“Don’t get careless,” the older man added. “I could’ve been anybody! You didn’t know.”
“I trust your guys to do the job,” Dusty explained.
“Well, just don’t rely on it too much. What if somebody cut the fence or sneaked in some way?”
As if he felt her eyes on him, Charlie turned to her, fishing something out of his pocket as he did. “Here, Missy. I reckon this belongs to you.” He held out a worn wallet of carved leather.
“Yes! Oh, thank you so much! Where was it?”
“Right where Dusty picked you up. One of the deputies got it for evidence but once he realized it was yours, he gave it to me to return to you.”
Hardly daring to breathe, Mari opened the wallet. The two checks were still inside along with the bills she had received, a twenty and two tens. She exhaled in a long sigh.
“Thank
