free weights. She began to do bicep curls.
She turned only when she heard him place the phone back into the cradle. He said, âIt shouldnât be long now. Weâll get three for the price of one.â
âI wish it could be different.â
He looked at her closely, doing the slow bicep curls, like pulling through water, just as heâd taught her. âNo you donât. You enjoy all this crap. But I promised you. You know I always keep my promises.â
She put down the free weights and walked to him. She hugged him close, not caring that he was sweaty. âThanks, Daddy. I know. I appreciate it.â
He lightly pushed her away and toweled himself off. âYouâre a good girl, Mellie, but sometimes you get strange ideas.â He raised his hand. âNo, itâs okay. It keeps life interesting.â
Rule Shaker was whistling when he walked into the huge shower stall in the marble bath off his private gym.
8
â E MMA , KEEP YOUR head down and eat your French fries. Molly, donât go for your gun, listen to me. I want you and Emma to go through that doorway that says TELEPHONES & TOILETS . If thereâs an exit, go on out to the Jeep, otherwise, stay in the bathroom. If you get to the Jeep, lock yourselves in. Iâll be out as soon as I pay the bill. Go. Act as naturally as you can. Donât look back.â
Molly didnât move. âEm, did you see the two men that came to the cabin?â
âNot really.â
âSo you wouldnât recognize them?â
âNo, Mama, but Ramsey would.â
âThatâs right, I would. Go, Molly. Thereâs no time for any more discussion. If theyâre the guys Iâll be out as soon as I can, probably walking really fast.â
âYou made a joke, just like Mama does.â
âMaybe.â
Molly gave him a final long look, grabbed her purse, kept her attention on Emma, and walked with her to the back of the small restaurant, through the doorway. Slowly, Ramsey turned around just as he raised his hand to thewaitress. They were standing with their backs to him. One was tall and thin, the other short. He couldnât tell if he was bowlegged or not. He didnât think they were the same guys whoâd come to the cabin. How could they be? Heâd shot both the bastards. He didnât have his Smith & Wesson. The restaurant was pretty crowded. He prayed the men wouldnât do anything stupid.
The waitress smiled down at him. He said without looking at her, âIs there a back way out of here?â
âYeah, thereâs a back door just beside the menâs room.â
âGood. How much do I owe you?â
She wrote down a couple of more things, frowned as she added, then ripped off the paper and handed it to him, saying, âYou guys didnât eat all that much so I took a bit off the bill.â
âThatâs really nice of you. My wife was feeling a bit on the edge. Sheâs pregnant.â
âOh, well, congratulations. It happens to the best of us, getting sick that is.â
âHey, Elsa, howâs tricks?â
The guy looked like a cowboy with a gut. He was standing behind the waitress. Ramsey couldnât see his face because Elsa was large, had very big hair, and was standing squarely between them. But it wasnât one of the men at the cabin. He didnât know whether to be relieved or worried over a possible new threat.
âIâm mean and pretty as ever,â she said, turning to face the man, blocking Ramseyâs view of him. âYouâre new, arenât you? You move here or something?â
âYeah. Me and the missus came down from Wyoming. Nice around here.â
âYeah. You want some lunch, then go sit with your friend at that booth.â She pointed with the pencil then stuck it behind her ear.
âHey, mister, what happened to that pretty little girl I was smiling at?â
Ramsey slowly rose. Elsa stepped out