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sat on his bed, searched the contact list on his smart phone, and found his lawyer’s number to leave a message.
    After staring at the number for several minutes, he threw the phone down on the bed. “Oh, to hell with it.”
    Aaron climbed into bed several hours later. He tossed and turned all night.
    Over and over, he saw in his mind the father of the dead girl with his raised machete, his bushy eyebrows scrunched together on his beet red face.
                                             
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
                                             

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
                                              Chapter 5
     
     
    Aaron heard a horse trotting behind his house.
    He swallowed the last drop of home-brewed coffee and walked out the back door, his shoes slipping along the dew-moistened grass. Behind the fence, a horse and rider loomed in the early morning light.
    “Hello.” Grant Belkin’s voice echoed around the pasture as he dismounted his horse. He strolled over to Aaron’s backyard fence. “I noticed my cattle were over in this part of the pasture. I thought I’d see if you were still home.”
    Aaron leaned against the fence. “You’re up early.”
    “I’m a cowboy.”
    “How long have you run this ranch?”
    Grant looked over at his cattle. “A few years now.”
    “Do you have family to help you?”
    “A daughter. She’s married and lives in California.” He rubbed his horse’s face. “Cancer took my wife two years ago.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    A few of the cows mooed.
    “You keep the herd healthy and then sell them?” Aaron said.
    “I used to.” Grant put his hands on top of the fence. 
    Startled, Aaron stepped back. His eyes are like lasers, Aaron thought.
    “What are you running from, Doc?”
    “What?” Aaron touched his jaw. “I …” He sighed and looked down. “I’m not sure.”
    “Ever’body runs from something now and then. You’re lucky. Sometimes there’s no place to run to.” Grant mounted his horse. “What brought you to our neck of the woods?”
    “I just want to plant my roots and run a decent medical practice. I’ve heard a little bit about this part of the country. I’m told it’s pleasant and relaxing.”
    “Pleasant and relaxin’?” Grant pulled on the reins and turned his horse. “It can be.” He looked back at Aaron. “Stop by my place sometime, and I’ll show you around the ranch.”
    “I will.” Aaron watched him ride away. He stood by the fence until he could no longer hear Grant’s horse.
    Aaron shook his head. Who is he to ask if I’m running away from something?
     
    “Are you okay?” Aaron said to Stella as she walked into the clinic.
    “Sorry I’m late. I overslept my alarm. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
    “Neither did I. Let’s face it. We both have a neurotic problem with drug abuse patients.”
    Stella smiled. “So we’re both neurotic. Got a pill for that, Doc?”
    Aaron shook his head. “No pill. No magic wand.” He pointed to his temple. “We’ve got to rewire our brains.”
    “Now, how do we do that?”
    “Practice and time. It takes effort, and maybe some counseling.”
    Stella sighed and looked out the window. “So we have to take on the demon again, face to face.”
    “That’s one way to look at it. We’ve got to stay confident. Others have overcome this. We can, too.”
    “I’m not looking forward to that day.”
    He looked down as Stella walked away. “I sound like I know what the heck I’m talking about,” he said under his breath.
     
    Later in the morning, Aaron opened the door to a patient room.
           “Good morning, Cristal and Marley Brighton.” Marley is looking great today.
    Marley had one leg folded under her, so that she sat on her foot in the chair.
    That is one flexible woman. I don’t think my knee could ever