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Inthe mechanic had renified, but as I’m keenly aware of the obvious, I had a fair idea
6
I went back to the Vagabond and got cleaned up I made a wad of my overshirt and tucked it in the duffel, pulled on a fresh T-shirt and buckled onI put my briefcase on the bed beside es and loaded ly underIt seems, at the same time, both abstract and absurd I didn’t have any reason to disbelieve the facts I was on Tyrone Patty’s hit list Souy in a pickup had shot out my tire on an isolated stretch of road Now, it could have been a wholly unrelated prank, but I suspect if the flatbed full of faruy in the pickup ed ital reht Instead, providentially, I was still in one piece What I was having trouble as figuring out what to do next I knew better than to go to the local cops I couldn’t tell them the make, the model, or the license nuood look at the driver’s face Under the circuht sympathize, but I didn’t see what they could offer in the way of help Like the Santa Teresa police, they’d be long on concern and short on solutions
What then? One alternative was to pack my car and head back to Santa Teresa "toot sweet" On the other hand, it didn’t seeht, especially in territory like this, where it was possible to drive for ten ht My friend in the pickup had already tried for me once Better not offer him a second opportunity Another possibility was to put a call through to the Nevada private eye and ask for soators is actually a small one and we’re protective of one another If anyone could offer ame I did with the same kind of stakes While I pride myself on my independence, I’m not a fool and I’m not afraid to ask for backup when the situation calls for it That’s one of the first things you learn as a cop
In a curious way, this still didn’t feel like an eency The jeopardy was real, but I couldn’t seem to make it connect to er was out there, but it didn’t feel dangerous-a distinction that ht prove deadly if I didn’t watch my step I knew I’d be wise to take the situation seriously, but I couldn’t for the life of es of a ter… who, me?"
After the phone call froaht as well grab a bite of supper I zipped on a windbreaker, effectively concealing the shoulder holster and the gun
On the far side of the road was a cafe with a blinking neon sign that said eat and get gas Just what I needed I crossed the highway carefully, looking to both sides like a kid Every vehicle I saw seehting was harsh, but it had a co quality After years of horror s only happen in the dark Silly ainst the rear wall, as far froet There were only six other patrons and they all seemed to know one another Not one of them seemed sinister I studied a clear plastic raphed sheet reproduced in a blur of purple ink The items seemed equally divided between cholesterol and fat This was er Platter, which included french fries and a lily pad of lettuce with a slice of gas-ripened toe Coke and topped it all off with a piece of cherry pie that made me moan aloud This was the cherry pie of luey with a lattice top crust welded in place with blackened sugar It looked like it had been baked with an acetylene torch The ured I’d just consuh additives and preservatives to extend et killed first
On the way back to my room, I stopped by the es There were two from the convalescent home and a third from Irene, who had called about ten ent Oh, boy I tucked the slips into my pocket and headed out the door Once out on the ay, I stopped dead inwatched A silvery feeling traveledsnon the back ofs behind hts and paused in the shadows The parking lot was poorly illuminated and my motel room was at the far end I listened, but all I could hear were the noises frohway-the whine of trucks, the sonorous blast fro vehicles in its path I wasn’t sure what had alertedmy head from side to side, eyes averted as I tried to pinpoint discreet sounds against the obliterating fog of background noise I waited, heart thu intoof a little kid giggling soh-pitched, the helpless snuffling of so tickled unmercifully I sank down on my heels beside a wall of thick shrubbery