C. Box: Back of Beyond

Cody opened his briefcase and took out the bird’s nest he’d found near the crevice and spun it across the desk so it landed between Bodean’s fists.

“Look,” Cody said, “it’s made of money. A nest made of money. You thought you’d have one of your own and now you do. Pretty cool, if you think about it.”

Then he reached into his pocket and plucked out the microphone. Said, “Heard enough? If you guys don’t come in here in the next five seconds I’m going to rip his throat out for killing my best friend.”

* * *

Cody stood aside as the FBI agents rushed in the room, followed by a hangdog Sheriff Tubman.

As they stood Bodean face-first against the wall and cuffed him, and before they could read him his rights, Cody said, “I wanted to shoot you in the head, myself. But the sheriff said no, that would hurt his reelection campaign, so he made me go through all this.”

One of the FBI agents gave Cody a withering glance. As did Tubman.

“I’d start with his knees,” Cody said. “That makes ’em talk, believe me.”

He turned to Tubman. “Look at it this way, sheriff. You’ve eliminated a rival.”

* * *

Cody trudged across the lawn toward Jenny’s van. Justin sat in the back, no doubt texting Danielle Sullivan. Justin looked up and nodded.

“Tell her to say hello to Gracie for me,” Cody said.

He swung in beside Jenny and gave her a quick kiss. She didn’t seem affected by the sudden breaking of her engagement to Walt. “I hope you’ve picked a smoking restaurant,” he said.

“I was thinking Chubby’s in Clancy,” she said, pulling away from the curb. “The sign out front says ‘Greatest Food You’ll Ever Eat.’”

“Sounds promising,” Cody said.

“Cody,” she said, “it has a lounge. I know you’ll probably want to toast Larry’s memory…”

“I know,” he said. “But I can’t do that kind of thing anymore. I made a promise to Larry.”