“Were you seen?”
“I don’t know,” he said, “but he’s just murdered somebody else, so anything that makes noise right now will make him suspicious.”
“Are you sure it’s a him?”
He turned and said thoughtfully, “No, I’m not. I’m just assuming it was the same asshole we’ve been warned about.”
“What about the dogs?”
“I did see four off to the side,” he said. “One separated, and that might be the one I’m looking for.”
“We have to get it out of there before he shoots them.”
“I suspect he does that regularly, if they aren’t mean enough.”
“Great,” she said. “What about right now? While everybody is more concerned about the murder?”
“Maybe,” he said, “but not with you and the dogs here.”
“Well,” she said, “why don’t I leave you here, and you can go do your thing. I don’t know if you want to get close enough or if you need backup,” she said worriedly. “I don’t want to send you into anything that’s dangerous, but it seems like maybe, if the asshole’s really focused on dealing with the fallout from his recent actions, that maybe this is a good time.”
Caleb pondered that for a moment, looked at her, gave her a big kiss, and said, “You know what? You’re very bright.”
“No, it’s feeling like a stupid idea,” she said in alarm. “Forget I said anything.”
“No,” he said, “you’re right.” He pulled out a Titanium Corp card and wrote down an address on the back and said, “Take the truck and the dogs and drive here.”
“Where is that?”
“It’s the cantina,” he said. “Even though I know you don’t know where it is, your GPS should tell you. I’ll meet you there.” He stopped and thought about it and said, “Make it two hours from now.”
“And if you’re not there?” she asked, frowning, hating the idea of leaving him.
“I’ll contact you if I’m late.”
“And I’m not supposed to phone you, I suppose?”
“No, don’t,” he said. “I’ll have it off, and, if I don’t have it off, you’ll give away my position.”
“Shit,” she said. “I really don’t want you doing this.”
“Maybe not,” he said, “but I still think it’s a better idea now than later.”
“Yeah, but it was my idea, so I get to rescind it and to tell you to forget about it.”
“No, I was thinking about it on the way down the hill,” he said, “figuring out just what that shot would mean.”
“Well, it means he’s got to deal with a body now,” she said, “but I don’t know what that’ll entail.”
“Exactly,” he stopped and said, “and I need to go.”
She gave in, knowing there was no point arguing further. “Go,” she said, “but please don’t get yourself shot.”
He gave her a big fat grin and said, “I won’t.” And he turned and disappeared.
She stayed and watched him for a long moment, and then, her feet lagging, she headed toward the truck. She had to do as he’d said. And generally he was a man for the job, but, in this case, she hated the fact that he’d actually seen a guy killed. It just made it all that much worse. It also put the dogs in that kennel in more danger, although she didn’t know why because surely the dogs were a separate issue.
But, if that asshole was in that kind of a mood where he was pissy and didn’t like something, it was pretty easy to pull the trigger a second and then a third time. And maybe, just maybe, Caleb had an instinct in this that she didn’t. With the dogs dragging their feet now, not liking that Caleb had taken off without them, she urged them along with her, as she made her way back to the empty house.
Even just looking at that house made her cringe. And was the dog stolen from there? Maybe gunshots were so commonplace down the hill that the dog broke his leash and ran to help, due to the dog’s extensive military training. Maybe it had been taken from here or had run away, and it ended up in a way worse place. And maybe the dog was a completely separate issue.
She rushed the last few yards to Caleb’s truck, making sure all the dogs were inside, then hopped in, and turned it on. Laysha headed out of the driveway, putting as many miles between her and that damn house as she could. It was just plain creepy to think that somebody had been murdered and left in there. Then she thought about somebody being murdered ten minutes ago, and she grew quiet and sad. “It’s an ugly world out there,” she said to Fancy, who was cuddled up against her. Fancy whimpered a little bit, and Laysha reached a hand down and just cuddled her. “We’ll be okay,” she said.
She wasn’t sure how this nightmare had gotten into her life and what she was supposed to do about it. But it was what it was, and right now all she was concerned about was getting Caleb back to her. Safe and sound and in one piece preferably. As she drove, she followed her GPS’s instructions, trying to find the cantina, realizing just how big the countryside was out here and how few crossroads there were.
If she could have traveled as the crow flew, it would have been fine. She didn’t know if her navigation skills were up to something like that. Besides, Caleb had said two hours, and, at this rate, she would need all of that time. She hated even thinking about waiting on the other end for him to never come. And yet the thought just wouldn’t leave her alone.
She drove until she found the cantina again. Passing it once, she went to a small shop, walked inside, and picked up a few necessities that she liked to keep on hand. Besides, they were selling coffee too. She pulled
