Rooster said, “If you’re asking us, I reckon that means you didn’t find it when you caught up with him.”
“You’re right. I didn’t expect to. If I’m going to be able to put my hands on it, it’ll be because that box is still here in Falls Hollow.”
Laurel regarded Call over the rim of her coffee cup. “Really?”
Before Call could respond, young Jelly said, “Buried, I bet. Buried deep. That’s what pirates do.”
“Digger ain’t a pirate,” said Hank.
Jelly was unperturbed. “Land pirate, then.”
Call said, “It’s just an empty strongbox, Jelly. There’s no treasure in it.”
“Oh. Right. I forgot. So where do you think it is?”
Shrugging, Call said, “Around.”
“Unfair,” said Dillon. “I know you got suspicions.”
Behind her cup, Laurel smiled. “I believe he’s accusing you of holding out on us.”
“I’m playing my cards close,” Call said without apology. “I have to for now. I want to be sure.”
Laurel nodded, understanding, but Dillon and Hank grumbled under their breath.
Rooster buttered a piece of toast. “You boys got something to say, then say it.”
Neither young man spoke up. They ducked their towheads and continued eating.
“Thought so,” said Rooster. His attention shifted from his toast to Call. “Digger wouldn’t give up Josey?”
“No. If it wasn’t so frustrating, I might admire his loyalty.”
“Loyalty? That’s not a word I’d associate with Digger Leary. Then again, I didn’t know him all that well. Came and went, and even when he was here, he was mostly there.” Rooster tipped his head in the direction of town. “The man had an appetite for liquor and—” He stopped speaking abruptly and then finished lamely. “For liquor.”
Laurel set down her cup. “It’s all right, Rooster. I have a good idea where Digger spent his time in town.”
Call said, “I no longer think Digger was the drinker he portrayed himself to be. That was a ruse to spend timewith Josey Pye and make him seem less capable than he was.”
Laurel forked some scrambled eggs and looked at Call. “Is it possible Digger’s silence has nothing to do with loyalty? Could he simply be ignorant?”
Hank’s head jerked up at this notion. “You mean maybe he doesn’t know where Josey is?”
“Yes, Hank. That’s what I’m asking Call.”
“Oh, right. Guess I’m thinking ignorant suits Digger better than loyal.”
Dillon elbowed his brother. “What do you know about it? He hardly spoke to you. To either one of us.”
“That’s what I’m sayin’. Ignorant.”
Laurel cleared her throat and eyed each brother in turn. Whatever Dillon was about to say stayed on the tip of his tongue, and Hank filled his mouth with an entire sausage link and started chewing. Satisfied with their silence, Laurel turned back to Call. “What do you think?”
“It’s entirely possible that he doesn’t know. Sam Henderson and I talked it over but we concluded that Digger wasn’t giving Josey up because he was still hoping he’d get his share of the money. We hadn’t yet included the sheriff in our interrogation. Digger believed he was going to get away from us. I think he believes it even now. Can’t figure why he’s so sure a cell won’t hold him except maybe that he thinks Josey Pye is going to break him out.”
“Is that likely?” asked Laurel.
“I can’t think of a reason that Josey would risk capture and all the money to help Digger escape. Can you?”
