Page 24 of True Valor
“Sure.”Julie shrugged, her voice taut.
She definitely wasn’t happy with either hisdecision or his request to go back to sleep.Too damn bad.Itwasn’t long, though, before he felt her climb back under thecovers.
Nic and Julie spent the day in the motelroom, making notes from the previous evening.With Julie’spermission, Nic found a copy place and faxed both theirobservations and the suicide note to Cruz, followed by a call.
Cruz didn’t have anything new, but expressedinterest in Julie’s theory that her father hadn’t written the note.He wasn’t entirely comfortable with them going back to the houselater tonight.His warnings set Nic’s nerves on edge.
Nic wasn’t the only one on edge.Julie spentmost of the day stalking the small room, chaffing at theinactivity.
“If you don’t sit down, I may strangle you.”Even to him, it sounded like a growl.
Julie stopped, frowned at him, and pointedlyreturning to her incessant movement.She might as well have stuckher tongue out.
“Fine.”Nic launched off the bed and scoopedup his coat.“I’ll be back.”
“Scotch, rocks,” Nic told the man behind thebar, who smiled with understanding and plunked two ice cubes into aglass.
“Lady troubles?”
Nic didn’t even look up.He blew out hisbreath in the affirmative and reached for the glass, swirling theamber liquid over the ice.The room was nearly empty, but somehowthe smoky atmosphere seemed to hang over, presumably from the nightbefore.
“You’re not from around here.”The bartendersaid, swiping a damp rag along the bar.
“Nope.”
“On vacation?”
Nic silenced further inquiry with a look.Theman shrugged, mumbled “suit yourself” and moved to the other end ofthe bar.Nic downed the first drink, nodded for a refill andsauntered over to the pool table as the bartender welcomed a fewregulars that had arrived.As he racked the balls, the door openedagain and Nic ventured a glance in that direction, half expectingJulie to have tracked him down to pester him more.What he saw waseven more disconcerting.
“Hey, Jerry.”The uniformed man touched hishat in greeting to the bartender.“Everything quiet, huh?”
“As usual.”
Nic lowered his head, leaning down to line upthe cue ball.Invisible.Be invisible.If he left now, he’d lookguilty.
“Nice break,” the deputy said to Nic, as hestrolled around the room, stopping to check for change in the payphone.
“Thanks.”Keep walking, pal.Nic found a shotthat would allow him to turn his back on the deputy, blowing out astrangled sigh when the intruder moved toward the door.
“Keep it clean, Jerry,” he said on his wayout.
The patrons at a nearby table shook theirheads and smiled.Jerry flipped the man off and continued hisduties.Nic patiently cleared the table, threw back his drink andleft.
He expected the third degree when he walkedinto the room.Instead, Julie put on her coat.
“I’m hungry.Let’s pick up a burger orsomething on the way.”No third degree, but the little woman wasdefinitely ticked about something.
“Whatever.”Nic didn’t even take off hiscoat, just turned and went back outside.
“You need me to drive?”
“No.”
They parked the car on a different street, ina different direction this time.Julie hardly spoke two words onthe way.
“What’s the plan?”Nic asked as theywalked.
“Dad had a place where he hid Mom’s presents.I’ll check there to see if he left anything for me.I guess wecould check my bedroom and maybe his desk, too.”
