Excerpt of Included!

CHAPTER10Ifound Dolf on the porch, rolling a cigarette. “Morning,” I said, and stoodagainst the rail, watching his deft and busy fingers. He studied me as helicked the paper and ran the cigarette between his fingers one last time. Hetook a match from his shirt pocket, struck it with a thumbnail. His eyes settledon the pistol still tucked under my belt. He blew out the match.“That mine?” he asked.I pulled out the pistol and set it on the table. The sweet tobacco smell surroundedme as I bent, and his face looked etched in the sharp light. “Sorry,” Isaid.He picked up the gun and sniffed the barrel; then he laid it back down. “Noharm done.” He leaned back in the chair and it creaked beneath him. “Fiveyears is a long time,” he said casually.“Yep.”“Guess you came home for a reason. Want to tell me about it?”“No.”“Maybe I can help you.”79