Chapter Sixteen
Ric rolled over and shielded his vision from the glaring sun. It had been nearly three o'clock in the morning when he finally fell into bed, and he had forgotten to close the curtains. Now, he was paying for it. He rubbed his eyes in an effort to ease the burning, but found no relief.
The bright rays warmed him as he swung his feet over the edge of the mattress and cradled his head in his hands. No use trying to go back to sleep, his mind was already racing. Coffee, he needed coffee. He poked his feet into his slippers. He padded to the closet then pulled his robe from inside. Wrapping the housecoat around himself, he shuffled to the kitchen.
He retrieved the coffee container and pulled a spoon from the drawer. Ric popped off the lid of the canister, and the pungent eart
