Vince Lardner, the shop owner and—until now—the sole barber, was cutting the hair of a man Rick recognized as a local resident. A second barber was cutting the hair of another local man, but the barber had his back to the street for the moment.
Rick waited patiently. Scotty asked, "See anything?"
"Only his back. Wait a minute."
Presently the barber spun the chair around and walked to the sink. In a moment he turned and his face came into view in the tight close-up the powerful glass provided.
Rick sank his teeth into his lip and handed the glass to Scotty wordlessly.
The pieces were beginning to fall in place now, and the assumption that the project had been penetrated was a long step closer to proved fact.
The Washington barber had come to Whiteside!
"Wonder what he's after?" Scotty asked.
"One thing is for sure," Rick stated grimly. "He isn't here just to cut hair!"