Raylan

Chapter Twenty-one

She talked all the way back to Woodland Hills.

“The woman asks, ‘What’s the matter, don’t you like beauty?’ Like I’m color-blind, void of any appreciation of nature. I was tempted to go with the usual, the more heavy-handed. ‘You’d rather look at the view than your husband having a job?’ But I tried something else, agreeing with her. ‘Of course I’d rather have the view. I watch the work going on, your husbands operating those giant machines, and all I can wonder is, How long will it take us to restore that grandeur, home for all of our animal friends.’ I don’t know why I said that, it just came out. So I added, ‘And some like skunks who aren’t especially our friends.’ ”

In the limo going back to Carol’s place, Raylan said, “You could hold your nose as you’re saying it.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Get a laugh,” Raylan said, “from the ones who don’t know you’re putting them on.”

Neither spoke again-Boyd watching then in the rearview-until they pulled up the drive to the Colonial and Carol said to Raylan, “Iem" aace want you to come in with me.”

Boyd wasn’t told anything. He sat there.

S he took him into a paneled study with pictures of horses and furniture covered in Black Watch plaid, the room done, Raylan believed, by someone other than Casper. He said, “Casper loans out his house to the company, doesn’t worry about guests looting the place? Ones he doesn’t even know?”

“You think I’m a looter?” Carol said.

She was at the tea table bar pouring, Raylan believed, cognac. He wasn’t sure until she handed him a wineglass half full and he raised it to his face, Raylan thinking, Don’t clink glasses with me.

She did and he clinked hers back.

She said, “Snifters require care. These glasses are easier, quicker too, and I’m dying of thirst.”

It was dark in the house, lamps on, and almost dark outside.

Raylan told himself she was taking a moment with the sip of cognac to become a different Carol, someone he hadn’t met before. He had watched her all day going from down-home to mine company executive with the facts. Now she looked up at him and said:

“Tomorrow Boyd and I are driving up to Piney Run to see Pervis. He’s staying there while, as he puts it, he shakes off the deaths of his boys. I have to admire Pervis. He makes his bullshit sound nearly as authentic as mine. I do my West By-God Virginia accent and they believe me.”

“You want to know,” Raylan said, “did Pervis will Black Mountain to Dewey or not.”

“He wouldn’t,” Carol said. “I might make Pervis an offer, or, it might not be the right time.”

Raylan was thinking of Carol offering Otis Culpepper a settlement for his property. And Boyd shooting him.

She came close to Raylan, moving in on him, saying, “You’ve seen me at work playing different roles. It’s exhausting. Well, finally it’s done and I get to be myself.”

Looking at him over her glass.

Raylan believed if he took her glass and set it on the bar with his, he could put his arms around her, give Carol a soulful kiss, and he’d get laid.

Man, she was right there waiting.

It turned out he didn’t have to take their glasses and set them aside. She did, and turned to him, he believed, not having a lot of time; wanting him to get to it. He wondered if she’d be serious and do a lot of gasping or grin, having fun?

He wondered why she was so sure he’d want to jump her.

Picks some guy to be her security and says, “Him.”

Because she read about him and Layla. Carol wondering what Layla saw in him.

He didn’t care for what he was doing here.

Raylan said, “Carol, I’m sorry but my time’s up,” and offered his hand.

She said, “You’re turning me down?” Surprised but not showing it much. But then she said it, “I’m surprised.”

Raylan said, “You aren’t the only one.” He gave Carol a kiss on the cheek and got out of there.

H is cell buzzed.

Raylan in the front seat with Boyd. It was Winona.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“I’m on my way home,” Raylan said, “the Mount-Aire Motel. I got a cabin almost off the property, but still hear these people from Ohio revving their ATVs.”

Winona said, “She bet me she’d seduce you.”

Raylan said, “I hope you bet a pile.”

“She make the moves on you?”

“She’s standin in the room nekked, I told her I had a headache.”

“You dog-call me tomorrow,” Winona said. “Okay?”

Boyd said, “She took all her clothes off?”

Raylan’s cell buzzed again.

It was Art. “You at her house?”

“I’m in a car,” Raylan said, “on the way to Harlan and still a virgin.” dth="1em" align="justify"›“I’m proud of you,” Art said, “staying pure. You through with Ms. Conlan come on back, I got something else for you.”

“I’m near done,” Raylan said, “but want to check on Carol in the morning. I think she’s gonna try to pull something. I’ll call you later.” Raylan said, “I’m sittin wit h Boyd Crowder listenin to every word I say,” and turned off Art before he could start yelling at him. He said to Boyd:

“What time you seeing Pervis tomorrow?”

Boyd said, “Oh, that’s where I’m goin? You know more about my future whereabouts’n I do.”

“What I keep thinking,” Raylan said, “Carol must’ve offered that old man a settlement before you shot him.”

“Which one?” Boyd said, looking at Raylan. “You mean Otis, you’re beatin a dead horse.”