Chapter 16

By the time I got to my room it was 5AM. Some of the state highway workers, who stayed at the Motel, had already begun to stir. If I had gotten into my room an hour earlier, I would have likely just fallen into bed and passed out. Since people were moving around, I knew that if I didn't run, I would lay awake filled with guilt.

I refused to clean up though. That being the case, I dressed in my tight fleece running pants, and my tight long sleeve fleece knit shirt. After that I wrapped my lightweight holster and belt around my waist just before I pulled the thick sweatshirt over my head. I wore heavy socks and cheap running shoes. I wasn't even close to being a speed runner. Yes I had lied to Gypsy. I was also not a long distance runner.

I was what the pros called a half hearted runner. I ran one half hour, which was once around the downtown and to the cafe in the square for breakfast. I tried to do that any morning, when I had time. Fortunately for me that wasn't very often. I could usually delude myself into thinking I burned enough calories in my daily life. After two days of riding in a car, I didn't even try to avoid the run. If I did, I would be calling myself names for days.

I gritted my teeth and headed off into the 15 degree morning. I was thankful for the ski mask I wore when I ran. I carried my badge since approaching anyone dressed as I was could easily get me shot. I ran through the back streets and around the parking lots as I kept track of the time not the distance I ran. I always expected to find a broken door, hear a burglar alarm, stumble on a robbery, or maybe a murder victim, but alas so far I found a stray cat or dog now and then. If they were small enough I carried them with me to the cafe. The waitress there either found them a home or called animal control for me. If they were not easily portable I made a note of their location which I gave the waitress so that she could call. I just couldn't do it. I just wasn't the snitch type.

Even though I was totally exhausted and stumbling a bit, I stopped for breakfast. Without the food, I would be waking hungry every couple of hours. I had the cafe's full breakfast special even the grits. Ordinarily I wouldn't be caught dead eating grits, but it was okay to eat grits in the Cafe on the Square.

After a half hour run and a half hour breakfast, I ran back to my room. Something about sleeping after so long without a shower made me feel like a real redneck, but I just didn't care. I fell into the bed and pulled the heavy covers up over me. It was easy to drift off to sleep under the weight of those covers. It was 7AM when I fell asleep and it was 5PM when I woke up to pee. I should have stayed up, but I was groggy enough to just slip right back into the land of nod.

When I woke up hungry at 9PM, I knew I had to get out of bed right that moment or risk never getting out. I showered and dressed in my off duty uniform. Jeans and a long sleeve knit tee shirt over an elastic strap they jokingly called a sports bra, so the could charge twenty bucks for it. They couldn't charge me that but they could some folks.

I slipped the pistol rig onto my belt then pulled the medium weight field parka on over it all. I was hungry but my first stop was a walk through the lounge in the parking lot. I hadn't seen Sarah in a couple of days and wanted to fulfill my part of the rent discount deal.

"Hey Sarah, how have you been without me?" I asked jokingly.

"I have managed to get by without seeing you," she said smiling. "But it was hard."

I had a feeling Sarah had a little girl crush on me. I thought it was cute and I was flattered, even though I had no interest in her at all. "I'm crushed," I said. "Anything been happening?"

"Nothing at all, You know someone is always having words in a bar. As long as there is a minimum amount of name calling, and no blood shed, I tend to let it slide."

"That's probably the best thing for business," I said.

"I heard you brought that Gypsy Allen woman back this morning?" Sarah asked.

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"Her lawyer gave an interview with the local cable news people. They sure have a lot of nice things to say about you. Now detective Simpson, not so many," Sarah suggested.

"Well, I had nothing to do with any of that," I replied.

"He ended with you should please be careful of the good ole boy system, since Gypsy needs you." With that Sarah began to giggle.

"Well the only damage to him would be from the press coverage. Since the local new is only seen by about ten people including Sarah and my momma, I think Simpson is safe." I finished my coffee, then I left the lounge.

I drove the Toyota to the small shopping area out by the interstate highway's exchange. My guess was that since all the buildings looked about the same age, it had either just all sprang up about the same time or it was a shopping area owned by one man and the stores leased out. Either was it didn't matter to me my only concern was the Waffle House restaurant with the Sheriffs patrol car parked outside.

"Deputy Porter," the deputy sitting in the window booth said.

"Damn Letter, don't they ever give you a day off?" I asked.