short as her hair was, it was usually dry by the time
she finished dressing. A little gel and a blow dryer was all she ever needed.
She eased the plastic cap
gently over her head. The doctor had warned her not to get the stitched area
wet. Turning the water on as hot as she dared, she pointed the nozzle away from
raining directly down on her, and then stepped cautiously into the shower. Now
would not be a good time to fall.
After showering long enough
to deplete the hot water, Rhetta stepped out feeling almost human again. She
picked her favorite giant white towel to dry off with, then donned a dark blue
jogging suit. She returned to the bathroom mirror to study the skid marks on
her face, and apply some antibiotic ointment. The phone began to ring. She
ignored it, hoping that Randolph would hear it in the studio and answer. After
six rings, it quit. Within seconds, it began again. She padded out of the
bathroom and to the desk in the corner of the bedroom, the closest phone to the
bathroom.
“Yes?” she said abruptly,
unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. If it turned out to be a sales
call, she’d give someone a giant piece of what little was left of her mind.
None of her friends or business contacts ever called her on her home number.
She preferred using her cell, so she was sure this was not a call she should
have even answered. Their home number was on the “No Call List.” She looked
forward to blasting whoever it was.
“Rhetta, I need you to meet
me. Today.” His voice still sounded like it was gurgling through a barrel of
water. Her immediate urge was to hang up. Instead, she said simply, “No.”
A raspy cough finally broke
the silence. “You must. This is critical. I’ll explain everything.”
“Then let’s hear it.”
“Not on the phone. Meet me
behind the Tri-County Impound Yard on Highway 177. Can you be there in two
hours?”
“Not just no, but hell no! I
was attacked and robbed last night, my skull took a pretty good smack and I was
thrown into a Dumpster the size of a Burlington Northern rail car. I’m not
driving anywhere today, especially not to meet you.”
The line went quiet except
for a few gurgling sounds. Getting angry, Rhetta spouted, “Did you hear me?”
When she didn’t hear an answer, she reached over to slam the phone down. Frank
began speaking again before she disconnected.
“My God, Rhetta. That was no
robbery. Someone’s after you. Someone who thinks you know what I’m going to
tell you, and for that he’ll kill you. You have to be very careful. You can’t
come alone. Bring your husband with you. And a gun. I’m sure you have one.”
Icicles of fear tickled her
spine. “Why can’t you tell me on the phone? I had our lines checked, and they
aren’t tapped.”
“I don’t trust conventional
methods of checking lines, Rhetta. There’s so much you don’t understand. Meet
me and I’ll explain it all to you. You deserve to know all of it. The impound
yard sits on high open bluffs. You have to find a way to get there. I’ll be
waiting. If anyone follows you, I’ll be able to spot them, and I won’t show
myself. Please be very, very careful. And don’t forget. Bring your weapon.” He
disconnected.
Rhetta flung the phone across
the room.
Chapter 21
Saturday morning, December 22
Her heart thudded against her ribs in fear, while at the same time anger sliced through her like a meat
cleaver through butter. She couldn’t believe she’d just tossed her new
phone-cum-clock radio across the room.
Damn
him anyway! What does he mean that someone tried to kill me? It was a snatch
and grab, according to the police. What the hell is so mysterious? I don’t want to meet him. I
won’t go!
She retrieved the phone and slapped
away a tear. Stop it.
Put the phone back and think about what you’re going to do . You know you want to go if for
no other reason than to get to the bottom of this .
She plopped down on the side of the
bed and ran her fingers
she finished dressing. A little gel and a blow dryer was all she ever needed.
She eased the plastic cap
gently over her head. The doctor had warned her not to get the stitched area
wet. Turning the water on as hot as she dared, she pointed the nozzle away from
raining directly down on her, and then stepped cautiously into the shower. Now
would not be a good time to fall.
After showering long enough
to deplete the hot water, Rhetta stepped out feeling almost human again. She
picked her favorite giant white towel to dry off with, then donned a dark blue
jogging suit. She returned to the bathroom mirror to study the skid marks on
her face, and apply some antibiotic ointment. The phone began to ring. She
ignored it, hoping that Randolph would hear it in the studio and answer. After
six rings, it quit. Within seconds, it began again. She padded out of the
bathroom and to the desk in the corner of the bedroom, the closest phone to the
bathroom.
“Yes?” she said abruptly,
unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. If it turned out to be a sales
call, she’d give someone a giant piece of what little was left of her mind.
None of her friends or business contacts ever called her on her home number.
She preferred using her cell, so she was sure this was not a call she should
have even answered. Their home number was on the “No Call List.” She looked
forward to blasting whoever it was.
“Rhetta, I need you to meet
me. Today.” His voice still sounded like it was gurgling through a barrel of
water. Her immediate urge was to hang up. Instead, she said simply, “No.”
A raspy cough finally broke
the silence. “You must. This is critical. I’ll explain everything.”
“Then let’s hear it.”
“Not on the phone. Meet me
behind the Tri-County Impound Yard on Highway 177. Can you be there in two
hours?”
“Not just no, but hell no! I
was attacked and robbed last night, my skull took a pretty good smack and I was
thrown into a Dumpster the size of a Burlington Northern rail car. I’m not
driving anywhere today, especially not to meet you.”
The line went quiet except
for a few gurgling sounds. Getting angry, Rhetta spouted, “Did you hear me?”
When she didn’t hear an answer, she reached over to slam the phone down. Frank
began speaking again before she disconnected.
“My God, Rhetta. That was no
robbery. Someone’s after you. Someone who thinks you know what I’m going to
tell you, and for that he’ll kill you. You have to be very careful. You can’t
come alone. Bring your husband with you. And a gun. I’m sure you have one.”
Icicles of fear tickled her
spine. “Why can’t you tell me on the phone? I had our lines checked, and they
aren’t tapped.”
“I don’t trust conventional
methods of checking lines, Rhetta. There’s so much you don’t understand. Meet
me and I’ll explain it all to you. You deserve to know all of it. The impound
yard sits on high open bluffs. You have to find a way to get there. I’ll be
waiting. If anyone follows you, I’ll be able to spot them, and I won’t show
myself. Please be very, very careful. And don’t forget. Bring your weapon.” He
disconnected.
Rhetta flung the phone across
the room.
Chapter 21
Saturday morning, December 22
Her heart thudded against her ribs in fear, while at the same time anger sliced through her like a meat
cleaver through butter. She couldn’t believe she’d just tossed her new
phone-cum-clock radio across the room.
Damn
him anyway! What does he mean that someone tried to kill me? It was a snatch
and grab, according to the police. What the hell is so mysterious? I don’t want to meet him. I
won’t go!
She retrieved the phone and slapped
away a tear. Stop it.
Put the phone back and think about what you’re going to do . You know you want to go if for
no other reason than to get to the bottom of this .
She plopped down on the side of the
bed and ran her fingers
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