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"Thatfor you?"
A chill ran down my spine "Yeah, I do Is he back?"
"He’s been in the local jail A deputy mentioned it today at lunch"
"Really? Jail? Did you catch his naot a picture" He pulled a three-by-five photograph out of his back pocket and handed it toa black plaque that had writing on it I studied the words but couldn’t ht recognize the man His name is Rolf Heinrich When he was arrested, the police did a thorough background check and found an outstanding warrant"
"Rolf who?" I asked, squinting and studying the unfamiliar face I was absolutely certain I had never seen the man before
"Heinrich," Naalyehe said n"
"H the picture back with unsteady fingers I thought of the afternoon I’d been er, when someone had been in the woods I opened ht better of the idea No use worrying the man
Back inside, I put on an apron
"Business has been slow," José warned as I pinnedinto place "But any day now the tourists will be cooodness for that," I said distractedly and hurried to the dining rooh he caht o’clock It was half past five when he strode through the door like a restless wind and sat down in the booth by the
"You’re early and you forgot your shadow," I said, instantly aware thatmy face in a wispy mess I tucked the loose strands behind my ears and s all right?"
"No My dad called this afternoon We had a huge fight" The muscles in his jaw clenched and released I wanted to put my hands on his face and steal away the tension His eyes er was replaced with concern "I’m sorry Don’t worry about me I don’t deserve your worry" He
"Are you hungry?"
"Not really"
"Then why are you here?"
His eyes et away from Katie, and I need someone to talk to"
It took a minute for his words to make sense When they did, I couldn’t help but sht as well eat, but I need a change How are the nachos?" That was possibly the only thing on the ood, though They’re round blue corn"
"That’s what I want And a Coke"
"I’ll be right back with that"
As José had predicted earlier, business was slow Penney and I were running the dining room Actually only Penney was--I didn’t have any custoht his nachos out, I sat across the table froer that he didn’t notice er? Earth to Bridger!"
He looked at rin split his face and wiped the worry froed over again
"Bridger?" He didn’t respond I rolled my eyes and stood If he was too distracted to hold a conversation, I’d leave hi his hand shot out and grabbedback in his eyes
"Don’t what?" I asked
"Please don’t leave"
I sat back down and he let go of my wrist He passed his half-full Coke to me and leaned back with his arms folded across his chest to watch me drink
Just then, an older couple entered the restaurant I passed Bridger’s half-empty Coke back to hiet you to drink?" I asked the couple as they sat down in a corner booth
The man opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t hear the words that came out of it My ears were muted, as if blood had pooled around the eardrum My skin becae to flinch A flash ofon the finger flying toward asped and touched the scar in my eyebrow