WHILE BRUCE and Missy were finishing their work in the barn, Cal knocked at Darba’s back door. Katie Shetler opened the kitchen door and stepped out onto the screened porch to let Cal in. Darba was still seated at the kitchen table, nursing her first cup of coffee. She did not make an effort to greet Cal, other than to toe a chair out for him and nod that he should take a seat opposite her. Before she reclaimed her seat next to Darba, Katie poured Cal a cup of coffee and set it in front of him. Once seated, Katie said to Cal, “Billy is in Florida.” “Won’t answer his phone,” Darba said to her coffee cup. “He doesn’t know his friend is dead.” “Have you left messages?” Cal asked. “About a hundred,” Darba said. She looked over to encourage Katie to explain. Katie said, “Billy doesn’t like to leave his phone on. So, at the end of the day, he switches on only long enough to check his messages.
