Chapter 18

That night, over a supper of home-made fajitas, they all had a long talk. Tommy, Nia, Beth, Lisa, Bob, and Skye.

Beth was almost fanatic, convinced that it had something to do with the ‘Angel de la muerte’ hit that had been put out on Tommy. But she finally conceded that an alliance between the San Antonio FBI and the Silverspur police chief to get Tommy in a compromised position was too much of a stretch.

Nia just remained quiet and listened for most of the conversation. Her only words so far were, “I’m okay. I’ll be right beside Tommy the whole time.”
She fixed Bob with her cold stare, “And I’ll be armed, so I’m not that worried.” Bob just nodded.

They carefully discussed what the best plan of action would be, and what they might be asked, without discussing or predetermining their answers to any questions.

A quick phone call, and conversation, and Beth had ‘orders’ to use her patrol car for the trip, but to be sure and keep receipts so Buck could “bill the fuck” out of the FBI for this politically motivated crap.

And ... Yes, Lisa was a party to the trip as well as being listed right underneath Tommy in her records as an ‘immediate family member’. So it was okay for Lisa to ride in the car any time needed. Even on calls, if she filled out a ‘ride-along’ waiver.

Skye called Tammy, who wasn’t very thrilled until Skye told her she would be able to work on her laptop during the drive and any down-time.

Before everyone split up for the night, Nia finally spoke. “I was serious earlier. I will be armed, and I believe you all of you should be as well. Maybe even in uniforms, so nobody can say you were ‘mistaken for a criminal’ or some such bullshit.”
“And I think Tom needs to be told about ALL of this, so he can act on the information as he deems necessary from his end.”

“I’ll call him first thing in the morning.” Tommy said, without hesitation.
“And I agree, we can all wear our uniforms without any problems.”

Thinking a moment, he added, “And so should the rest of you.”

Bob looked at him incredulously. “They can’t. They’d be arrested for impersonating, and we’d be in trouble for letting them.”

Tommy laughed, “Not actual uniforms Bob.” “I think a good ‘uniform’ for Nia, Lisa, and Skye would be jeans, sweatshirts, and some extra ‘chesticle’ support from our armory.”
“Know what I mean Bob?”

Bob nodded. “I was already going to suggest that, you just stole my thunder. We’ll stop by the office in the morning.”

Skye leaned to Lisa and whispered something, who shrugged and whispered to Beth, who busted out laughing for a minute. Beth caught her breath and announced loudly, “Breasts, Lisa.”
“Tits. Boobs. Fun-bags. Hooters. Milkers. Boobies. The term ‘chesticles’ is just a play on men’s ‘testicles’.”

Tommy, Nia, and Bob laughed so hard they had tears rolling down their faces. Lisa blushed deep crimson and added, “You forgot to add ‘Money Makers’ ... Bitch.”

Skye just smirked and stared daggers at Bob for laughing. Which made him laugh even harder.
Nonplussed by her derision, he added, “You forgot ‘Swinging Suck-ables’ Beth.
“And I reckon ‘belly button warmers’ fits too ... For some folks.

Skye picked up and rolled a sales catalog from the countertop and whacked him on his upper shoulders and head. “Bad man! Bad, bad, man!” She scolded him like a dog.
Everyone cracked up at that.

Everyone went home, except Beth and Lisa. They stayed because they would be further eyewitnesses as to Tommy’s whereabouts.

After they had settled down, and were snuggled in bed, Nia asked Tommy, “Do they really think you killed the Doctor?”

He sighed, “I doubt it. I have to agree with Beth, this is to get us all together and in one spot. I’m just not sure why, or who, would benefit from that.”

Nia surprised Tommy by cupping his manhood and the sack below, idly playing with it, but then asking, “Is it going to be hot? Or heavy?”

He chuckled, “If you keep that up? Yes.”

She removed her hand and fake pouted. “I meant the vest ... butt-head.”

He answered her seriously, “The longer you wear it, maybe. And it depends on the temperature. You’ll just have to see.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Then reached down and teased her as well, as he kissed her neck and face. In no time they were again sweaty, sticky, and cuddling each other as they caught their breath again.

“I love you.” She told him.
“I adore you.” He told her.

He switched off the bedside lamp, and they were asleep very soon after.

Tommy awoke to a strange feeling. Not the cool air that was lightly being washed over their naked and uncovered bodies by the slowly turning ceiling fan. But something else. A ‘feeling’ he was only sensing. He slowly moved his hand to brush Nia’s hair from his eyes.

