Page 10 of Refuge for Flora

Flora sat back on her ankles. “Yeah. It really needs doing.”

He stared up at the house. “The house needs painting. And that shutter fixed. And the gutter fixed too.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know if she’ll let anybody do that or not.”

“She might if somebody offered.”

Flora nodded. “She might. You offering?”

“I might be. Guess we’ll see.” The front door opened and he called out, “Hey there, Mrs.Murphy!”

“You slowing down my help?”

“I’myour help,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, well, I’m not payin’ you.”

Barrett grinned. “You can if you want.”

“Ahhh, go home. And thank you.”

“You’re welcome. See ya next week or so.” As he started away, he turned around. “And it was good to meet you, Flora. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

“Yep. I guess so. Nice meeting you too.” She watched him go, admiring those nicely-fitted jeans and that relaxed gait. He was poetry in motion?in a countrified way.

“Boy, that’s one messed-up young feller,” Mrs.Murphy muttered.

“Whaddya mean?” Flora asked. When she turned to ask again, Mrs.Murphy was closing the front door behind her.

Maybe she’d find out eventually.

* * *

“KDFWR unit four twelve,this is central dispatch. Do you copy?”

“Copy, central.”

“We’ve got a call for you. Relay it or have them contact you directly? Over.”

“Have them contact me directly. My cell. Over.”

“Roger that, unit four twelve. Out.”

Who would call dispatch to reach him? That didn’t make sense. That was the moment his phone rang, and he didn’t recognize the area code, so he pulled over in an abandoned driveway and parked. “Hello?”

“Hello. I’m looking for OfficerBarrett Quarles.”

“You’ve found him. How can I help you?”

“OfficerQuarles, my name is ConorPaxton. I’m a game warden with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. I called your state office and they told me you were the contact I needed.”

“If they told you that, they were probably right.”

“You’re down in the western end of Kentucky, right?”

“Yep.”

“Had a couple of guys stopped down here for a moving violation. They were in a box truck. Said they were hauling furniture. Highway patrol made them open the truck and it was full of alligators.”

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