Chapter 22

I was right, there was no one as cool as Lieutenant Bullet in the Motel lounge that Saturday night. I really might not have been in any shape for a new man anyway. I sat gingerly and tried not to squirm in my seat. In other words my rectum was a wreck.

I went to bed after my lounge walk through, even though I had only been awake a few hours. Again I slept like I had been drugged. Hell who knows with that crowd, I might have been drugged.

Sunday morning when I woke up it was all better. My head was clear and my rectum had a stinging sensation but no outright pain, so I considered myself more or less okay. I found that after a shower I could walk without pain, so even though I had a good excuse, I decided to run a half hour anyway. I could always stop anytime I felt like it.

I ran through the back streets and alleys as usual. I ran across a domestic cat who seemed to have gone ferel. I made sure she wasn't injured, but I didn't feel her, How did I know it was a her, she smiled at me. All us unattached women have a connection.

I stopped at the cafe on the square and told my waitress friend to report the cat, but not to be any any hurry. "She might just wander out of town again," I suggested.

All day Sunday I searched for Steve McQueen movies to download. It was as good a way to spend a 'recovery' Sunday as any. By evening I had found and watched two movies and eaten a frozen dinner for lunch.

I drove the Toyota out to the plaza at the interstate for dinner. Even at the plaza the choices were few. There was a Chinese buffet, so I gave it a shot. In the end it was mostly fried rice and an egg roll for me.

Getting hard looks all the time took a bit of getting used to, but I managed. Cutting my hair as short as I did was probably a huge mistake. I personally didn't care, but it sure make other people uncomfortable.

When I got back after dinner, I made a quick walk through the lounge, then headed back to my room to get more sleep. I still had a day off left, so I needed to decide how to spend it. I ran several things through my mind, but nothing hit me as exciting. I stripped to my panties and tee, then slipped into bed.

I almost fell asleep before the phone rang. I had turned off my cell phone, so I knew it had to be the room phone. "Hello, I said when I finally found it.

"Sylvia, this is Deputy Simpson," the voice on the phone said.

"What can I do for you detective?" I asked.

"I know you have tomorrow off, I checked with your sergeant," He said.

"Yes Simpson thanks for calling to tell me, but I already knew that." I was enjoying that he was uncomfortable.

"Right, well I have some follow up planned for Gypsy. Since you are part of the threatened lawsuit, I wondered if you would like to ride along on the interviews. We can call it voluntary training and then the department wouldn't have to do time swaps. You would lose a couple of hour of your life, but if you are like me, you have more than enough to spare a couple of hours."

"What time are you planning this excursion?" I asked.

"Nothing too early, we want to give the locals time to wake up and start moving. Why don't I pick you up around eleven in the morning."

"Sure, like you said, I can spare a couple of hours." After Simpson hung up I wasn't tired any longer, so I walked to the lounge to check on something.

"Sarah, tell me, did that Gypsy Austin and her husband ever come in here?" I asked when Sarah had a minute to talk.

"Not the husband but Gypsy was in a time or two. Before you ask, I don't remember her coming or leaving with anyone. I was busy and at the time she was just another chick on the make," Sarah said.

"How do you know she was on the make?" I asked.

"She let men pay for her drinks that and just being here alone is enough to convince me. Then again, I have been hanging around here too long." Sarah said.

"I would expect your instincts to be better than mine. So tell me anyone in particular I should talk to about her?" I asked.

The few times she came in I'm pretty sure she left alone, who she met is a different matter. Lots of married folks leave here alone, but don't go home, if you know what I mean?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I said. So she played around on her husband, Maybe she needed that split lip. Well I wouldn't think so, but maybe her husband did for sure. I wondered if Gypsy was capable of killing them both. It wasn't my case, so I planned to let Simpson find all the facts. I was satisfied to just be along for the ride. After all, Gypsy had tried to play me as well as Simpson. I would not mind seeing her go down for all of it.

"See that guy with the flag bandanna on his head?" Sarah asked.

"You mean the one with the doo rag?" I asked in return.

"Yeah him, I seen him buy her more than one drink, more than one time. He might know something." Sarah said.

"Well, I won't ask him here, if you can tell me where I can find him with the sun is shinning?" I suggested.

"He fixes cars, I'm not sure what his specialty is but his shop is on the road to Dobson. He rides a Harley chopper. I am sure it will be parked out front, it's kind of a sign I think. He told me once, if I needed anything to head toward Dobson and look for the Harley chopper outside his shop," Sarah said.