rules.”
“And you won’t bend them, not even to help someone in need?”
“Geez, okay.” The cashier dragged a rotary phone into view. “I’ll have to do the talking for you, pass on a message or whatnot. Gimme the number.”
Sitting in a van parked among the pine trees off Ridge Road, Beau shivered. He swallowed a yawn, then wiggled his toes under the blanket wrapped around his legs. What was he doing here? His brain felt disconnected from his surroundings. Maybe that’s what the cold did to you—like hypothermia. During the night he’d run the engine a few times to get the heat flowing again, but Mr. Steele had warned him to keep the lights off. Not like anybody’d see him back here.
Skreech!
The wind clawed branches across the rooftop, a sound that set his teeth on edge. Or maybe his ears had caught the far-off shrill of a bird.
Ske-reeech!
He winced at the ache in his temples and wondered where he’d picked up this headache. Pounding again, worse than last night. Had to keep on task. Stay dialed in. Yesterday’s meeting in the café was a little fuzzy, but as Steele had promised, Beau was now wearing a denim jacket with specific items in the pockets.
Yeah, buddy, the details were coming together.
When the Motorola cordless chimed at his side, Beau answered and confirmed his position. The signal might come at any minute, he was told. He was to sit tight and keep from nodding off. Committed to this task, he loosened his jacket and spread his arms like wings to welcome the morning chill. Anything to keep awake.
Lonely out here. Still, it felt like something was hovering over him.
Through gritted teeth, to boost his courage, he stole a villain’s line from half of the cheap DVDs he’d watched at home. “Let the games begin,” he said.
“Babe?” Scooter wrapped an arm around her. “What happened?”
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Did you talk to her?”
“What do you think?” Josee appreciated Scooter’s concern but pulled away when he tried to touch her cheek. “She stinkin’ bailed on me. Stood me up.”
“Kara called it off?”
“Well, not exactly. Guess some housekeeper lady answered, said there’d been a disruption and I’d have to call again tomorrow. Not like I’m going to waste my time.”
“Don’t let it mess with you, babe. Didn’t Kara warn you this could happen?”
“She said that if it didn’t work out, we could try again for the day or two after. What does she think, that I’m going to just sit around and wait? Like I have nothing better to do? ‘Oh sorry, Josee, today doesn’t exactly work either. How ’bout the day after next or—’ ”
“No hurry, we got time on our hands.”
“Or how about never!” Josee regurgitated the events from the market for him, then tossed back her head and dragged both hands through her cropped black hair.
“But you didn’t even talk to her,” said Scooter. “Not in person. What, you’re gonna believe some cow behind the counter? Just call back
mañana
. It’ll work out.” He tried to meet her eyes, produced a pack of cigarettes, and dropped it in her lap. “That’s it—the last of our stuff.”
“Thanks, hon.” She lit one and leaned back to expel smoke over her shoulder. “I just keep getting this bad feeling. Why should I even expect her to care after all these years? Maybe she’s like my father, having second thoughts.”
“Sucks, I admit, but she wouldn’t agree for you to come down unless she meant it. Here, want some croissants? Stale, but better than nothing.” When she shook her head, he added, “Sorry about the limited menu. You deserve better.”
“It’s fine, Scoot. Upset tummy, that’s all. Nerves.” Her eyes scanned the thicket. “Speaking of which, where’d that thing go?”
“The canister thingamajig?” Scooter moved to the tent’s edge and lifted the object from behind the flap. “Thar she blows. Thing was giving me the creeps, so I stashed it away.”
“What