Beth was sitting, cross-legged, on the lower corner of the bed. In full uniform. Just looking at them. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she just smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and winked at him. Easing up off the bed, she gently pulled the sheet to cover them, then sat down beside him and leaned over into his arms.

“What’s wrong Bet?” He asked her.

She began to cry. Softly shaking. Burying her face in his chest as he hugged her. Nia was awakened by the movement and took in the scene. She eased out of bed and went into the bathroom to pee. Returning with a warm washcloth.

She just sat behind Beth and hugged herself to her back.

As she bathed Beth’s face, she asked, “Are you okay Beth?”

Beth shook her head to the negative.

Glancing at the clock, Nia softly told Tommy to go get his shower and she’d just go second. She asked Beth, “Anything you wanna to talk to me about?”

Beth nodded her head.

In the bathroom, Tommy noted his shampoo was almost out while he emptied his bladder. He wrapped his towel around his waist and went to the hall bath where the storage closet was.

Grabbing a new bottle from the dozen or so he kept on hand, he turned. And that’s when he noticed ‘IT’ ... laying there on the sink. Picking it up, he was both saddened, and happy, at the same time.

He brought IT with him, and went back to his room, where he set the shampoo on the dresser then walked to the bed and sat down.
“Beth?” He asked her gently. “How far along are ya sweetie?”

Nia looked at him like he just grew Two extra heads. “How? ... She just now told me.” He just held up the little plastic ‘IT’ in front of them.

Beth sobbed, “Five weeks. Maybe Less. I missed ‘Aunt-Flow’ last week. I knew it could’ve been stress so I didn’t sweat it, but also knew it could have been real. That’s why I tested this morning.”

“Steve?” He asked. Ignorantly.

She glared at him for a few moments. “Well, if not his, then it’s YOURS.” She said back. “You are the only two men I have slept with, or anything else, since I was 10-years-old.”
“Asshole.”

She added to Nia with a chuckle, “Just like a man to ask THAT kind of question.”

“What will you do?” Nia asked her, thinking of her job.

“Keep it, of course. It’s something I really and truly wanted to begin with. And now that it’s with Steve, I want it even more.”

Then pointedly said to Nia, “I don’t believe in murdering babies for convenience. Abortion is for rape and medical emergencies only.”

Nia shook her head, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I agree with you 1000%. I was thinking about your work. Can you be a Deputy with a big swollen belly?”

Tommy laughed, “It’s not ‘big swollen’ yet babe. She’s got a few months to go.”

Nia stood, “I give up. Pick on someone else. I’m getting my shower.” And she stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Then he came right back out and hugged Beth furiously, “Congratulations ... if this is what you wanted, I’m happy for you. I love you sweetie.”

Then she kissed Tommy, “I love you too ... Asshole.” And she went back to the bathroom.
Beth and Tommy laughed.

Then Tommy asked, “Why didn’t you wake me? What’s up with the voyeurism this morning?”

“I was just looking at the two of you, all snuggled up so content ... and loved. I just thought it was the most beautiful scene I have ever saw. I wanted to paint you guys. Oil on canvas. I decided it would be called ‘True Love’.”

“You paint now?” He asked her.

“No ... Asshole ... I can’t paint for shit. It was just a stupid daydream. Me feeling all romantic and shit.” She laughed. “Too much Bob Ross has afflicted my brain I guess.”

He joked back at her, “You should take pictures.”

She made a face, “Gross. I don’t want pictures of your dong and dingle-berries ... or even your sleeping sweet, beautiful naked wife.”

He pinched her arm. “Don’t be mean.”
“I meant take pictures of you. In your contesting bikini perhaps? One-a-week. Pick a specific day and place, and take a photo on that same day, every week, until after the baby is born.”

She smiled. “That’s a nice suggestion. Thanks Bubber. You aren’t an asshole any more ... this morning.”

“Hey,” He said. “Just for the record ... YOU are loved very much too. So don’t forget it.”

She hugged and kissed him, then grabbed her test stick and headed for the door.
“I’m keeping this too. For the scrap book.” As she closed the door behind her.

Tommy grabbed his shampoo and went into the bathroom. He slid into the shower behind Nia, wrapping his arms around her.

“I love you so very much.” He softly told her. “I wish I could find better words to truly convey just how much.”

