14Kicking the dust from his boots, Connick stepped through the door of the sheriff's office and doffed his hat at the man scowling at him from behind his desk.
“Evening, Sheriff. I am Lieutenant Connick of the United States Cavalry. I wonder if I may impose myself upon your good self for a moment?”
Clearly unimpressed, the lawman's reply was to produce a cigar from the inside of his frock coat. He bit off the end and spat it into the corner, then clamped the cigar between his teeth. “Say your piece fast, I'm about to close up for the day.”
“Then luck, or fate, or whatever you wish to call it, is certainly with me this day.”
“I don't believe in such things. Things are what they are. Nothing more. What in hell do you want?” He fumbled in his desk drawer and produced a long match, then st
