The Right Side of Wrong by Reavis Wortham

Poor thing lays in that bed all day with her mind a million miles away while Harold sits on the porch and spits. She said her family knew his daddy and mama when they lived here, but that was so long ago she could barely remember.”
    Ned grunted. “Well, she seems to remember a lot when she wants to. How could her mind be a million miles away when she knows more about what’s going on than us?”
    â€œIt comes and goes. We’re all in and out over there every day to make sure she’s all right. Harold ain’t much for changing her, nor bathin’ her neither.”
    â€œWell, I’ll go over myself and see if I can lay eyes on this feller.”
    â€œYou do that, and see if he wants to come to dinner. We need to be good Christian neighbors.”
    â€œUmm humm.”
    Half an hour later, Constable Ned Parker pulled his sedan in front of the Buchanan place, stopping several yards short because of the lumber and building materials stacked there. He killed the engine and studied the completely new, rebuilt porch. Instead of immediately getting out, he waited to see if any yard dogs were laying under the porch. Country folks knew better than to get out of the car at a strange house.
    The front door was wide open, and a lean old man in jeans and a faded blue work shirt stepped across the threshold. Ned’s first impression of Tom Bell was of leather and steel.
    â€œGet out!” The man plucked a well-worn, wide-brimmed black Stetson from a nail on the outside wall and settled it on his head. The color was a surprise, because no one in Lamar County ever wore a black hat, preferring the traditional silverbelly with a three-inch brim, not the four-inch size like the one on Bell’s head. Even the crown was taller than those on the Lyndon Johnson style hat Ned, Cody, and the rest of the Center Springs men wore.
    Ned stepped out of the car and crossed the distance. “Ned Parker.”
    They exchanged a firm, appraising grip. Two sets of strong eyes met under a warm spring sun.
    â€œI’m Tom Bell, Constable.”
    â€œThe kids said you knew who I was.”
    â€œLike I told them, I make it a point to know my neighbors.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m here. I wanted to meet you, too, since the kids was already over here bothering you a few days ago.”
    â€œThey were no bother. Both seem like good youngsters. It was a pleasure to visit with them.”
    â€œThey’re a couple of outlaws I need to keep an eye on.” Ned studied the new porch. “I meant to drop by a while back, then when I did, you wasn’t here.”
    â€œI had to go to the Valley to finish up some business. I only got back to the house last week.”
    â€œWell, I want to thank you for stepping in and gettin’ Cody out of trouble. I oughta be ashamed of myself for not doing it before now.”
    â€œYou bet. It was a sorry piece of work to do that boy the way they did. I wish it’d been them that night instead of dogs. It’d be a pleasure to shoot the ones that tried to kill him.”
    You’d do it, too.
    â€œWell, we owe you for what you did for Cody. He’ll be by directly to thank you hisself.”
    â€œThe kids tell me he’s doing all right.”
    â€œYep. That redheaded wife of his had him up and around pretty quick, and he gets better every day. I imagine he’ll be back to work before you know it.”
    â€œThat’s good.”
    They stood in comfortable silence as Ned appraised the new construction.
    Bell kicked a short piece of wood toward a small fire in the yard. “Kinda airish today, for so late in the spring.”
    â€œIt is that, but it ain’t as cool as it was when you met Cody.”
    â€œI’d call that morning downright chilly. He ain’t been constable long, has he?”
    Ned frowned. “Nope. He got elected in my place a few months ago, when I retired.” Tom glanced at the badge on his shirt.