She turned her soapy body, and slippery-slipped in his arms, to face him. Reaching up she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down. “I love you too. More than I have the words to say as well.” And she kissed him.

Washing, without ‘horseplay’, took up the next 20 minutes. Then Tommy shaved while Nia got dressed.

She decided on her blue denim jeans, her brown leather belt, a gray t-shirt, and her white sneakers. She added the holster and mag pouches to the belt, then the Glock and extra mags. She was wearing Tommy’s tan BRC cap on her head.
Or more accurately ‘her’ cap now.

She went into the kitchen for a glass of juice before packing. Lisa and Beth were there, sipping coffee, and complimented her outfit.

Tommy was mostly dressed when she got back to the room. He wore his blue wrangler jeans, black boots, a long sleeve CBP uniform shirt, and his pistol with mags in the ‘fancy’ holster and mag pouches. A gray felt Stetson ‘Gus’ was on the bed. (NO, it is NOT bad luck. That stupid shit is for the weak minded.)

He was trying to force the ‘not-at-all-sharp’ pin of his badge through the little stitched up tiny buttonhole spaces on the shirt. Nia helped him, then popped his collar brass and name tag onto his shirt for him.

His phone rang. It was Bob. They spoke a moment as Nia packed things.
“Okay then, see you in about Thirty.” Tommy told him.

Nia looked at him strangely.
He told her, “We’re riding in an agency car. They’ll be here in 30 minutes.”

Beth and Lisa left to go pack their own overnight bags so they wouldn’t hold up the group.

Bob pulled up in a shiny black Cadillac Escalade. Tommy whistled as he got out, and Bob explained, “Comfortable, classy, and Armored. Just the thing for active people on the go.

Overnight bags and gun cases went into the back cargo area. All loaded up, they pulled out. Tommy and Bob up front, Skye and Nia in the back. They stopped and Tommy locked the gate at the road.

First stop, the office. Lisa and Beth pulled in close behind.

It took almost an hour to fit the girls with soft body armor.
Actually, it took only 20 minutes for both Nia and Skye. The next half hour was spent trying to accommodate Lisa’s bountiful ‘chesticles’ within fashionable kevlar.

The vests all had CBP patches sewn on the back, so with a sneaky grin, Bob reached in a drawer and handed Nia and Lisa each a badge and belt clip.
“Hang those on your belts beside your holsters when we’re out in public or around the meeting place.” He told them.
“But if anyone who remotely looks ‘official’ asks, you are NOT agents. It’s purely for camouflage. We don’t want any ‘impersonating’ charges.”

The girls also tried their hoodies on over the vests. It all fit fine, and wasn’t too tight, concealing the fact they were wearing vests easily. They wore the vests from that time forward.

Now?” Bob asked Tommy.

“Yeah, I think so.” He replied.

He then produced a funny looking shiny silver bag. “Okay everyone, Cell Phones off and into this bag.”

All complied, and now the signals were totally unable to get out of the special material.

He opened a drawer and pulled out a box. From it he handed out prepaid ‘burner’ phones to everyone. Each had an earpiece for hands free.

They were labeled with each persons name, and had already been programmed with all the other burner numbers and contacts. The only numbers outside their group were Buck’s office number and Tom’s office number.

The bag would travel with them, but their personal phones couldn’t be used to track them. They then left the building.

On the way out, Tommy stepped into an office and spoke briefly with a huge guy sitting at a desk. The guy’s arms looked like he could lift Mount Olympus. Tommy handed him a manila envelope and the guy just nodded, shook Tommy’s hand, and nodded.

Tommy leaned into Beth’s window and kissed her cheek. “Drive safe Bet. I’ll talk to you at the Whataburger in about an hour. If we lose phone signal, we can use the lights and sirens to get each others’ attention, and the radios as a last resort if something pops up.”

“Whataburger?” Beth started to ask.

But he just said, “Later. You’ll see.”
He winked at Lisa and walked off.

He sat in the back with Nia, behind Skye. They held hands as they rode. Nia squeezed his hand and pointed her finger forward. Bob was holding Skye’s hand as well, softly caressing the back of it with his thumb.

Everyone talked and laughed, but both Bob and Tommy were also scanning for threats the whole drive.

When they got near the Exit for the Whataburger, where he had taken Skye and Nia before, Skye sounded off, just as Tommy had figured.
“Whataburger!!! I want Whataburger.” Bob laughed and took the exit.

