"Lee, Rachel - Lost Warriors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lee Rachel)

Nate interrupted. "Calm down, son, and just listen. For some time now folks
have thought those vets were responsible for the occasional missing item.
Clothing, meat, ' sometimes a sickly steer. And most of the time folks
turned a blind eye. We got good, charitable folks in these parts,

Yuma, and you know it as well as anyone. "

Yuma nodded. "Some are. Yeah."

" " As long as the things that turned up missing were something those guys
really needed, most folks just chalked it up to neighborly charity. Hell,
son, you've carried the Christmas and Thanksgiving baskets from the churches
up to those men yourself. "

Again Yuma nodded. No point telling Nate just how galling that charity could
be, because unless you'd ever been forced to accept charity, you had no idea
what it did to your pride. Yes, he'd carried the baskets up there, baskets
full of smoked turkey and canned goods, candy and blankets. The local folks
meant well, and like most Westerners, they didn't scorn veterans, even sick
ones. ; "Anyhow," Nate said, taking a hefty swig of hot coffee, "something's
changed. I'm not saying it's your friends. To ' tell you the truth, I don't
really think it's them at all. But lately some valuables have turned up
missing at a few of the outlying ranches. Some high-quality hunting rifles.
Tools.

Some jewelry. Nothing really big, but all of it good for ; pawning. And
folks are starting to point at the guys in the hills. "

Yuma regarded Nate grimly. "I can't do a damn thing about what folks think."

"No, but you can talk to your friends, warn 'em, suggest they keep a low
profile."

"If folks are going to point the finger at those guys, I doubt there's a damn
thing they can do about it."

"Just warn 'em, Yuma," Nate said harshly. "Warn 'em. I'll do my damnedest
to head the trouble off at the pass, but they can damn well disappear deeper
into the woods until I get a handle on it."

Yuma didn't move a muscle for the longest time. When he spoke, he sounded
bitter. "You know, most of those guys collect a VA disability check every
single month. It goes automatically into a bank account they never touch
because they can't make themselves come out of the woods. Most of 'em could
come out of those hills tomorrow and buy every one of the things that's been
stolen. They got no interest in that crap, Nate. None. They don't care
about money. They care about being left alone, because it hurts too damn
much to be around other folks. It hurts like being skinned and having
nothing but bare nerve endings all over you. I seriously doubt they're
responsible for any of the thefts, including clothes and food. Those men are