Joyride by Jack Ketchum

I know the difference.”
    He smiled and got out of his chair.
    “When Lee gets in have him give me a call, will you? Just in case he’s heard from him. And if you think of anything—or anybody—let me know, okay?”
    “I will.”
    She walked him to the door.
    “Do you think he could have…what do they call it? Bottomed out?”
    He looked at her.
    “The alcohol,” she said.
    “It happens.”
    “In that case he could be anywhere, couldn’t he. Some bar somewhere. Some alley.”
    He smiled. She didn’t seem terribly unhappy about the prospect. But then he could see why either notion—a serious girlfriend or some final crashing bender—would agree with her. In either case she benefited. She’d be rid of the guy for a while.
    “Not too many dark alleys in Barstow these days,” he said.
    She flushed. “It doesn’t have to be Barstow, does it?”
    “No, it doesn’t. In fact with a man in Howard’s position it’s probably unlikely. Too many ways to embarrass yourself here. He’d probably head out of town if he had any clue he was about to go under. Anyway, thanks. I’ll be in touch with you.”
    “Okay,” she said. “Good luck.”
    As she opened the door he saw a tremble dart through her hand, coming and going like the passage of a sparrow in sudden flight. He headed down the stairs.
    Nah, he thought. Couldn’t be.
    Around cops people got nervous.
    And then he thought, sure it could.
    There was the insurance money for one thing. He wondered if Howard still carried the policy. He’d have to check that.
    He liked the woman. He didn’t like to think about her that way but he had to.
    It always could.

CHAPTER SIX
    “He was here already? Jesus.”
    “He wants you to call.”
    “Why?”
    “In case you’d heard from him lately and didn’t want to tell me.”
    He was standing in the hallway at a distance from her. As though he were afraid of her. As though Rule might have contaminated her somehow. Not that she was looking for hugs and kisses now anyway.
    What she wanted was another vodka.
    She headed for the sideboard.
    “You’re drinking too much,” he said.
    She dropped some ice into her glass.
    “Talk to him first. Then decide how much is too much. For you. Not for me.”
    “He was rough on you?”
    “Not at all. He said it was just a missing persons, that the only reason he was talking to me is that we might have had some phone calls recently. That we might have heard from him.”
    “How did you…?”
    She whirled.
    “I did just fine, Lee. I surprised myself. I’m probably the best little liar in Barstow right now, okay? Are you happy?”
    He watched her pour the Stoli. She was gripping thebottle like the bottle had legs and just might run away from her. She thunked it down.
    “For god’s sake make your call,” she said. “Believe me, you have nothing to worry about. He’s not going to cross-examine you. Not today, anyhow.”
    “Carole…”
    His tone brought her up short. She knew what she’d been doing. In the hour since Rule left it was as though she’d spun a large protective cocoon all around herself, so that whatever she touched never really touched her back—not the couch nor the bottle nor even the warm summer air flowing around her—and that was the way she wanted it, the way she needed it to be.
    But what had grown up inside the cocoon was ugly.
    She put down the glass and walked over. Put her arms around him.
    “I’m sorry.”
    He hugged her.
    “It’s all right. We never expected this to be a breeze, did we.”
    “No. We didn’t.”
    “I’ll call him.” He pointed to the bottle. “But I think I’d like one of those first. What the hell. I’m a hypocrite. Sue me.”
    He kissed her. It was their first real kiss in days.
    And even now she needed to break the embrace. She knew he could feel it. He let her go.
    “Pour me one, will you?” he said. “I want to go clean up. Then I want you to tell me everything you said to him. The whole conversation. Then