Once parked, they piled out and went inside. They had to seem an odd crowd. Three uniformed officers, and three armed women wearing jeans and plain gray hoodies.

During the meal Skye told the group about their first stop here. Tommy laughed about it, and Nia blushed.

“Really?” Lisa asked. “First kiss? At a Whataburger?”
She snorted. “He sure is weird sometimes.”
“Dude, you need to pick a better places for your lasting memories. Somewheres more romantic.”
Beth kicked her shin under the table and gave her a look.

“Guess you had to be there to understand.” He said, a little annoyed at her inability to keep herself from shitting on things that she didn’t understand, or that didn’t fit her personal preferences.

They ate and talked and joked for a while, then moved on. Same vehicle seating as before.

Tommy called Tom and filled him in.
Tom agreed that the venue was too suspicious. “Tell them they can come here if they want to meet. I have a conference room that seats 50. That should be big enough.”
“And don’t take no for an answer.”

He added, “Call me when you hit the County line. I got a couple guys out that way.”
Tommy agreed and they hung up.

Tommy made the call at the county line sign, and sure enough, two patrol cars fell in behind them at the next on-ramp.

They were shadowed all the way into and through town. The two deputies honked and waved as they drove past the group, sitting in line at the front entrance of the Westin. Another call was made, and Tom was advised they had arrived in good order.

Bob got the group checked in, under the Agency’s name rather than their own. They parked their own vehicles in the garage rather than using the valet service. A big tip to the valet and they were assured extra attention would be given to the security of their vehicles.

They unloaded onto the carts that the bellmen brought to them, and made their way to the suite. They had three connecting rooms, each with its own bath. Between was a large common area. There was a nice balcony which was immediately ruled out for use, and the curtains were closed and pinned together. It had a kitchenette, a mini bar, a piano, and a nice size hot tub. Six adults could easily fit in it with plenty of personal space.

“Am I the only one who didn’t bring a suit?” Skye lamented. Sad nods all around.

“Well, we’ll just have to make a quick side trip to china-mart when we go to the steak house for supper.” Tommy said. He didn’t get ANY negative feedback on his idea.

As it was only 1 PM, they all decided to just rest for a while and go out around 6 PM. The uniforms and vests were off in a flash.

Tommy used his cell phone and called the office. He told Ms. Sadie that they had all arrived in SA, and to please call and advise the FBI they were in town and would contact them before 5 PM. Bob just nodded at him and winked at his effort to ‘relay’ the information rather than calling himself.

Tommy and Nia went into their room, and he sat on the bed. He took a deep breath and then blew it out, then laid back on the mattress.

Nia silently picked up his foot and removed his boots, repeating on the other foot. She lifted and twisted his legs until he was laying full on the bed.

Snuggling in beside him she spoke, “We’re gonna be okay, Tommy. Stop worrying yourself so bad. Everything is going to work out just fine.”

He wrapped an arm around her, and she laid her head on his chest. “I know baby. I’m trying.”
“I just can’t stop thinking that this is somehow all my fault though. And I keep wondering and running past actions through my head, trying to think of where I might have fucked up.”
“Then I wonder why the FBI would bring us all the way here like this. It’s so VERY irregular.”

She just shrugged. “We’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” He said. “There’s THAT too.”

She patted his chest. “Let’s go get something to drink and we can talk to the others. Maybe that will help.”

At 3 PM, Bob woke from his nap and walked into the big sitting area. “Why did you guys let me sleep so long, I only intended to rest a little while?” He did a double-take at the view he beheld.

Tommy was in a recliner, Skye sitting on his lap and cuddled to his chest in much the same way that Beth had been so often recently. He could tell that she had been crying.

Nia sat on the sofa right beside them, looking pretty glum herself.

Beth and Lisa were lounging on a smaller ‘love seat’ across from them, leaning on the arm rests with their legs curled up toward the center. Lisa’s eyes were puffy and her makeup wasn’t looking so great. Beth had a strange, distant, faraway look.

“Okay. What did I miss?” Bob asked as he sat down beside Nia. She leaned into him and he put his arm around her.

“Just going over what we may or may not be questioned about.” Tommy said.

