Page 12 of Final Escape
CHAPTER THREE
The clerk, a stockymiddle-aged woman with Norma emblazoned on her name badge, finished ringing up Carrie’s last item. “You must be planning on a blizzard in June, with all these groceries.”
Carrie smiled at the teenage boy bagging the last of her purchases and rescued a bottle of Diet Coke before it disappeared into a bag with her canned goods. “With a weekend ahead, I probably won’t want to brave the tourist traffic to come back into town.”
“And this is just mid-June. Wait till the Fourth of July.” Chewing on her lower lip, Norma tilted her head and studied the name on Carrie’s check, then slid it into the cash register and handed her the receipt. “There was someone in here asking about you the other day.”
Small-town gossips at work, no doubt. Carrie rolled her eyes. “I hope you had good things to say.”
“It was some guy who wondered if I knew where you lived.”
Carrie stilled. “He? Did he say who he was?”
Norma thought for a moment. “Nope. It was real busy at the time. He didn’t buy anything, just sort of cut into the line to ask me and then he left.”
“Do you remember what he looked like?”
“I just had a glimpse of him, but he was a nice-looking man. Dark hair. Thirties, maybe.”
Which could be Billy or a thousand other guys. But how many other guys would be looking forher?Carrie fidgeted with her key ring. “Do you remember what day?”
“Honey, at my age the days sort of blur together. It was early in the week, anyways. I know I haven’t seen you since then.”
“Did you tell him where I live?”
“I may be getting old, but I’m not stupid. If he was an ax murderer, I’d never forgive myself. But,” Norma added, “everyone in town knows about you being the new teacher here. And with the Bradleys’ trouble last year and you staying out there, word gets around.”
Which meant there was a good chance someone might have shared that information without a second thought. But then again, maybe the guy had been totally innocent. Someone needing to deliver a package, perhaps.
But Norma would’ve noticed a FedEx or UPS uniform.
Carrie managed a smile. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Norma’s forehead creased into a worried frown. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. You look worried.”
“Believe me, I want to know.”
Norma gave her head a decisive nod. “Well, if I see this fella again, I’ll be sure to tell you. And he won’t be getting any information from me.”
Carrie smiled in thanks as she headed for the exit, the bag boy following at her heels with the cart.Small towns,she thought with an inward sigh. Friendly, connected and sometimes entirely too trusting. Maybe Norma would be careful...but what if it was already too late?
* * *
THE VIEW WAS PERFECT, from the shaded spot between the drugstore and Marv’s Saddle Shop and Shoe Repair. The tourists window-shopping along Main Street were a better cover yet. And if anyone else saw him, it wouldn’t matter. He blended right into the fabric of this vacation destination town.
