Page 35 (1/2)

Just in case, I retrieved a small pair of binoculars fro Flipping to the page where I’d scribbled the license plate number, I returned to theand scanned the lines of cars parked along both sides of the road Neither the vehicles nor the plates I ed to make out were of interest

This reet to that after a shower and so while I wanted to wash the memory of the last few days down the drain

After finishing withon a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that didn’t smell, Ifor the coffee to brew After pouring a cup, I booted up ned into the database I needed

I typed in the plate number What came up was a keen disappointment There was no record of the number

“What do you mean?” I asked the computer, as if it could hear me

I tried again No better luck the second time

This could onlynumber

I pounded my fist on the desk “Damn it!”

Atteo together

Chapter Thirty-One

I was tired of thinking, tired of dealing with the fallout froer hired to handle It worein front of an to drift

What I really needed to do was relax One thing I’d learned since returning home from the as that I needed to tune out every now and then Taking a meditation class had helped a little bit with that, but unfortunately, I didn’t use what I had learned as often as I should But every once in a while, I’d give it a tryand this seemed like the perfect time

I closed ht, as if at attention, but coht, as ifI tried to be aware of any tension, noting each body part and relaxing it Face, eyelids, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, then doard

After fully relaxing, I took a few deep breaths, o of conscious thoughts, or tried to Even now, it see I decided to chalk that up to ular practice

Thing was, each attempt at meditation seeedmy teeth—make it a habit But so other things And what little patience I had started rung out of ht about this and then tried not to think—to let those thoughts go and allow the mantra to take over