August 1985, Harlan

Going fishing at the lake became a weekly thing, every Saturday afternoon. After a couple of trips that consisted of actual fishing it became obvious that there were no fish in the lake. It didn't matter; they still came unless it was raining.

The first Saturday in August, Boyd Crowder called the residence of Arlo Givens to talk to Raylan. Thank God he was the one to answer the phone.

"Hello Raylan, I'm feeling a little under the weather today so I can't go to the lake."

"What's wrong with you?" Raylan asked, he didn't sound sick just tired.

"I'm ill, Raylan, do you want me to describe vomit in detail?"

"No, gross, I was just concerned."

"Well, thank you for your concern Raylan" they said their goodbyes.

Raylan hadn't noticed how much he looked forward to their Saturdays at the lake until they didn't happen. Raylan didn't see Boyd that week at all which was odd. He usually ran into him in town or at some classmate's party. He saw Eleanor at the party though. She hadn't seen Boyd either. When he called to cancel again the next Saturday they were worried. They decided to go talk to him. Raylan borrowed Arlo's truck and went to pick up Eleanor. Ms. Reed smiled at him when she opened the door.

"Raylan come on in, how's your momma doing?" she enquired.

"The same as always" Raylan said, he could never say she was doing good.

"Well, why don't you come and have lunch with us"

"That's awful kind of you but, I'm here to see Eleanor.

"I know, she going to be eating lunch too."

"I guess I could stay" he smiled fondly at the woman. He had always liked Eleanor's mom, she was warm and friendly, the way mothers should be. She wore her grey-brown hair in a bun and her clothes were always brightly colored. They were just having sandwiches, so Raylan helped her make them. Eleanor was in the shower. Uncle Tim was working, at the mines. Eleanor's little brother Jacob came in from the yard all sweaty when they were just about done.

"So Ellie tells me that you play baseball" Ms. Reed asked politely.

"Yeah"

"You enjoy it?"

"I guess it gives me something to do, focus on"

"Ellie tells me you're the best on the team."

"Well you may not have noticed this but, she doesn't know anything about baseball." He said. Ms. Reed threw he head back and laughed. It was a warm and friendly laugh, the kind that made you want to laugh with her.

"The boys are always trying to teach her about sports, she just doesn't understand it."

"What don't I understand?" Eleanor walked in at that moment, towel wrapped around her hair.

"Raylan was just telling me that he isn't the best baseball player on the team." Her eyes sparked with mischief.

"Well, I didn't say that" Raylan protested. A ham sandwich was put in front of him.

"I had to say he's the best, he's sensitive."

"I'm not sensitive"

"So what are you two, going to get up to today?"

"We haven't seen Boyd in a while so we're going to visit him." Eleanor said. At that her mom turned away with a disapproving frown. Raylan saw this and sent a questioning look at Eleanor.

"She doesn't like that I'm friends with Bo Crowder's son." Eleanor explained. "Even though Boyd's nothing like his father" she said for her mother's benefit.

"why don't we just eat our lunch and enjoy each other's company while we can."

After lunch they said goodbye and left, Raylan drove them to the Crowder's house which he had only been to once when he was younger. Arlo had some business at Bo's and he waited in the truck for over an hour. He never knew what had transpired. He parked in front of the house. everyone assumed Bo was pretty wealthy, running all those drugs. If he was, you couldn't tell by looking at the house. it was an old one story farm house. The paint had once been yellow he was told but it had faded to a sickly white that peeled. The yard was full of weeds. They were terrified Bo would answer the door. It was unlikely but, if he did it would be better that he saw Eleanor Reed on the doorstep instead of Raylan Givens. Eleanor bravely marched up the front steps and knocked. It was a smart move because Bo Crowder did indeed answer the door. He politely told Eleanor that Boyd wasn't feeling well and would be pleased that she had stopped by. She said goodbye and walked to the truck, a little faster than her normal gait.

"I'm worried about him" Eleanor said as soon as they were out of sight of the house.

"I'm sure he's fine" Raylan said without an ounce of sincerity.

"I'm going back tonight, and actually talk to Boyd."

"What are you going to do? Throw a pebble at his window?"

"It's a one story house; I'll just tap on the window"

Because Raylan was a gentleman he couldn't let Eleanor wander around the Crowder's house at night alone. They wandered around town till it got dark then they went back. He parked down the street a bit. They walked quietly to the house. They kept to the shadows. Eleanor went around back, knowing which window was Boyd's. She tapped on the glass a few times before the huddled mass on the bed started to move. She tapped again and Boyd got out of bed and came to the window.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered as soon as the window was opened. It seemed a little silly now that they could see Boyd was fine.

"We were worried" Eleanor said it anyway. Boyd's face softened.

"What happened to your arm?" Raylan noticed that his left arm was in a sling.

"I fell" he said. His face hardened again.

"Really?" Eleanor didn't buy that.

"You should go." He moved to close the window. Raylan put a hand on the window, halting its progress.

"Come on, you can talk to us" Raylan said. Boyd sighed and opened the window as far as it would go and climbed out of his room. His journey was slow and awkward with a broken arm. Raylan put a hand on his back to steady him. Boyd turned and closed the window part way so it was a little less obvious he had snuck out. The three of them walked to where Raylan had left the truck. They got in and he drove away looking for a safe place to park. He pulled over on a stretch of road.

"What happened?"

"He wanted me to do a run, just a delivery" Boyd said quietly

"Did you?" Raylan asked, jaw clenching.

"Yeah"

"You could have said no"

"Think I didn't try that" Boyd moved his shoulder to bring attention to the broken arm.

"He broke your arm?" Eleanor interjected.

"Yes"

"Christ" Raylan muttered.

"I knew it would happen, I just couldn't give in without a little bit of resistance" Boyd admitted.

"You should leave" Raylan advised.

"And go where Raylan, I'm almost sixteen, I have a piece of shit truck that barely runs and like thirty dollars in cash. Where would I go?"

"Wait till you're eighteen at least"

"Raylan, he's been grooming me to take over the family business my whole life, he's not going to let me go."

"What about Bowman, I mean, not that we want your little brother to take part in criminal enterprises but, why you? Why not one of his lieutenants?"

"Bowman's good at football, daddy thinks he'll get a scholarship and play for UK. He tells me I'm the only one smart enough to run the business, which is flattering I suppose."

"Jesus, Boyd if anything you're too smart to run the business." Eleanor said.

"My daddy's got his fingers in a lot of pies; it'll catch up with him soon. I figure he'll be dead in the next five years and then I'll be free."

"Boyd" Raylan wanted to say something but he couldn't think of what it was.

"There's nothing to say Raylan, this is the way it has to be, the way it was always going to be" Boyd sounded detached, resigned to his own fate.