I
reckon.”
Jake grunted. “I didn't figure you
would be. I'm surprised you walked this far on your own power,” he
said softly. He rubbed his arms. “It's dang chilly in
here.”
“ That it is. The metal radiates the
cold I reckon,” Annie surmised, shivering.
“ Annie, snuggle up close to me,” Jake
said as he pulled her to him.
They curled up together to keep warm
and dozed off, feeling they were as safe as they were ever going to
get until something permanent happened to Big Ed.
When daylight lit the storm drain,
Annie opened her eyes. She stretched and that woke Jake up.
“Morning, Annie.”
“ Morning, Jake,” she answered as she
wiggled away from his arms.
“ What do we do now?” Jake asked,
raising up to rest his head on his elbow as he looked at
her.
“ I don't rightly know. If we leave
here in the daylight, we're bound to be sighted by someone that
will tell Big Ed.
If we're too far from this hiding
place, he or someone he's paid is gonna try to kill us before we
can get back here to hide,” Annie reasoned.
“ Sure will,” Jake
agreed.
“ I don't even remember for sure where
I left my shopping cart. Do you know where it is?” Annie
asked.
“ You left it back where that drunk
guy shot you. I couldn't carry you and push it in the hurry I was
in. I had to leave it there and my sack, too,” Jake said. “I went
back for the cart and my knapsack on my first night out, but they
had disappeared. Maybe we'll find your shopping cart sitting in an
alley somewheres when it's safer to look for it.”
“ Don't matter none now. Everybody and
his brother has helped themselves to our good loot, including my
jewelry box I reckon. Guess there's no hurry about looking just
yet,” Annie said with regret for the loss of her stash in her
voice. “I just hope that cart's stubborn wheel locks up but good or
falls completely off for whoever stole my cart.”
Jake chuckled. “Maybe that rat trap
hid in the stuff will break a few fingers for their thieving
efforts.”
“ Nah, reckon not,” Annie said as she
looked away.
“ How come?” Jake shot
back.
“ Cause there wasn't a rat trap in the
cart,” Annie admitted.
“ You lied to me about that. Why?”
Jake looked hurt. “Aw, Annie, you sure don't act like you're all
that fond of me,” he said sourly.
“ I had good reason to lie to you
since I didn't want anyone to know I had my gun. It was hidden in
my jewelry box in the bottom of the cart. I didn't want you going
through my stash and find the gun. At the time, you were too dad
burn interested in that jewelry box. I wanted to scare you off,”
Annie explained. “I'm sorry I wasn't truthful. It won't happen
again.”
“ In that case, you're forgiven,” Jake
said as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.
By noon, their stomachs took turns
growling. Annie wrapped her arms around her middle and held on
tight. “I sure wish I had one of those good doughnuts. I'd even
split it with you.”
“ You are so thoughtful to share one,”
Jake said snidely. “But first, we'd have to make it to the doughnut
shop without getting caught by Big Ed. There's not much chance of
us being able to do that in the daylight.”
“ It might be worth it for half an
iced doughnut,” Annie said wistfully. “I'm starving, and I know you
are. I can hear your stomach growling from over here.” She got on
all fours and crawled to the opening to look passed the bushes. No
sign of anyone near by. She looked back. “I'll bring the doughnut
back here to split it with you.”
Jake groaned as he grabbed her right
cowboy boot. “Wait a minute. I can't let you go off alone wounded
like you are. You might wear out before you get to the bakery and
won't be able to make it back. You would be bound to fall flat on
your face where Big Ed can find you. You know that, don't
you?”
“ Aw shucks, I'm feeling much better.
Just weak from hunger. We got to get something to eat, Jake,” Annie
declared.
“ You're crazy for
reckon.”
Jake grunted. “I didn't figure you
would be. I'm surprised you walked this far on your own power,” he
said softly. He rubbed his arms. “It's dang chilly in
here.”
“ That it is. The metal radiates the
cold I reckon,” Annie surmised, shivering.
“ Annie, snuggle up close to me,” Jake
said as he pulled her to him.
They curled up together to keep warm
and dozed off, feeling they were as safe as they were ever going to
get until something permanent happened to Big Ed.
When daylight lit the storm drain,
Annie opened her eyes. She stretched and that woke Jake up.
“Morning, Annie.”
“ Morning, Jake,” she answered as she
wiggled away from his arms.
“ What do we do now?” Jake asked,
raising up to rest his head on his elbow as he looked at
her.
“ I don't rightly know. If we leave
here in the daylight, we're bound to be sighted by someone that
will tell Big Ed.
If we're too far from this hiding
place, he or someone he's paid is gonna try to kill us before we
can get back here to hide,” Annie reasoned.
“ Sure will,” Jake
agreed.
“ I don't even remember for sure where
I left my shopping cart. Do you know where it is?” Annie
asked.
“ You left it back where that drunk
guy shot you. I couldn't carry you and push it in the hurry I was
in. I had to leave it there and my sack, too,” Jake said. “I went
back for the cart and my knapsack on my first night out, but they
had disappeared. Maybe we'll find your shopping cart sitting in an
alley somewheres when it's safer to look for it.”
“ Don't matter none now. Everybody and
his brother has helped themselves to our good loot, including my
jewelry box I reckon. Guess there's no hurry about looking just
yet,” Annie said with regret for the loss of her stash in her
voice. “I just hope that cart's stubborn wheel locks up but good or
falls completely off for whoever stole my cart.”
Jake chuckled. “Maybe that rat trap
hid in the stuff will break a few fingers for their thieving
efforts.”
“ Nah, reckon not,” Annie said as she
looked away.
“ How come?” Jake shot
back.
“ Cause there wasn't a rat trap in the
cart,” Annie admitted.
“ You lied to me about that. Why?”
Jake looked hurt. “Aw, Annie, you sure don't act like you're all
that fond of me,” he said sourly.
“ I had good reason to lie to you
since I didn't want anyone to know I had my gun. It was hidden in
my jewelry box in the bottom of the cart. I didn't want you going
through my stash and find the gun. At the time, you were too dad
burn interested in that jewelry box. I wanted to scare you off,”
Annie explained. “I'm sorry I wasn't truthful. It won't happen
again.”
“ In that case, you're forgiven,” Jake
said as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.
By noon, their stomachs took turns
growling. Annie wrapped her arms around her middle and held on
tight. “I sure wish I had one of those good doughnuts. I'd even
split it with you.”
“ You are so thoughtful to share one,”
Jake said snidely. “But first, we'd have to make it to the doughnut
shop without getting caught by Big Ed. There's not much chance of
us being able to do that in the daylight.”
“ It might be worth it for half an
iced doughnut,” Annie said wistfully. “I'm starving, and I know you
are. I can hear your stomach growling from over here.” She got on
all fours and crawled to the opening to look passed the bushes. No
sign of anyone near by. She looked back. “I'll bring the doughnut
back here to split it with you.”
Jake groaned as he grabbed her right
cowboy boot. “Wait a minute. I can't let you go off alone wounded
like you are. You might wear out before you get to the bakery and
won't be able to make it back. You would be bound to fall flat on
your face where Big Ed can find you. You know that, don't
you?”
“ Aw shucks, I'm feeling much better.
Just weak from hunger. We got to get something to eat, Jake,” Annie
declared.
“ You're crazy for
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