Page 30 of The Outsider

She stopped and peered down at him. “Hey, Sheriff. I’m just checking to see where the shingles have gone bad.”

“Get down here.”

“I’m not done,” she shouted back.

And to his chagrin she continued to scamper around up there, until she made her way to the edge, sat down on her rear, bent over and gripped the edge of the roof, and just about gave him a heart attack.

She was dangling, her feet in the air. Until she swung them forward and seemed to find a foothold inthe wood. Then she leaned down and gripped another board, until she was secure. She worked her way down like it was a rock face and she was a free solo climber, the amount of strength she contained in her skinny limbs shocking. He couldn’t breathe. Not until she was halfway down. Not until she was far enough that if she fell, she wasn’t going to get killed or maimed.

And then with about three feet to go, she hopped down. “Did you have something to ask me, Sheriff?”

“I didn’t have anything to ask you. I have something to tell you. Don’t do things like that. That was stupid.”

She crossed her arms, her expression speaking of mutiny. “Justice and Denver didn’t have a problem with it. Anyway, there’s going to be a whole crew out there working on that roof, because it is in shambles. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

“I’m not shocked,” Denver said, looking grim.

“This is getting expensive,” said Justice.

“Well, I knew it would be expensive,” said Denver. “And the truth is, we have the money.”

“You’re going to pay for it out of your pocket?” Justice asked.

“If I have to.”

“All because Landry wanted to make changes around here?” Daughtry asked.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” said Denver. “Because we’ve got to keep evolving if we want to be secure.”

“Damn straight,” said Bix. “Evolution is the only way to survive. The world isn’t going to slow downfor you. So, you’ve gotta figure out how to keep up.” She looked at him. “And sometimes you have to climb a few barns.”

“Except you don’t need to do that,” said Daughtry.

“I’m fine. Do you have any idea how many times I have evaded the law that way?”

He looked at her and frowned. “No.”

She smiled. “A lot.”

“I think she’s great,” said Justice. “A regular street urchin.”

“It’s true,” said Bix. “Oliver Twist doesn’t have anything on me.”

He didn’t know why, but the literary reference surprised him. Maybe because she’d mentioned that she had gone to school. That she certainly hadn’t made it sound like their dad had taken a great interest in giving her a quality education.

Denver checked the time. “Time for lunch delivery.”

And as if on cue, Fia pulled up in her car and got out. Denver walked into the barn and returned a moment later with tables and Fia set out two big silver tins filled with meat.

Then Fia began to put sides and baskets of bread out, and then two glorious-looking pies.

Denver smiled at his sister-in-law. “Thanks.”

“It’s my job,” she returned. “And anyway, you cooked the meat I just heared it back up.”

“I don’t pay you enough.”

She waved a hand. “You don’t need to pay me.”

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