Evanly Bodies - By Rhys Bowen Page 0,2

was cut short and neatly parted. "Rashid, please stop acting in this manner and behave like a civilized human being."

Rashid Khan gave Evan a cold, challenging stare. "I've had enough encounters with the police to know that they don't like us, and we don't like them," he said.

"We're not in a big city now, Rashid," the father said. "We're in a small village, and it's important that we get along with everybody or we'll have no customers."

Evan smiled at the boy. "I suppose I should warn you that folks around here are suspicious of any strangers. It has nothing to do with race or anything like that. Any English person is considered a foreigner here. So don't take it personally. But I'll tell you one thing, if you're opening a new grocer's shop, everyone will be pleased. The older women in the village don't drive, and it's a long haul to take the bus all the way down to the supermarket."

"That's exactly what we thought when we first saw the place," Mr. Khan said enthusiastically. "A great opportunity, I told my wife."

"Did you have another shop before you moved?"

"For a while, yes, but the neighborhood went downhill so badly I was afraid to let my daughter out of the house. And now that my son is attending the university here in Wales, I said to my wife, 'Why not give it a try? Good clean air and peaceful surroundings.' She hasn't been well, you know. Her heart is not strong."

Evan turned back to Rashid. "So you are at university in Bangor? How do you like it?"

"All right so far. I've met other Muslim boys so at least I've got mates to hang out with."

"Good. Well, I'll let you get back to work then." Evan turned toward the door. "I live here in the village if you ever need me. Or at least not in the village anymore-just above the village. That little cottage just above the pub."

Mr. Khan beamed. "I was looking at that place when we first came by to see the shop, and I said to my wife, 'What a lovely view they must have.' And of course she said she couldn't imagine anybody living up that steep track."

"She's quite right, of course. That track is impossible on a rainy day. It's a sea of mud, but we're getting used to it."

"So you've just moved in too?"

"About a month ago. I just got married, and we rebuilt the cottage in time for the wedding. But I've lived in the village for several years. So has my wife. She was the local schoolteacher until they closed the school. Now she has to take the bus to the new school in the valley."

Old Mr. Khan nodded. "That's progress for you, isn't it? Everything changes and not always for the better."

"Are we going to get back to this, Dad?" Rashid demanded. "I've got a paper to write, you know."

"All right, all right." Mr. Khan gave Evan an apologetic smile and turned back to the blueprint.

Chapter 2

Evan was about to park his car for the night and make the ascent to the cottage on foot when he decided Bronwen wouldn't mind if he popped into the pub first. He was curious to know how much the inhabitants of Llanfair had gleaned about the newcomers during that first day. The Llanfair grapevine was so efficient that it could put the CIA to shame.

He crossed the street to where the sign of the Red Dragon squeaked as it swung in the evening breeze. The main bar was in full swing as he ducked his head to pass through the low doorway. Voices were raised in animated conversation. Through the smoke haze, Evan observed the usual group of men who assembled there most evenings.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day," Charlie Hopkins was exclaiming loudly. "When my Mair told me that one of them was dressed in those funny robes with a beard and sandals and all . . ."

"We don't want them here," a voice growled from a dark corner. "Why don't they go back where they came from?"

"Leeds, you mean?" someone challenged.

"Bloody Pakistan is what I mean. If God had intended dark-skinned people to live in Wales, he'd have made the sun shine here occasionally."

A chuckle ran around the bar.

"Well, I don't think it's all bad," Evans-the-Meat, countered.

Evan paused, on his way up to the bar, and listened in amazement. Of all the villagers, he would have labeled Evans-the-Meat as the