the steps. They stood on the porch and watched her and Jane get into the Volvo.
“Now what?” Ace said.
“According to Officer Friendly’s intervention plan they go in town and get a room. I’ll walk in, see the sights, hook up in an hour or so when everybody’s cooled down.”
“Well, good luck cooling down in July in North Dakota,” Ace said.
“You got a point. A girl walking down a hot highway probably could use a lift,” she said.
“That’s true.”
She rolled her eyes slowly over the bleached brick facade of the Missile Park Bar. “This is fine and all, but is there anyplace around here to get a drink?”
“Like, what did you have in mind?”
Bang. She hit him dead on with a full frontal look. “Surprise me.”
They were standing absolutely still but Ace could feel them rolling side by side like dice.
The red Volvo had pulled on the shoulder, Jane leaning out the driver’s side, looking back. She pounded the horn.
Lyle walked up to the porch and said, “You want to walk or I could drive you around a while and drop you off?”
“I’ll walk, thank you,” she said.
“Well, then,” Lyle said.
“In a minute. Unless I’m breaking any laws standing here,” the redhead asked politely.
“No, ma’am, but funny you should say that, considering where it is you’re standing,” Lyle said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she said.
“Long story,” Ace said.
“Right,” Lyle said.
Across the highway a heavy-set guy in a long-sleeved black shirt came out of the equipment shed, walked to the road, and yelled.
“Hey, Ace! What’s the problem?”
Lyle waved him off. “Nothing. Just talk.”
“You all right?” the guy yelled.
“I’m fine,” Ace yelled back
The guy nodded, peered at the redhead for several seconds, and then retreated back into the shed.
Ace held out his hand to the redhead. “Ace Shuster.”
She raked his face with her conflicted eyes and almost smiled. Then she closed up her face, took his hand in hers, and said, “Nina Pryce. Pleased to meet you.”
She turned and started walking toward the town.
Ace heard Gordy come up behind him.
“We gotta talk before you go do anything,” Gordy said. Ace didn’t respond at first, he was very involved in watching Nina stride away along the gravel shoulder. Gordy tapped him on the shoulder.
“What, her?” Ace shrugged. “She’s just looking for a party.”
Gordy shook his head. “C’mon, Ace, look at her. She’s way too put together to be some lush.”
Ace grinned. “You check out that ear? Like it got cut off or something. That’s different. Little skull-and-crossbones action on her shoulder…”
“I ain’t joking here. Take a look around. Where are we?”
Ace exhaled. “You’re ruining my morning, Gordy.”
“Nobody comes here except for weddings, funerals, or to deliver something…” Gordy paused and plucked at his sideburns.
“Deliver something,” Ace repeated, mulling it. But still staring down the road.
“Yeah, like say a subpoena, or a warrant, or a wire.”
“You think she’s a cop,” Ace said flatly. He turned and faced Gordy.
“Just saying keep an open mind, like she could be some kind of snitch thrown in the mix, kinda off the wall,” Gordy said.
“How sure are you? Hundred percent?”
Gordy scrunched up his face, thinking. “Well, the kid…”
Ace nodded. “One hell of a novel approach for a cop outta Bismarck, I’d say. The kid was good . I’m keeping an open mind. But the kid was for real.”
“They got satellite cameras that take pictures from space, man. They got infrared over the border now. They can come up with a kid.”
Ace turned and squinted down the road. He could just make out one last flash off the sweat on her shoulder blades. “An undercover? Why now? I’m not breaking any laws, am I?”
“We been through this with the state cops. Now that the volume is scaled way down, you’re not drawing any heat. Hell, man, you’re up for sale.
“Now what?” Ace said.
“According to Officer Friendly’s intervention plan they go in town and get a room. I’ll walk in, see the sights, hook up in an hour or so when everybody’s cooled down.”
“Well, good luck cooling down in July in North Dakota,” Ace said.
“You got a point. A girl walking down a hot highway probably could use a lift,” she said.
“That’s true.”
She rolled her eyes slowly over the bleached brick facade of the Missile Park Bar. “This is fine and all, but is there anyplace around here to get a drink?”
“Like, what did you have in mind?”
Bang. She hit him dead on with a full frontal look. “Surprise me.”
They were standing absolutely still but Ace could feel them rolling side by side like dice.
The red Volvo had pulled on the shoulder, Jane leaning out the driver’s side, looking back. She pounded the horn.
Lyle walked up to the porch and said, “You want to walk or I could drive you around a while and drop you off?”
“I’ll walk, thank you,” she said.
“Well, then,” Lyle said.
“In a minute. Unless I’m breaking any laws standing here,” the redhead asked politely.
“No, ma’am, but funny you should say that, considering where it is you’re standing,” Lyle said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she said.
“Long story,” Ace said.
“Right,” Lyle said.
Across the highway a heavy-set guy in a long-sleeved black shirt came out of the equipment shed, walked to the road, and yelled.
“Hey, Ace! What’s the problem?”
Lyle waved him off. “Nothing. Just talk.”
“You all right?” the guy yelled.
“I’m fine,” Ace yelled back
The guy nodded, peered at the redhead for several seconds, and then retreated back into the shed.
Ace held out his hand to the redhead. “Ace Shuster.”
She raked his face with her conflicted eyes and almost smiled. Then she closed up her face, took his hand in hers, and said, “Nina Pryce. Pleased to meet you.”
She turned and started walking toward the town.
Ace heard Gordy come up behind him.
“We gotta talk before you go do anything,” Gordy said. Ace didn’t respond at first, he was very involved in watching Nina stride away along the gravel shoulder. Gordy tapped him on the shoulder.
“What, her?” Ace shrugged. “She’s just looking for a party.”
Gordy shook his head. “C’mon, Ace, look at her. She’s way too put together to be some lush.”
Ace grinned. “You check out that ear? Like it got cut off or something. That’s different. Little skull-and-crossbones action on her shoulder…”
“I ain’t joking here. Take a look around. Where are we?”
Ace exhaled. “You’re ruining my morning, Gordy.”
“Nobody comes here except for weddings, funerals, or to deliver something…” Gordy paused and plucked at his sideburns.
“Deliver something,” Ace repeated, mulling it. But still staring down the road.
“Yeah, like say a subpoena, or a warrant, or a wire.”
“You think she’s a cop,” Ace said flatly. He turned and faced Gordy.
“Just saying keep an open mind, like she could be some kind of snitch thrown in the mix, kinda off the wall,” Gordy said.
“How sure are you? Hundred percent?”
Gordy scrunched up his face, thinking. “Well, the kid…”
Ace nodded. “One hell of a novel approach for a cop outta Bismarck, I’d say. The kid was good . I’m keeping an open mind. But the kid was for real.”
“They got satellite cameras that take pictures from space, man. They got infrared over the border now. They can come up with a kid.”
Ace turned and squinted down the road. He could just make out one last flash off the sweat on her shoulder blades. “An undercover? Why now? I’m not breaking any laws, am I?”
“We been through this with the state cops. Now that the volume is scaled way down, you’re not drawing any heat. Hell, man, you’re up for sale.
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