The drive over to the Tierneys’ takes its usual ten minutes. I could have walked it if I’d cut through the woods. Doesn’t seem like the best idea at the moment. Like Jerry said, May-Bell is waiting up for me. Light pours out the front door, illuminating her round frame before I can cut off my engine.
“Shep.” May-Bell’s face tells me everything about the way I look as I walk up the front steps.
“I’m okay.”
“Come in. Come in.” I don’t realize how cold I am until I set foot inside their house. The heat from the roaring fire warms my whole right side.
“You want something to eat? We have some scraps for this one too.” She reaches down and scratches Titus’s chin.
“No thank you, but a shower would be great.”
“Sure. Come on, honey. Let’s distract you while your dad gets cleaned up.” She ushers Titus into the kitchen and gives him a full bowl of shit that would probably stop his heart if I fed him that way regularly. Their own ancient, extremely deaf bloodhound is passed out near the fireplace.
“Where’s Jad?” I ask.
“He went out to help. You know retirement doesn't mean a thing to him. He has his gun though.”
“Good. I think they caught the other guy.”
“There were two?! You know what? Let me stop rattling on. You look worse than all hell. Come on.”
I follow May-Bell into the bathroom. She grabs me a towel from the linen shelves I'd helped Jad install when he redid their place.
“You get clean and I'll make you something to calm your nerves.” I didn’t realize, but my hands are still shaking.
“Thanks.”
When she’s gone, I strip out of my borrowed clothes that I'll probably ask her to burn, and step in the shower. The hot spray hits me center chest. I grab the Irish Spring and scrub until my hands are almost raw.
May-Bell doesn’t hassle me for the details when I get out. Just hands me her version of a hot toddy and points me toward the couch.
“Didn't think you two would get that beast up the mountain or in the front door,” she says, smiling at the massive sectional I’m sitting on. “Plenty of room for you to put your feet up.” She hands me a quilt, then settles on the far end of the chaise with her own blanket. Neither of us are going to get much sleep.
* * *
Goingto The Corner Diner in the morning is a mistake, but after the shitty night we’d all had, I want to give Jad some time to regroup with May-Bell alone. Plus the diner has the strongest coffee in town. I want to be awake. After May-Bell helps me scrub most of the blood off my front seat, I head down the mountain and go right to the diner.
I’m too out of it from two hours of sleep and what May-Bell pretends wasn't a half fifth of whiskey to expectanything, but everyone stops talking and eating the second I walk in the door. I take off my skull cap, and scratch my beard as I approach the counter.
“Don't mind them all staring at you. We haven't had a hero in here since Eartha came back from Iraq,” Connie says as she places a fresh cup in front of me. “Your usual?” she asks.
“Yeah. Please. Tell Paul double the eggs and the bacon if he's got them.”
“We’re never short on eggs or bacon.” She winks at me, then pats my hand before she moves on. The regular commotion of the diner resumes and I soak in the white noise as I work on my first cup of coffee and then another. I’m almost finished with my Woodsman’s Special when Will comes in and sits down beside me.
“Connie, give me whatever you got that's hot and ready.”
“Just pulled the first pies out. Is peach okay?”
“Throw in some hot chocolate and that's the breakfast of champions.”
I keep my eyes trained forward while he makes himself comfortable on the stool beside me. I know looking at Will might open a door I’m not in the right frame of mind to open, maybe not now or ever.
“I know Jer already asked, but I think you should reconsider,” Will says quietly.
“Reconsider what?”
“Joining the force.”