3
Four a.m.
Vern, Jeannie, and Emily huddled around Mark with to-go cups of coffee clutched in their hands. Vern was on his second cup, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know what was wrong with him this morning. Between the years as a Coastie and now MHA, he knew to anticipate chaos in his sleep schedule. So that wasn’t it.
The dark night air had a damp chill to it. Fall was definitely coming; the weather felt as if it had arrived last night. Hadn’t he been riding in an open-top sports car with a beautiful woman about six hours ago? Now he’d have the top up and the heater on high. Though he’d still be sure to put her at the wheel. Irene hated him.
Of course, he totally despised Jasper now. The one time Vern mentioned him, Denise had looked so sad, as if the light had gone out in her. He
