-16 months ago
"In local news, A man was sot to death yesterday outside the local grocery store. The police have identified the victim as 39 year old Ennis Del Mar of Riverton. According to witnesses Mr. Del Mar was seen leaving the store after making his weekly purchases and was heading for his truck when a shot rang out. The corner's office, in a statement mad to the press, stated that Mr. Del Mar was killed instantly when a bullet impacted his chest and severed a major artery in his heart. Funeral services will be held at the United Methodist Church here in Riverton. For further information please contact the church."
"In related news, police still have no suspects in the shooting of Mr. Del Mar. Anyone with any knowledge of the incident are urged to contact your local law enforcement agency." A hand reached out and turned off the radio. The man behind the wheel was smiling to himself as he watched the Wyoming countryside disappear in his rearview mirror. Well, he thought, that problem's taken care of. From now on your mine. Ain't no one else gonna have ya but me. And I'll make sure I'm there for ya to turn to when ya get the news. He started laughing as he crossed the line into Colorado on his way back to Texas.
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6 months ago
Returning from a week long business trip to Denver, Randall Malone decided to stop at Newsome Farm Equipment to see if his old friend Jack Twist wanted to go fishing this weekend. Arriving at the company, he noticed that Jack's truck wasn't there, but, that Lureen's car was. Figuring that Jack might be out on a sales call he decided to see if Lureen could tell him when Jack would be back. The Twist and Malone families have been friends for years so it wouldn't be suspicious if he asked Lureen when Jack would be back from wherever he might have gone.
Walking into the office he told the receptionist that he was there to see Lureen Twist. While he waited he started to notice that the place seemed far more subdued than normal. He was starting to get antsy when the receptionist told him that Lureen would see him in her office. Walking into Lureen's office, they greeted each other with a hug as was Lureen's way with old friends. Taking a seat across the desk from her, he asked how the family was and how Bobby was doin' in school and a lot of other bullshit things that he hated doin', but, had to endure to be polite.
"So, where's Jack?" he asked. "I figured he be here slaving away as usual. Decided to stop by and see if he wanted to go fishing this weekend." He thought he saw something flash in her eye's, but, it was gone too quickly to identify.
"You haven't heard?" she countered.
"Heard what? I've been in Denver all week. What've I missed?" he asked, suddenly getting a feeling of dread in his stomach.
"Jack's dead," she replied, watching with detachment as his face paled. "He died Monday. I sent him over to Lubbock to meet with some prospective clients. He had a flat tire and was changing it when the spare blew up and hit him in the face. It broke his nose and shattered his jaw. He drowned in his own blood."
"Oh, shit, Lureen. I'm so sorry," he said. No. That can't be right. He can't be dead not after all I went through to get back to him. "How're you and Bobby doin'?"
"We getting' by," she said. "Bobby took it real hard. Doctor's had to sedate him for awhile. Funeral was yesterday."
"So, he's buried here then?"
"Actually, he was cremated. Some of his ashes are here, but, the rest I sent up to his folks in Wyoming. He always said that he wanted his ashes spread over a place called Brokeback Mountain. Still don't know where that might be. For all I know he probably made it up. Well, Randall, it was nice seeing ya again. I need to get back to work. Now that Jack and Daddy are both gone, I'm the only one left to run this place."
Driving away in a daze, the first place Randall hit was the nearest bar. All he wanted right now was to get drunk, drunk and even more drunk.