information, but he wasn’t as paranoid as the police detectives. He returned with a file folder and a manila envelope and took his seat in the swivel chair, tossing both on the desk beside me. “Are those the photographs? Can I see?” “Sure, but they won’t tell you much.” He reached for the envelope and [...]
perched on a stool and removed the gauze wrap from my fingers. I tossed the splint but left the tape in place. The gesture was symbolic, but it cheered me up. I checked the answering machine, which showed one message. I pressed Replay and heard Tom’s contact at the sheriff’s department, who’d left me one [...]
“This is something else. May I come in?” “You’re not here to serve process,” she asked, cautiously. “Not at all. Honest.” “Because I’m warning you, I put a notice in the paper the day we separated saying I’m not responsible for debts other than my own.” “Your record’s clean as far as I’m concerned.” She [...]
working that day or I ghd sale ‘d have filed it away in the old noggin,” he said with a tap to his temple. “I told Peck he better take the same course I did, but so far I haven’t managed to talk him into it.” “Too bad,” I said. “So who was this other [...]
the one number from Tom’s den, the call had been picked up by an answering machine. I was operating on the assumption that the woman I’d heard was the same female sheriff’s investigator Phyllis claimed she’d seen flirting with Tom. If I could have a talk with her, it might go a long way toward [...]
missing notebook covered the previous ten months. There was no other gap in his records of that magnitude. I went back upstairs, through the kitchen, and into the garage, where I searched the truck again-more thoroughly than I had the first time around. I even eased onto one shoulder so I could shine a flashlight [...]
see if there was anything I could do. Anyway, there was a woman walking along the road, heading toward town.” “A woman?” “Yes ma’am. I’m almost sure.” “And she was facing you?” “That’s right, but she veered off about then. This was shortly before I passed so I didn’t get a good look at her, [...]
He glanced over at me. “You thinking about going home?” “I’ve been thinking about that ever since I arrived.” He was silent for a while, turning his attention to the road. The town was beginning to come to life. Cars passed us, headlights almost unnecessary as the sky began to alter in gradients from steel [...]
make you sick. I could feel the sweat breaking out on my palms. Even lying down I was worried I’d lose consciousness. She came back in a flash, holding the you-know-what on a little plastic tray like a snack. In my only hope of control, I persuaded her to stick me in the hip instead [...]
heard his heavy breathing as he stood staring down at me. I closed my eyes, fearful of provoking further attack. I kept my face down against the rug, sucking in the odor of damp cotton fiber saturated with soot, feeling absurdly grateful when he didn’t kick me again. He crossed the cabin in haste. I [...]
