“Is everything okay here?"
"It's fine.” Nature hugged Sandy close. Sandy didn't say anything. She remained stiff.
Nature left the room and went upstairs to pack. Sandy exited out the side door, heading toward the garage where Deputy Spangle waited.. The engine for the SUV roared to life. Westerly heard gravel hit the garage as it flew out from under the spinning tires. The sound faded as the vehicle left the area, taking Spangle back to the airport. Westerly shook his head. He knew this was going to be a long ride. He only hoped it would be worthwhile and a killer found before it was too late for another girl.
Half an hour later, Nature entered the study with a bundle of men's clothes in her arms. Sheriff Westerly halted his pacing and moved to take them from her. She turned away.
"Please don't touch me."
"Just wanted to help. I forgot about the touching thing.” He backed off.
Nature set the clothes on the loveseat. “There are some shirts, pants, and socks here. We can get the other things you need on the road.” She stepped back, allowing him to come closer.
Westerly picked up a shirt and held it against his body. “Looks like it will fit. Where did you get these things?"
A look of sorrow washed across her face. It was gone a second later. Westerly almost didn't see it, it was erased so quickly. He did not know much about Nature's past. Both she and her secretary did not talk about it. He took the silence as a cue and changed the subject.
"Are we going by way of 94?"
"Yes. We'll take I-94 to I-39 then go south."
"I'll drive first.” Westerly folded the shirt and put it on top of the rest. “What can I put these in?"
Nature didn't argue with Web about the driving. She was exhausted from her restless night. She moved into the hall and brought a suitcase through the door.. She placed it beside the stack of clothes on the loveseat before stepping away.
"Thanks."
The sheriff kept out a pair of jeans and a stripped button up shirt. “I'm going to change before we leave.” He paused and looked at Nature. “You mind stepping out?"
"I'll wait for you in the hall."
Nature closed the door behind her. She knew when she took out Brad's old clothes; it was going to hurt. She did not realize how much until she saw the shirt in front of Web. It brought all her memories back in a rush. She hoped she was not making a mistake by letting the sheriff use them. She was pulling on a pair of soft tan leather gloves when the door opened.
Sheriff Westerly stepped into the hall with his suitcase. He took her breath away. He looked so much like Brad. She turned toward her own suitcase in the hopes of hiding her reaction. Picking it up, she moved toward the front door.
"Let's hit the road."
Westerly gripped the handle of his suitcase tighter and followed Nature. When she didn't lock the door, he paused. “You going to lock up?"
"No one will bother the place."
"You sure about that?"
Nature faced the sheriff. “Sheriff Westerly—do you want to waste time bickering about locking the door—or do you want to get on the road before dark.” She spun around on her heels and continued toward the garage.
Westerly frowned. He did not like the idea of leaving the place unsecured. He set the suitcase down, grabbed the door, opened it, turned the lock, and closed it again. He gave the knob a twist to confirm it was locked before picking up the suitcase and moving toward the garage. Nature was already in the cab, in the passenger seat. The camper was one of those with a truck front and a camper back. He went to the back and put the luggage inside. Returning to the front, he got in the driver's seat.
"Happy?"
"Quite—you?” Westerly responded, a smile covering his face.
Nature looked out the window without responding. Web turned the ignition key and started down the same road Sandy took earlier. He drove toward the town of Jordan where they would get on I-94 East. Silence filled the camper as the miles disappeared behind
"It's fine.” Nature hugged Sandy close. Sandy didn't say anything. She remained stiff.
Nature left the room and went upstairs to pack. Sandy exited out the side door, heading toward the garage where Deputy Spangle waited.. The engine for the SUV roared to life. Westerly heard gravel hit the garage as it flew out from under the spinning tires. The sound faded as the vehicle left the area, taking Spangle back to the airport. Westerly shook his head. He knew this was going to be a long ride. He only hoped it would be worthwhile and a killer found before it was too late for another girl.
Half an hour later, Nature entered the study with a bundle of men's clothes in her arms. Sheriff Westerly halted his pacing and moved to take them from her. She turned away.
"Please don't touch me."
"Just wanted to help. I forgot about the touching thing.” He backed off.
Nature set the clothes on the loveseat. “There are some shirts, pants, and socks here. We can get the other things you need on the road.” She stepped back, allowing him to come closer.
Westerly picked up a shirt and held it against his body. “Looks like it will fit. Where did you get these things?"
A look of sorrow washed across her face. It was gone a second later. Westerly almost didn't see it, it was erased so quickly. He did not know much about Nature's past. Both she and her secretary did not talk about it. He took the silence as a cue and changed the subject.
"Are we going by way of 94?"
"Yes. We'll take I-94 to I-39 then go south."
"I'll drive first.” Westerly folded the shirt and put it on top of the rest. “What can I put these in?"
Nature didn't argue with Web about the driving. She was exhausted from her restless night. She moved into the hall and brought a suitcase through the door.. She placed it beside the stack of clothes on the loveseat before stepping away.
"Thanks."
The sheriff kept out a pair of jeans and a stripped button up shirt. “I'm going to change before we leave.” He paused and looked at Nature. “You mind stepping out?"
"I'll wait for you in the hall."
Nature closed the door behind her. She knew when she took out Brad's old clothes; it was going to hurt. She did not realize how much until she saw the shirt in front of Web. It brought all her memories back in a rush. She hoped she was not making a mistake by letting the sheriff use them. She was pulling on a pair of soft tan leather gloves when the door opened.
Sheriff Westerly stepped into the hall with his suitcase. He took her breath away. He looked so much like Brad. She turned toward her own suitcase in the hopes of hiding her reaction. Picking it up, she moved toward the front door.
"Let's hit the road."
Westerly gripped the handle of his suitcase tighter and followed Nature. When she didn't lock the door, he paused. “You going to lock up?"
"No one will bother the place."
"You sure about that?"
Nature faced the sheriff. “Sheriff Westerly—do you want to waste time bickering about locking the door—or do you want to get on the road before dark.” She spun around on her heels and continued toward the garage.
Westerly frowned. He did not like the idea of leaving the place unsecured. He set the suitcase down, grabbed the door, opened it, turned the lock, and closed it again. He gave the knob a twist to confirm it was locked before picking up the suitcase and moving toward the garage. Nature was already in the cab, in the passenger seat. The camper was one of those with a truck front and a camper back. He went to the back and put the luggage inside. Returning to the front, he got in the driver's seat.
"Happy?"
"Quite—you?” Westerly responded, a smile covering his face.
Nature looked out the window without responding. Web turned the ignition key and started down the same road Sandy took earlier. He drove toward the town of Jordan where they would get on I-94 East. Silence filled the camper as the miles disappeared behind
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