The Crossroads Chapter 7: A Brutal Encounter and a Double Cross
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary (Chronological)
Early on November 16, Dorn Peddy and Hillbilly Jimmy D. O’Bryan use an ATV to search the sagebrush badlands near Antler Creek Road for the hunter they spotted the previous day. They find his camper trailer hidden in an aspen grove. From a distance, Peddy identifies the hunter by his movements; O’Bryan remains uncertain. They prepare their weapons—a .40 Taurus G2C and a .38 revolver, both provided by their employer with filed-off serial numbers—and approach under a cover story: they are ranch hands looking for lost black Angus cows.
The hunter, Budd Betts, invites them inside for coffee. He is a stocky man in his early sixties, cooking bacon and wearing a hunting apron. Betts immediately sees through their disguise, calling them “dime-store cowboys.” Peddy’s questions grow more aggressive, culminating in a demand to know if Betts has seen anything “unusual.” Betts tells them he has had no luck with mule deer and insists they leave. Convinced that Betts is lying and recognizes them, Peddy shoots him three times under the table—twice in the belly and once in the forehead—and declares, “It was him.” O’Bryan is horrified and briefly considers shooting Peddy but hesitates.
They burn the trailer with the propane tanks to destroy evidence. Peddy calls their employer and learns that the wounded game warden from the previous day is still alive. The boss refuses to pay them until they “finish the job.” O’Bryan realizes he is trapped in a partnership with a man he now considers a maniac.
Key Events
- Peddy and O’Bryan locate the hunter’s camper trailer at dawn.
- They observe Betts from a distance as he urinates outside, then returns inside.
- The duo approaches with a fabricated story about searching for lost cows.
- Betts invites them into his cramped trailer and serves coffee.
- Betts mocks their cowboy disguises and grows suspicious of their questions.
- Peddy shoots Betts three times in a point-blank execution.
- O’Bryan contemplates killing Peddy but refrains.
- They set fire to the trailer to cover the murder.
- Peddy’s call with their employer reveals the game warden survived the earlier ambush.
- They learn they will not be paid until they eliminate the game warden.
Character Development
Dorn Peddy
Peddy’s paranoia and impulsiveness reach a new peak. He insists the hunter “had a tell” in his eyes—a claim O’Bryan dismisses as madness. Peddy’s willingness to kill a harmless stranger for a perceived threat shows he is driven by fear and ego, not cold professionalism. His swagger deflates when Betts humiliates him, and he overcompensates with violence. By the end, he appears panicked and defensive when given the bad news about the game warden.
Hillbilly Jimmy D. O’Bryan
O’Bryan emerges as the reluctant accomplice. He is disgusted by the murder and recognizes Peddy’s instability. His hand brushes his revolver while Peddy’s back is turned, revealing a moral conflict—but he does not act. This hesitation cements his role as a follower who lacks the nerve to stop the violence, yet his internal dissent hints at a potential breaking point. His loyalty to the mission (and the money) is now in doubt.
Budd Betts
Though only present for a few pages, Betts is drawn sympathetically: a seasoned hunter who values fair chase (“I want to earn my meat”) and a family man returning for his daughter’s volleyball game. His sharp wit and refusal to be intimidated make him a tragic victim. His murder feels senseless, underscoring the moral emptiness of Peddy’s actions.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Paranoia as Justification for Murder
Peddy’s belief that Betts recognized them—despite no evidence—mirrors the paranoia that drives men to preemptive violence. The “tell in his eyes” is a hollow rationale that O’Bryan immediately questions, exposing how easily fear can be weaponized.
The Cost of Association
O’Bryan’s silent debate about killing Peddy highlights the corrosive effect of criminal partnership. He is complicit by inaction. The chapter suggests that once a person chooses a partner like Peddy, escape becomes nearly impossible without committing further violence.
Wilderness as a Lawless Space
The isolated badlands, the hidden camper, and the burning trailer all emphasize that the landscape offers no witness and no protection. The rule of law is absent; only brute force and deception prevail.
Fire as Erasure
The propane-aided fire is a practical tool to destroy evidence, but it also symbolically represents the attempt to erase a life and the truth. The fire mirrors the “burning” of their own moral compasses as they continue down the path of no return.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 7 is the story’s second act turning point. It raises the stakes by confirming that the game warden survived the ambush (a development not known to the reader until now). The murder of an innocent hunter forces O’Bryan to confront the reality of what he has agreed to do. Peddy’s irrational violence signals that the employer’s plan is in dangerous hands. The chapter sets up a race against time: the killers must try again before the warden can recover or alert authorities. It also deepens O’Bryan’s internal conflict, foreshadowing a possible betrayal or redemption.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Peddy kill Budd Betts even though O’Bryan insists there is no proof Betts recognized them?
Peddy acts on paranoid intuition. He interprets Betts’s mocking tone and evasive answers as a “tell” that Betts knew they were the ambushers. Peddy cannot tolerate uncertainty and eliminates the perceived threat to protect himself and the mission. The murder also satisfies his wounded pride after Betts humiliated him.
2. What does O’Bryan’s hesitation to shoot Peddy reveal about his character?
O’Bryan has a moral threshold—he is horrified by the cold-blooded killing—but he lacks the courage or decisiveness to intervene. His hesitation suggests he is still tethered to the promise of payment and fearful of the consequences of turning on Peddy. This moment shows he is a reluctant follower rather than an active conspirator, but his inaction makes him complicit.
3. How does the news that the game warden survived change the direction of the plot?
The revelation raises immediate tension: the killers must now locate and finish off a wounded but alert law enforcement officer. It also increases the pressure from their employer, who withholds payment. For O’Bryan, the news deepens his doubt about the mission’s viability and his partner’s competence. The chapter sets up a second attempt on the warden’s life, which will likely bring the story into direct confrontation with the forces of order (the game warden and possibly the sheriff).