Fiji and Manfred darted a glance at each other. Fiji could tell Manfred was as shocked as she was at this interpretation of events. She left it to him to answer.
“But we don’t know what happened to the two that disappeared,” he said, looking flabbergasted. “And we didn’t go set anything on fire.”
Gomez’s eyes went from him to Fiji. Her mouth pulled up at one corner in a distinctly skeptical way. “Right,” she said. “Well, they’re gone now, no one’s hurt, and I’m going back on patrol.”
“I’m glad Sheriff Smith doesn’t share your views,” Fiji said. She’d found her voice. Mr. Snuggly stood and stepped closer to Gomez, who took a step back.
“That’s your assumption, that he doesn’t,” Gomez said, and got back into her car. “Better pick up your cat,” she said out of the open window. “It would be a shame if he got run over.”
Mr. Snuggly hissed. It was the most malevolent sound Fiji had ever heard from the cat. She was proud of him.
Gomez shut her window hastily and sped away. After her car was a cloud of dust on the Davy highway, all the people of Midnight came out of their houses and stores in the thick dusk. They gathered in front of the pawnshop, even the Rev—except for Bobo, the Lovells, Lem, and Olivia.
“I can understand why Shawn wouldn’t want his kids to come out after that little invasion,” Manfred said, though no one had said a word. Fiji raised an eyebrow at Manfred, who looked embarrassed. Just then, the door of Midnight Pawn opened, and Bobo came down the steps to join them.
He looks better, Fiji thought, like he’s put the worst behind him. She noticed, all over again, that he still looked as though he’d lost an appreciable amount of weight, but he was clean and shaved, and his clothes weren’t wrinkled. Overall, this version of Bobo Winthrop seemed more like the man she’d known than he had since the picnic. However, he was exasperated, as his first words proved.
“Why don’t I just go to this Eggleston’s house and turn myself over to the MOL,” Bobo said to the silent gaggle of Midnighters. “Might as well get it over with.”
“No!” said Fiji. “You better not, or I’ll kick your ass, Bobo Winthrop!”
The rest of them said something similar, though in less passionate ways. Even the Rev (though he kept glancing at his watch) told Bobo that God helped those who helped themselves. Teacher said, “Man, you might as well hang yourself as do that,” and they all nodded.
Manfred murmured to Fiji, “I wish Olivia and Lemuel were here.”
“I think they’ve done enough,” Fiji said.
“What do you mean?” Manfred said.
“Oh, use your brain!” she said impatiently. She turned her attention back to the conversation whirling around Bobo. Joe and Chuy were telling Bobo he could sleep in their guest bedroom, and Teacher was offering to install an alarm system. Manfred offered him a couch to sleep on, and Fiji said she had a guest bedroom. The Rev informed Bobo that he would pray for him and that the Almighty Father would protect the righteous.
At that, Bobo laughed. Then he apologized. “I’m sorry, Rev. I wasn’t making fun of your religion. I was just doubting I was righteous.”
The Rev said seriously—as he said all things—“Never doubt that you are a good man, Bobo Winthrop.” Then he saw that a car had pulled into the driveway at the side of the chapel. “I have a funeral to see to,” he said.
“This late? It’s almost dark. Whose funeral?” Fiji was curious.
“I turned on the lights. Blackie the cocker spaniel,” he told her, and crossed the street to attend to Blackie and his owner.
As Fiji had expected, Bobo was thanking everyone and turning down their offers. “Thanks, Chuy, Joe. Manfred. Feej. But I’ll stay here at the shop. After all, I have to work during the day. Lem can’t. And if someone threw a firebomb or set a fire . . . well, I’d have to get him out. If they come at night, he’d do the same for me. Teacher, I’ll take you up on the alarm system. But you may not want to fill in here until this situation is resolved.”
“I say yes to that,” Madonna said instantly. She was gently swaying from side to side, Grady asleep on her chest, his head on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Bobo, and you tell Lem we said so, too. But Teacher shouldn’t risk his life to keep a store open.”
“Absolutely,” Bobo said, nodding.
Teacher looked as though he had his own thoughts on the subject, but he kept his mouth clamped shut. Madonna began to walk back to the diner, and after a second of looking very unhappy, Teacher followed her.
Fiji, frazzled and exasperated, bent and swooped up Mr. Snuggly, who nestled in her arms. “You crossed the road by yourself,” she scolded the cat. He looked up at her with wide golden eyes. “Okay,” she said. “Okay. I know you’re a grown-up cat.” He stared some more. She relaxed, smiled.
“If you’re through communing with the cat,” Bobo said mildly.
“Yeah?” She looked at him, still smiling.
“I’m gonna go clean a few guns,” Bobo said.
Manfred stopped him. He said, “Bobo, I really think you should take Chuy and Joe up on their offer. Or sleep at my place. It’s really your place, after all, and you’d be right next door to the shop. We’d know if anything happened.”
“Or come to my house,” Fiji offered. “There’s not a lot of room in the guest room since that’s where I store all my extra stuff, but there’s a bed and it’s made up.”
“It wouldn’t be so crowded if you had a storage shed,” Bobo said, as if that were the most important thing in the world. “That’ll be the next thing I work on, I promise. If I’m still around to work on anything.” He smiled to take the sting out of his words.
“A storage shed is not at the top of my list of worries right now.” Spots of color burned in Fiji’s cheeks. She looked at Manfred, silently asking him to think of something persuasive to say.
Manfred tried. “This Price Eggleston is trying to spy on you and scare you in all kinds of ways. Are you sure it’s the mythical arms of your grandfather he wants? Or is there something more personal in this?”
“I don’t know him,” Bobo said. “I only met him that one time when he came in the pawnshop. I can’t think what he’d have against me unless he got involved with Aubrey at some point, either while she was married or after her husband was shot. Maybe he honestly thinks I killed her.”