“It’s all bullshit.” Lisa said in a nasally tone.
She blew her nose and added, “We know Tommy didn’t kill the doctor. And we all know this is some sort of setup. And we also know this is all for some bullshit game they are playing with us.”
“It’s a crying damned shame that things are to the point that I truly believe we need to consider taking steps protect ourselves ... our lives ... from our own fucking government.”

Beth smacked her on her thigh. “No need for all the language. We know you’re not happy.”
Then she just looked at Bob. “If ANYONE tries to harm me, my baby, or any of you ... I won’t hesitate.”

Bob nodded. “I feel the same. I think it’s prudent we keep assuming that this is some sort of setup.”
Looking at Beth, “Nobody is going to be allowed to hurt you, your baby,...” he nodded at Lisa, “ ... or anyone else here.”

Nia laughed. “What’s so funny?” Bob asked.

Nia shook her head. “You’ll have to ask Beth.”

Beth broke her serious demeanor and assumed a look of calm happiness.
Looking at Bob, she said, “I’m pregnant, Bob. I meant ‘my baby’ literally.”

He unarmed Nia and stood. Walking to her, he knelt in front of the love seat and reached for Beth, pulling her into a close bear hug. “I’m so happy for you Beth. Congratulations.”
“Skye and I are here for you if you need ANYTHING. Just let us know.”

Beth hugged him back. “Thanks Bob. That means a lot.”

Lisa sat up and leaned over. She kissed Bob’s cheek and told him ‘Thanks’ as well. He colored a little as he stood.

Tommy grunted as Skye pushed off his chest and sat up.
She kissed him softly, right on the lips, “Thanks Tommy, I really needed that. I know it’s crazy, cause Bob gives me more love and attention than I ever thought possible, but I still miss the rest of my family.”
“And thank you for easing my fears. It was really overwhelming me.”

Bob looked lost and confused.

Tommy spoke. “She asked me to be sure I didn’t let anything happen to you Bob. She’s worried sick that you’ll put yourself in harms way for one of us and get hurt.”
“I assured her that it has been my job to cover yours and my teams asses for quite some time, and I was real good at it.”

Bob laughed as Skye sat beside him. “Honey, he’s not lying. That literally IS his job, or has been. He’s our over-watch on raids and operations.”

“Over-watch?” Skye asked. Puzzled.

“That means he’s a sniper that takes up a position to cover everyone and kill anyone that tries to hurt them.” Lisa said, kinda smugly, since she knew the answer.

Nia stared at her with ‘the look’. She looked like she wanted to comment, but didn’t. “Beth, did you need a turn with Tommy?” She asked instead.

Beth looked at her and smiled, thought a moment, then told her, “No thanks. Raincheck.”

Nia stood to take the spot on his lap that Skye had vacated. She saw Lisa’s short lived hopeful look fade to sad.

Crossing the space between them, she took Lisa’s hand and pulled her up.
“Come take a turn.” Nia said to her. “It’s good for the soul. Just ask anyone.”

Lisa was a little tentative as she sat sideways on his lap, kinda turned her upper body towards him, and leaned into Tommy’s chest. She was taller than the others, so her chin was on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, then whispered something into her ear.

She nodded her head as she slowly sagged until she was pulled against him limply, then buried her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder and hugged him back tightly. She began to shake, and Beth sat up as she realized Lisa was crying. Nia sat by Beth and hugged her.

Lisa just clung to Tommy and cried, stroking the opposite side of his face and head. He whispered again, and she nodded and kissed his cheek.

The little group heard her say softly to him, “I love you too Tommy. And I’m sorry I’ve been so bitchy. You’re right, I was feeling kinda left out and unloved. And I know it’s just me being stupid.”

He answered her, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. “No reason to feel that way Lisa. We ALL love you sweetie. You’re part of this family now.”
“We are all here whenever you need a hug, or a cuddle, or just someone to vent to. All you have to do is let us know.”

She nodded and cried some more at his words.
She eventually turned and looked at the others, then giggled. “You guys are right. This is the most comfortable and soul comforting seat in the house.”

Everyone laughed and she looked at Tommy. “Thank you. You’ll never know how much that means to me.” She kissed his lips softly and got up.
Then she pulled Nia to her feet and hugged her too. She kissed Nia’s cheek and whispered something into her ear, then lightly pushed her over towards Tommy.

Nia took her seat on Tommy and snuggled to him. “See. I told you all he had enough for everyone.” Then she had a little fit of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Skye asked her.

“I was just thinking about my words. Then I imagined Buck or Bob sitting here like this.”

