Page 10 of Wyoming True

“A constructive suggestion,” came the quiet reply. “You should take it.”

Ida nodded. “I guess so. I just don’t like the idea of having somebody watching me all the time.”

“If the bodyguard doesn’t, your ex will be,” Carol said. “You be careful.”

“I’ll be careful.”

JAKESAWHERcoming and had the door open when she reached the car.

“Thanks,” she said. “For everything.”

“We all have these odd impulses from time to time,” he replied.

She fastened her seat belt while he got under the wheel and cranked the car.

“Anyplace else you need to go while we’re out?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve inconvenienced you enough for one day.”

“I didn’t mind,” he said and surprised himself by realizing it was the truth, not just a polite rejoinder.

“I can drive,” she said, leaning her head back. “But it’s my right hip that’s most affected, and that’s the one that gets used most, on the gas pedal and the brake. But these—” she indicated the medicine sack “—will get me back to normal.”

“Do you take other pain medicine, as well?”

She laughed. “I’m allergic to most of it. I had a very mild prescription pain medicine that contained just a trace of codeine. I broke out in hives and almost ended up in the emergency room.” The memory was painful. She glanced out the window. “My ex-husband thought it was hilarious. I had to drive myself to the allergist. He was watching a movie and couldn’t be bothered...” She flushed scarlet. “Sorry.”

“People have died from allergic reactions like that,” he remarked, angered out of proportion by what her former husband had done.

She drew in a long breath. “He wouldn’t have minded. All my money came from my first husband. My second didn’t work. He said I had plenty of money for both of us. As long as I gave him what he wanted, things were just fine.”

“And if he didn’t get what he wanted?”

Her hand went absently to her hip. “It was a long time ago,” she lied.

He reserved judgment. She had a scarlet reputation, but she was a beautiful woman. He wondered what sort of man would hurt her physically.

“How long have you been divorced?” he asked.

“Three years.” She didn’t add that he’d been in prison that long.

He glanced at her. Close-up, she was older than he’d first thought. “How old are you?” he asked abruptly.

She glanced down at her purse. “Twenty-six.”

“Twenty-six.” He was doing math in his head. “You married at eighteen?”

She sighed. “I’d just lost my mother. She went on one of those cruises in the Mediterranean and left me with friends—Dr. Menzer and his wife. He’s my orthopedic surgeon. He and his wife moved here shortly before I came back here.” She drew in a breath and looked out the window. “They said my mother fell overboard. She was out on the deck when it was storming and she was swept over the side.” She looked down into her lap. It was a painful memory. “They never found her.”

“That would be hard.”

She nodded. “I grieved and grieved. I never even had a place to put flowers. So I went and bought one of those ornate urns that they put cremains in, and I put some of her favorite things in it and sealed it. It sits on my mantel.” She smiled sadly. “So I put flowers next to it on holidays and her birthday. Next best thing to a grave.”

“Not a bad solution.”

“Not the best, either.” Her eyes had a faraway look. “I kept thinking, maybe she washed ashore somewhere and lost her memory. Maybe she was still alive and didn’t know who she was.” She smiled. “There was this movie I always loved, about a female CIA agent who was shot and lost her memory. She ended up in a small town with a baby, and years later, her memory came back.”

He chuckled.“The Long Kiss Goodnight,”he quoted.

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