You piece of shit.
It's not good, Carson. You need to compose yourself. If you dont respect me what must you think of yourself? Look at where you are.
You think you're outside of everything, Wells said. But you're not.
Not everything. No.
You're not outside of death.
It doesnt mean to me what it does to you.
You think I'm afraid to die?
Yes.
Just do it. Do it and goddamn you.
It's not the same, Chigurh said. You've been giving up things for years to get here. I dont think I even understood that. How does a man decide in what order to abandon his life? We're in the same line of work. Up to a point. Did you hold me in such contempt? Why would you do that? How did you let yourself get in this situation?
Wells looked out at the street. What time is it? he said.
Chigurh raised his wrist and looked at his watch. Eleven fifty-seven he said.
Wells nodded. By the old woman's calendar I've got three more minutes. Well the hell with it. I think I saw all this coming a long time ago. Almost like a dream. Déjà vu. He looked at Chigurh. I'm not interested in your opinions, he said. Just do it. You goddamned psychopath. Do it and goddamn you to hell.
He did close his eyes. He closed his eyes and he turned his head and he raised one hand to fend away what could not be fended away. Chigurh shot him in the face. Everything that Wells had ever known or thought or loved drained slowly down the wall behind him. His mother's face, his First Communion , women he had known. The faces of men as they died on their knees before him. The body of a child dead in a roadside ravine in another country. He lay half headless on the bed with his arms outflung, most of his right hand missing. Chigurh rose and picked up the empty casing off the rug and blew into it and put it in his pocket and looked at his watch. The new day was still a minute away.
He went down the back stairs and crossed the parking lot to Wells' car and sorted out the doorkey from the ring of keys Wells carried and opened the door and checked the car inside front and rear and under the seats. It was a rental car and there was nothing in it but the rental contract in the doorpocket. He shut the door and hobbled back and opened the trunk. Nothing. He went around to the driver side and opened the door and popped the hood and walked up front and raised the hood and looked in the engine compartment and then closed the hood and stood looking at the hotel. While he was standing there Wells' phone rang. He fished the phone from his pocket and pushed the button and put it to his ear. Yes, he said.
Moss made his way down the ward and back again holding on to the nurse's arm. She said encouraging things to him in Spanish. They turned at the end of the bay and started back. The sweat stood on his forehead. Andale, she said. Qué bueno. He nodded. Damn right bueno, he said.
Late in the night he woke from a troubling dream and struggled down the hallway and asked to use the telephone. He dialed the number in Odessa and leaned heavily on the counter and listened to it ring. It rang a long time. Finally her mother answered.
It's Llewelyn.
She dont want to talk to you.
Yes she does.
Do you know what time it is?
I dont care what time it is. Dont you hang up this phone.
I told her what was goin to happen, didnt I? Chapter and verse. I said: This is what will come to pass. And now it has come to pass.
Dont you hang up this phone. You get her and you put her on.
When she picked up the phone she said: I didnt think you'd do me thisaway.
Hello darlin, how are you? Are you all right, Llewelyn? What happened to them words?
Where are you.
Piedras Negras.
What am I supposed to do, Llewelyn?
Are you all right?
No I'm not all right. How would I be all right? People callin here about you. I had the sheriff up here from Terrell County. Showed up at the damn door. I thought you was dead.
I aint dead. What did you tell him?
What could I tell him?
He might con you into sayin somethin.
You're hurt, aint you?
What makes you say that?
I can hear it in your voice. Are you okay?
I'm okay.
Where are you?
I told you where I was.
You sound like you're in a bus station.
Carla Jean I think you need to get out of there.
Out of where?
Out of that house.
You're scarin me, Llewelyn. Out of here to go where?
It dont matter. I just dont think you should stay there. You could go to a motel.
And do what with Mama?
She'll be all right.
She'll be all right?
Yes.