The whole room, minus Bob, cracked up at the mental image.

“Don’t think he doesn’t do that for us. Might be different way, but he gives us those warm fuzzy feelings and sense of security too.”
“Like Lisa said, he’s the one who watches over us all when it counts.”

Nia looked over at Lisa. “For the record, Tommy doesn’t kill people willy-nilly. He eliminates the threats against those he cares about.”

“I know.” Said Lisa. “Sorry about that too.”

Lisa sat up a little and looked at each person in the room for a second. Then she looked at Beth for a long moment.
Beth just smiled at her and nodded.

Lisa sat up straighter, then looked at Tommy and Nia as she spoke.
“I have a confession to make to you all, and I hope you don’t think badly of me when you hear it.”

She sighed. “I might come across as a big dumb blonde about some things, and I might seem to only be good at serving drinks half naked, shaking my ass and tits at men for money, or flaunting my assets while flirting with the people in the diner ... but that’s not entirely true.”

She took a breath and seemed really nervous. “All my life it seems I have been expected to look pretty, or look sexy, and to keep my ideas and opinions to myself. Just shut-up and look good.”
“I guess I got good at hiding my true self all the time, and I have trouble not doing the ‘ditzy blonde’ thing around you guys.”

“I know stuff.” She shrugged. “Lots of stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” Skye asked.

Lisa giggled, “Well ... off the top of my head ... I know stuff about people and what’s going on.”

SHe pointed, “Tommy carries a Colt 1911 with Army property markings. His magazines are Wilson Combat 8 round in stainless steel instead of the 7 round G.I. mags.”

“He most likely dipped smokeless tobacco in the past. He likely did it for only a short time, or he quit soon after buying those jeans, cause he has a faint ring on his left back pocket.”

“He carries his wallet in his right back pocket, at least the majority of the time, because the worn area is the same in all his jeans.”
“He also has worn outlines on all his jeans that tells me he carries a small pocketknife, he carries a small gun in his front right pocket a lot, and I can also tell that Nia is a very lucky lady in the bedroom.” And she blushed.

“Bob carries a Glock 34 in 9mm, and three spare magazines rather than two.” He wears it at 4 to 5 O’clock on his right hip, and the extra mags are in a ‘quick clip’ carrier that he doesn’t wear as often as the holster. I can tell that because of the wear on the leather finish.”

“Beth’s new car is really nice, but it also has some quirks.”
“The reflective striping on the passenger side is a little off. Either it was replaced, or they had to use a different lot because they ran out.”

“The tag number is ‘C 1012’, and the unit is 1-012.”
“This is perhaps significant because that number is the same as on the car in that old TV show ‘Adam 12.”
“Not sure why, cause none of the other patrol cars use that unit numbering, other than the 1 thru 11 thing. Might want to ask Buck about that.”

“The SUV you guys rode in has a thicker roof profile, the windows distort the sunlight a little so I know they are thicker, and the doors sounded very different when you guys closed them.”
“I can only assume it is heavily armored.”
“The Texas license plates on it are out of Fort Worth, not this region. The letters and numbers are different series.”

“We are on the 12th floor, and the elevator goes to 12, but the building is 13 stories tall.”
“The lobby or 1st floor is actually double tall.”

“No idea why, but I can tell the guy in the lobby ... Victor ... is more than just a casual acquaintance of Tommy’s. More than just a hotel worker he sees sometimes.”

“Look behind me. The piano over by the mini bar is a Baldwin. It has a chip on the right front corner of the top. There is a vase of fake roses, a fake bronze statue of lady liberty holding a torch which is actually an LED light bulb, and the bench has a round stain on the cushion about three fourths from the left end that was probably where someone set a glass or drink can on it.”

“I know that the Diner served 38 ‘specials’ yesterday, 27 cheeseburger plates, and we made 72 convict meals for breakfast, 71 for lunch, and 74 for supper. Another 13 went to the sheriff’s office for his personnel.”
“That came to a total of 217 ‘contract’ meals, at the $11.75 price, for a grand total of $2,549.75 to the Diner. Without all the regular ‘citizens’ sales.”

Skye’s eyes were wide. Even she couldn’t remember all that stuff off the top of her head, and it was her job to keep up with it.

She looked at all the others. “I graduated with a 3.5 GPA from High school. Third in line behind the valedictorian.”
“I scored a 27 on the ACT.”