in the basement," skyler said, and smiled.

"and my nephew, as green as goose shit, defending them."

"now jeeter, is it those two guys, or your nephew you want to get even with?"

"hell, i 'bout paid his way through law school, my sister's only son, you know."

"very big of you, jeeter."

"the most shameful thing i ever done, skyler, the boy didn't learn shit in those three years, nor the four years prior to that, or his years of high school. and these bastards he's working for, ain't no better!"

"now jeeter, calm down, we'll call the grand jury in and get things started; let me make you another drink."

"thanks skyler."

skyler made jeeter a big one. "miss kathy?"

"yes sir?"

"call in the grand jury for monday, seven am, please."

"yes sir, mr. arnold, i'll start calling today."

"thank you kathy, and try to calm your boss down a little," he said, as he smiled.

"mr. arnold, i've never seen him so upset."

"i know kathy, i know."