One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 6, page 6

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Zhíno Zhudıro unlatched the large chainlink gate and swung it outward just enough to let himself in. Koro-brained hicks didn’t lock their automobiles and they didn’t lock their gates. He stepped inside and silently shut the gate behind him. He left the latch up, just in case he needed to make a quick exit.

To his right, a small shed hunkered in the darkness. Was the twin of Vítí hiding in there?

Before Zhíno could take a step forward, a small dog ran up to him, wagging his white tail.

“Hey there, boy,” Zhíno whispered, squatting down and scratching the puppy behind his ears. “Have you seen a Tara-fucking blonde whore come through here?”

A bigger dog trotted up, his dark hair making him nearly invisible in the night, and nosed the puppy aside.

Zhíno gave the big dog a cursory scratch and stood up. Nice dogs, but useless.

Several other animals roamed the fenced-in yard. Sheep, pigs, goats. Shouldn’t they be asleep? They’re all pacing around like it’s the middle of the day. Fírí must’ve woken them up. They’re going to make tracking her footprints impossible.

Zhíno ran the few steps to the shed and peered inside. A horse looked back at him from behind a wood rail. He ducked down to see through her legs, but Fírí wasn’t there.

On to the next shed he jogged, dodging a deer in the process. The animal bounded away into the darkness. Zhíno squinted after it. A deer?

The next shed held a pair of cows, huge eyes gleaming in the night, but no Fírí.

Zhíno paused. He’d seen a light earlier, which must’ve come from the house. Someone had been out here and briefly turned on a light or opened a door. Fírí would rather die then get all filthy hiding with these animals. The twin of Vítí had to be inside.

Circling a starlight-reflecting watering basin, Zhíno headed for the dark bulk of the house.

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