Lonesome Lawmen

Nine-2

Hayes had almost decided to risk going inside after Gwynne, when the door of the convenience store opened and she came out. Her biker babe get up was looking rough around the edges, her face pale and drawn. She was weakening even as he grew stronger. He smiled, one both feral and anticipatory, his thoughts lingering pleasurably on the email he’d sent her earlier. She wouldn’t get it, but it was nice to know how prophetic he’d been.

Do you flee and cry out, Death? Say farewell to hope, and with hope, farewell to fear. Have no hope to live, but prepare to die. Be absolute for death, for life will be sweeter thereby. If you lose life, you do lose a thing that none but fools would keep.

You’re no fool, are you, Dani?

Do you miss your baby?

Well, weep no more, sweet lady, you’ll be seeing her soon. Fit yourself for the journey. Make yourself worthy. I am coming to set you free. --

As if everything was an effort, she looked both ways and then stepped off the curb, crossing the street in the center of a knot of people. Despite her in-your-face swagger, she looked around, studying every face as if she sensed scrutiny.

A pity she’d seen him. Stalking wasn’t nearly as much fun when the victim could make your face. No time to change it now. He studied the crop of bums lounging against a seedy building, picked one looking woefully at his empty bottle.

“You want a full one of those?” Hayes asked. “You follow my wife, tell me where she goes, and I’ll give you enough cash to buy you a case.”

The bum considered his offer. “Your wife?”

“That’s right.” Hayes pointed Gwynne out and handed him a card and a quarter. “Call this number when she stops moving.”

The man studied the card, then his empty bottle. He scratched his dirty hair with a dirtier hand, tossed the bottle and said, “Sure. Why not.”