Murder on the Mesa

In a dry patch of West Texas, Twister and Chuckaluck go to war for water

At first, Twister Malone and Chuckaluck Thompson think it must be a mirage. If real, the willow trees they see on the horizon mean that water is nearby, and in this dusty stretch of the Southwest, water is rarer than gold. They rub the grit from their eyes, yet the sight remains. There really is water up ahead—and death just around the corner.

As the two friends ride toward the trees, they hear the sound of rushing ...