*
The man walking from his car in the parking lot knew he looked like many others, about to begin a day’s work or maybe shop. Some stores in the strip mall remained closed on Sundays, allowing more empty spaces than usual.
He meandered from his sedan, looking relaxed. Reaching his destination, he glanced over his shoulder.
Two cars and an SUV were pulling in.
The man slowed, waiting while the cars parked and their drivers went off toward stores, intent on their own purposes. The SUV stopped last. A young woman climbed down and then gripped the hands of two small girls with curly hair while they hustled toward the donut shop.
The girls with unruly hair made the man watching them acquire Josie’s image. Her curls would soon close around his fingers.
He held his hands up and stared at them. Thick. The slightest trace of a tan. He could feel Josie’s hair caught up in them. The urge hit him so strongly he needed to glance away.
A white GMC truck started near Josie’s shop, making him recall he could do nothing now. He must behave in front of others. That’s what would keep him away from prison. That’s what those counselors drilled into him.
Not until she’s ready, he told himself.
And that would be soon.
He smiled, considering his plans.
No one in the lot paid attention to him strolling toward her car. He paused, raising his eyes like he wanted to check the weather.
With his head turned up, he gazed from one side to the other, still with a casual motion.
Not a soul was looking. Unless someone was glancing out a window. Maybe Josie.
A thrill ran from his shoulders down his back and his heart beat with great thrusts. Hopeful, he glanced down at the little car’s window and surveyed its insides.
Yes, there was something. He knew she would leave him some token.
Pulling the door open, he reached in.
He shut her door and strode off to his own car. Only once he sat inside with his door locked did he dare sniff what he’d taken.
The silken scarf smelled of Josie’s scent. The blue rectangle contained all the things she was fearing. She had purposely put out that smell to draw him to her.
* * *
Josie felt the vacuum of the door opening before she saw it moving. She’d been arranging stacks of fine soft sweaters, placing those with bright colors in more prominent positions.
“Good morning, Mr. Ripley,” she said.
Her boss’s shoulders hunched more than usual under his brown suit jacket. He glanced at the office with the door shut. “She didn’t come in?”
“Mrs. Ripley did come in, but only for a little while.”
Ripley gazed at Cora’s office. He then peered at the front door before holding out a box. “I made these purchases, Josie. Maybe you could find a place for them.”
She took the bundle from his hands that for some reason she could not fathom appeared thickly callused. Recently she’d noticed his formerly smooth palms and considered asking Cora what had happened to them, but decided not to. Mr. Ripley’s business, other than the store, was none of hers. Right now, with him standing so close, she felt a need to step away.
She moved and saw his package held three dozen scarves. Working to hide her disappointment, she wondered if he didn’t know how many he already had that weren’t selling.
Probably not. Ever since the divorce he seemed so different that Josie sometimes worried about him. “These are pretty,” she said of his scarves.
Ripley nodded but his gaze shifted from the scarves to her face. He looked at the front door and then back at Cora’s office. He seemed jittery, as if he wasn’t certain of what he might do next.
He appeared to decide and headed toward the storeroom. “Cora might be coming back.”
* * *
After an early dinner at home, Josie picked up the clean dishes.
“I can’t find my blue scarf,” Sylvie said, coming from the direction of her bedroom.
“Oh, it’s in my car,” Josie recalled.
“Get it, would you? It’s one of my favorites.” She
The man walking from his car in the parking lot knew he looked like many others, about to begin a day’s work or maybe shop. Some stores in the strip mall remained closed on Sundays, allowing more empty spaces than usual.
He meandered from his sedan, looking relaxed. Reaching his destination, he glanced over his shoulder.
Two cars and an SUV were pulling in.
The man slowed, waiting while the cars parked and their drivers went off toward stores, intent on their own purposes. The SUV stopped last. A young woman climbed down and then gripped the hands of two small girls with curly hair while they hustled toward the donut shop.
The girls with unruly hair made the man watching them acquire Josie’s image. Her curls would soon close around his fingers.
He held his hands up and stared at them. Thick. The slightest trace of a tan. He could feel Josie’s hair caught up in them. The urge hit him so strongly he needed to glance away.
A white GMC truck started near Josie’s shop, making him recall he could do nothing now. He must behave in front of others. That’s what would keep him away from prison. That’s what those counselors drilled into him.
Not until she’s ready, he told himself.
And that would be soon.
He smiled, considering his plans.
No one in the lot paid attention to him strolling toward her car. He paused, raising his eyes like he wanted to check the weather.
With his head turned up, he gazed from one side to the other, still with a casual motion.
Not a soul was looking. Unless someone was glancing out a window. Maybe Josie.
A thrill ran from his shoulders down his back and his heart beat with great thrusts. Hopeful, he glanced down at the little car’s window and surveyed its insides.
Yes, there was something. He knew she would leave him some token.
Pulling the door open, he reached in.
He shut her door and strode off to his own car. Only once he sat inside with his door locked did he dare sniff what he’d taken.
The silken scarf smelled of Josie’s scent. The blue rectangle contained all the things she was fearing. She had purposely put out that smell to draw him to her.
* * *
Josie felt the vacuum of the door opening before she saw it moving. She’d been arranging stacks of fine soft sweaters, placing those with bright colors in more prominent positions.
“Good morning, Mr. Ripley,” she said.
Her boss’s shoulders hunched more than usual under his brown suit jacket. He glanced at the office with the door shut. “She didn’t come in?”
“Mrs. Ripley did come in, but only for a little while.”
Ripley gazed at Cora’s office. He then peered at the front door before holding out a box. “I made these purchases, Josie. Maybe you could find a place for them.”
She took the bundle from his hands that for some reason she could not fathom appeared thickly callused. Recently she’d noticed his formerly smooth palms and considered asking Cora what had happened to them, but decided not to. Mr. Ripley’s business, other than the store, was none of hers. Right now, with him standing so close, she felt a need to step away.
She moved and saw his package held three dozen scarves. Working to hide her disappointment, she wondered if he didn’t know how many he already had that weren’t selling.
Probably not. Ever since the divorce he seemed so different that Josie sometimes worried about him. “These are pretty,” she said of his scarves.
Ripley nodded but his gaze shifted from the scarves to her face. He looked at the front door and then back at Cora’s office. He seemed jittery, as if he wasn’t certain of what he might do next.
He appeared to decide and headed toward the storeroom. “Cora might be coming back.”
* * *
After an early dinner at home, Josie picked up the clean dishes.
“I can’t find my blue scarf,” Sylvie said, coming from the direction of her bedroom.
“Oh, it’s in my car,” Josie recalled.
“Get it, would you? It’s one of my favorites.” She
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