Page 73 of Three-Inch Teeth

“Thank you,” Carroll responded, and glanced over at Joe to see if Joe would add to the exchange and possibly reveal the real reason he’d been at the club. Joe kept quiet.

“We’re sure the bear’s gone, right?” Norwood said as he faced the opening.

“We think so,” Bishop said with a wink.

At that moment, cell phones erupted in the pockets of all the law enforcement officers on the scene at the same time, and the local police officer nearest to Joe responded to his shoulder mic. Joe had no idea what was going on, although he heard the urgent voice of the dispatcher from the county building. The phrase he overheard several times was “drive-by.” It sent a chill through him.

Elaine Beveridge held her cell phone to her face and threw her free hand into the air. “At the middle school playground?” she shouted. “Do we know who did it?”

Joe’s immediate reaction was horror, followed by gratitude that he no longer had children in local schools.

“On my way,” Carroll said into his phone before disconnecting. “There was a drive-by shooting at the middle school,” he told Joe. “A thirteen-year-old girl was playing basketball outside before school started when she got hit. I’ve got to go.”

“Of course you do,” Joe said.

“Everybody,” Bishop called out. “All of you need to respond right now.” Then: “Norwood, follow me.”

The forensics tech jogged to his van as the officers dashed toward their vehicles. Within thirty seconds, the only people remaining at the scene were Joe and Judy. Sirens wailed in the distance as the caravan of cop cars roared through the club en route to Saddlestring.

“How can this all be happening?” Judy asked. She looked genuinely distressed.

“No idea,” Joe said. “It’s a really bad day.”

“I’ve never heard of a drive-by shooting in Saddlestring.”

“There’s never been one.”

“That poor girl.”

“Yup.”

“I hope they find out who did it.”

Joe was grateful that Jackson Bishop seemed to be taking charge, even though the man had no official brief to do so—yet. Maybe, Joe hoped, Bishop would turn out to be a good sheriff after all. It would be a welcome change in Twelve Sleep County.

He realized that Judy had asked him a question that he hadn’t heard.

“What’s that?”

She pointed toward the crime scene perimeter. “I said, what am I supposed to do with all of this?”

“Leave it,” Joe said. “Norwood still needs to process it.”

“Am I supposed to leave all the blood on the cart path?”

“Yes, for now. And please tell your maintenance folks to stay away from here for the time being. I realize they might be curious, but they need to stay away. Same thing for any locals who may want to come out and look. Please keep them away for now.”

“What if that bear is still here somewhere?” she asked. “There are plenty of places to hide.”

“Do you and your people have bear spray? I’d suggest that you advise them to carry it with them for the next few days.”

“They’d rather carry guns,” she said.

“Those will work, too.”

She placed her hands on her hips and looked straight down. Joe assumed she was trying to wrap her mind around all that had happened in the last hour.

“Judy, are you doing okay? Is there anything I can do?” he asked.

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