The Cold Dish

Early the next morning, Walt arrives at Omar’s mansion. He finds him in the back, where he demonstrates the use of an 1874 .45-70 caliber Sharps buffalo rifle that can shoot targets up to 600 yards away. Omar suggests this was the kind of weapon used to kill Cody and offers to take a look at the crime scene. He also lists a dozen men in the county who could likely shoot such a weapon accurately, including Henry.

Walt returns to his office, where Vic taunts him about his fitness routine before showing him a feather found on Cody’s body. It turns out to be a turkey feather altered to look like an eagle feather, a common item at tourist shops. They speculate that the feather could be a calling card left by the murderer.

At Ruby’s suggestion, Walt visits Ernie Brown, who runs the local newspaper, and provides a few vague, official statements about the case. As he leaves, Ernie asks, “Do you ever get the feeling that the world is tired, Walter?” (109).

On his way back to the office, Walt spots Vonnie’s car and waits for her to emerge from the bookstore. When she suggests that now might not be a good time for them to start a relationship, he explains how much he values their romance.