Once the corral gate was closed, Addie walked around the pens and opened the wire gate that was the exit from the horse pasture. She laid the gate on the ground and watched as Mel drove slowly over the wire and into the yard of the Morris headquarters. Addie closed the gate and walked to the passenger door of the waiting pickup. It was only fifty yards or so to the house, but Addie preferred to ride at that moment. As she stepped into the truck, Mel looked at her, a tad slack-jawed with fatigue.
“If I were any more tired, I’d have tread and a valve stem,” Mel said.
Addie reached to touch a strand of Mel’s sweat encrusted hair where it showed below her hat. “You need to wash it soon. Your hair is starting to look like tire tread.”
“You might want to wait until after a shower to look in t
