Ike worked through the afternoon at Dot’s. It was a slow day. He watched curlicues of dust twist down the street and clouds go scudding by to the north and east, gradually growing thicker and darker. Not many folks were out and about. With just over a couple of weeks until Christmas, he figured anyone with money was off to one of the bigger towns to do holiday shopping. Even though he had a little money saved, he was hoarding that to try to find a place to rent for himself and the little red dog. At first, he had thought to call the mutt Esperanza. Now that word had too many bad connotations. In time, he’d think of something. For now, he was just Rojito or Little Red Dog.
Perry kept saying they were welcome to stay at his place as long as they wanted. And he hadn’t done a thing to cast an
