The Dead Won't Die by Joe McKinney Page B

favorite memories from growing up in Arbella was riding his bike through the streets just after dawn and smelling the odor of fresh-baked bread in the air. The same odor hung in the air here, as well, but it was faint, as though all the baking had ended hours earlier.
    Very few of the tables were occupied, and no one seemed to pay them any mind as they walked inside. One table, though, with an older Asian couple, glanced at Chelsea with a worried frown.
    Jacob followed their gaze and instantly understood why. Chelsea’s face was still wet and red from the tears she’d shed in the car. That was going to be a problem.
    But before he could say as much to the girl, a very skinny, but still quite pretty dark-haired woman in a green apron approached them. It looked like she was about to ask them if they’d like to sit down, but then she saw Chelsea. “Is there a problem?” the woman asked.
    Kelly put a hand on Jacob’s arm. “I got it,” she said.
    She leaned in close to the woman in the green apron and whispered something in her ear that Jacob couldn’t quite make out.
    â€œOh,” the woman said. She turned and pointed down the hallway that led to the back of the restaurant. “Sure, yeah, of course. It’s straight back through there, second door on the left.”
    â€œThank you,” Kelly said.
    â€œIf you look in the cabinet under the sink you should find some complimentary ones, if you don’t have what you need.”
    â€œPerfect,” Kelly said. “Jacob, will you find us a seat?”
    â€œUh, sure,” Jacob said.
    Kelly put her arm around Chelsea and led her away.
    The hostess motioned toward a table in the corner. “Will that work for you guys?”
    The table was right next to a window. At a glance, Jacob could see a wide section of the street to the west of them, and the mouth of the alley where they’d hid the car to the east. “Yeah,” he said, forcing a smile. He was anxious, his nerves a wreck as he started to come down off the adrenaline dump he’d experienced during the gunfight and their escape. But he knew he had to hold it together. “Sure. This is lovely. Thank you.”
    â€œCan I get you a drink?”
    He ordered a glass of sweet tea with some lemonade in it. After the hostess left him, he sighed heavily and sank into himself. He closed his eyes and let go of as much of the built-up fear and confusion as he could. It helped a little, but not much. He still felt like a live wire had been wrapped around his skin.
    He ran a finger across the clean, white tablecloth, over the shiny silverware, watched the sun sparkle in the empty glasses. Everything was so clean and fancy here in Temple. This was a rich and powerful society, and the truth was, they had him by the balls. Jacob and Kelly were completely lost here. Kelly hardly knew her way around at all, and Jacob certainly didn’t. Chelsea had no doubt spent some of her time since returning to Temple getting reacquainted with her old home, but even her knowledge of the place couldn’t get them far, and he began to wonder what a culture that despised police officers did with murderers like him.
    Outside, a large shadow crossed the street.
    Jacob craned his neck forward, so he could see the sky. A large black, wasp-looking aircraft was circling overhead. Gooseflesh suddenly broke out all over Jacob’s skin. His hands went numb. They’d caught up with them already.
    As he watched the sky, two more of the wasp-like aircraft appeared. The three of them circled above the alley near where they’d ditched the car, and Jacob realized to his horror that Kelly had been exactly right. She’d no doubt saved their lives.
    Now it was up to him to get them the rest of the way.
    He rose from his chair, and as he did, two of the aircraft veered off and started making slow circles of the surrounding area.
    A fourth aircraft, larger and boxier than the first