Page 86 of Snow in Texas

Jenny pushed the chainsmoker from her mind, snuggled down into her pillows, and said, “Tell me how dinner went.”

“Ugh. Fine…”

Thirty-Two

Jenny

“How long?”

“Two hours,” Catcher said. He had a tray full of butts at his elbow on the desk and Jenny suspected he hadn’t slept at all last night.

She sighed and pushed her damp hair back. “And the same as before? He just stood there?”

“Yeah.”

On the computer screen, she watched the chain-smoking, hoodie-wearing visitor work through yet another cigarette before flicking it down to the sand.

“He’s waiting on something,” Catcher observed, voice guileless and quiet. To say he was the sharper of the two twins would have been true – but generous. His eyes, veiled with confusion, flicked up to her with their usual silent plea for explanation.

Jenny sighed. “I think you’re right. The question is what, though.” Or who. “Candy and the guys are on their way back today.” Colin had texted earlier to let her know they’d be home before nightfall. “I’ve got some errands to run, so can you do me a favor and keep an eye on the camera feeds? If that guy shows back up, Talis needs to know about it.”And run his face through the chain link like a can of Play-Doh, she added to herself.

Catcher nodded. “Okay.”

She patted his shoulder and left him to his gadgets, going to find Talis before she headed out.

The sergeant at arms was supervising Pup’s efforts to collect the scattered remains of a busted garbage bag out along the street.

“Someone musta chucked it out of a truck,” Talis said, and spat on the ground to show what he thought of such laziness. “Bastards.”

Pup plucked up something that he held to the sunlight, then gasped, dropped it, and scrubbed his hand down his leg, gagging.

“Use the gloves,” Talis called to him.

The prospect scrambled to pull them from his back pocket and put them on.

“Poor idiot,” Jenny said affectionately. She turned to Talis. “I’m heading out for a little while. Pick up my check, do some shopping, run groceries to Crockett.”

He gave her a sharp look. “You’re going alone?”

“I was planning on it.”

“Shit. Gringo and Cowboy went–”

“I don’t need Gringo and Cowboy,” she assured. “I’m armed. It’s fine.”

He didn’t agree. “Take the prospect, then.”

She snorted. “Because he’s so capable?”

“Use him as a human shield. Whatever. Just don’t go alone.”

He wasn’t going to yell, stamp his foot, and insist, but arguing with the man would be useless.

“Pup,” she said, “forget about the gloves. You’re with me.”

~*~

Colin

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