"And women, too, sometimes.
Abuse and violence goes both ways.
Did I ever tell you about the client I had who took a contract out on her husband?" "You mean a killing-for-hire type contract?" He nodded.
"It was a first for me, too.
Who'd have thought it would happen in our little town? Killer took him out with a single shot.
They'd been married for thirty-two years, and he took up with their grandson's girlfriend.
Apparently she decided divorce and the lovely settlement I'd gotten her weren't enough.
She turned herself in that afternoon.
Seemed pretty happy to do so." He paused at the kitchen.
"Would you like something to eat?" "I think I'd better go," I told him.
"I'd rather no one realized I stopped by here." "Weren't you carrying that walking stick of yours? Did you leave it in the bathroom?" It was gone.
I'd been carrying it, and I hadn't noticed when it left.
"Don't worry about it," I told him.
"It'll show up again when it wants to." He gave me a delighted smile.
"That's right.
That's what Warren said.
The thing just follows you around like a puppy?" I shrugged.
"Pretty cool." At the door, he hugged me and kissed my cheek.
Sam gravely raised one paw like a well-trained dog, and Kyle shook the lion-sized foot without flinching.
"You take care of Mercy," he told Sam.
"I don't know what she's gotten herself into this time--but danger seems to be her new middle name." "Hey," I objected.
Kyle looked down his nose at me.
"Broken arm, concussion, sprained ankle, stitches, kidnapped .
.
." He let his voice trail off.
"And that's not the end of the list, is it? You keep Samuel or someone next to you until this blows over.
I don't want to be attending your funeral, darling." "Fine," I said, hoping that he wasn't right.
"I'll be careful." "You just let Warren or me know if we can give you any more help." I DROVE TO THE BIG MALL IN KENNEWICK BECAUSE I felt a strong desire not to park somewhere isolated--and I wanted to call Tad.
I had to park in Outer Mongolia because on a Saturday, that was the only place with parking spaces.
But I was as far from alone as it was possible to be.