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nothin’ to do with killin’ a doe.”
    “There’re a few reports here and there of wolves being seen. But if he’s here, it’s to eat the carcass. Or maybe that was just a big ole coyote.”
    Butch put his shotgun back into the saddle holster. “That weren’t no coyote. That wolf was at least one hundred thirty pounds. I never seen one that big.” He removed a pair of pliers from the saddlebag and began working on the fence.
    Charlie tried to shake off the weird feeling in his gut from the look in the animal’s eyes. That connection. It felt too bizarre, like that dream he had. Those eyes. They were Roman’s eyes. But that’s impossible. How could a fella you dreamed have the same set of eyes as a wolf?
    “You goin’ to help me, or stand there starin’ at the trees?”
    Charlie snapped into focus and knelt beside Butch to reconnect the cut wires. “We better look around for a dead animal before we go.”
    “Yeah. My thoughts too.” Butch said to Harley, “Hey, dog. Go find us another dead deer. Make yourself useful.”
    Harley ignored him, sniffing and marking his territory.
    The damage to the fence was minor compared to the previous night. They were able to reconnect the cut wires without having to patch it. While Butch put the tools away, Charlie mounted Spirit and took a ride around the area to see if he could find anything amiss.
    He walked the horse in the direction the wolf had been. Charlie looked down at Harley as he sniffed the frozen ground. There were blood stains, or at least it appeared to be blood. Charlie hopped off and knelt down near the dog. He touched the brown color and looked at the tip of his finger. In the icy morning, nothing should be wet. “You hit that wolf, Butch.”
    “Naw. How could I hit it? It just ran away like nothin’ was wrong.”
    Charlie glanced up at Butch who was atop Scout. He showed him his reddish fingertip. “I think ya nicked him.”
    “Shoulda’ killed him.”
    Charlie stood beside Scout, leaning on the horse’s neck. “Don’t be killin’ wolves just because you don’t like ‘em.”
    “They’re considered pests. I can shoot ‘em.”
    “They’re not pests.” Charlie pointed at Harley. “You wouldn’t have him without that ‘pest’.”
    “So you’d rather have wolves feedin’ on and killin’ our ponies? What has gotten into you lately? I swear, I thought we were alike when I first met you. But the more I know you, the less alike we are.”
    “Are you stupid? Were you at the doc’s when she told us it weren’t no animal that killed that doe? And you think somethin’s gotten into me?” Charlie walked back to Spirit, whose ears were perked as if he were listening to their argument.
    “I’m headin’ back to the ranch.” Butch spun Scout around and started walking the pinto down the trail. Harley raced to lead the way back.
    Charlie petted Spirit and watched Butch vanish around tall trees. He shook his head and swung his leg over the saddle, picking up the reins. “Ya think ya know a man, Spirit, then ya don’t.”
    Spirit answered with a snort into the cold air.
    Charlie wandered the perimeter of Vernon’s property line. He paused to look out over the reservoir. Its serenity reflected the blue sky.
    “ Charlie .”
    Charlie jumped out of his skin and looked for the origin of the soft whisper that he could have sworn said his name. He tugged the reins and made Spirit turn in a complete circle.
    “I’m goin’ nutty.” Charlie was about to head back to the ranch when he heard it again. He tapped his heels against Spirit to make him walk towards the sound, but Spirit began resisting.
    “What’s wrong, boy? Go.” Charlie squeezed his knees, trying to get the horse to move.
    Spirit shifted his weight side to side to intentionally avoid going where Charlie wanted him to.
    The more Charlie asked him to obey, the more upset Spirit became. “What is with you?” Charlie backed him up, turned him in another direction and had no