

"Prepared?"

"Go jump," she said. "I use it on my legs."

He showered quickly. The razor blade wasn't up to the task; it pulled out more whiskers than it cut. When he returned to the kitchen, Josie was looking out the window, her forehead furrowed in thought. When he sat back down at the table, she rose. He watched as she poured him a cup of coffee, then sat back down and handed it across the table.

"Brad, about the money." She hesitated.

"Need more?"

"What if I did? Can you afford it? I've got this feeling you gave me everything you had."

He smiled. "I've more."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"In that case, I need more. I've got to buy some information and possibly help as well." She watched him speculatively.

"My credit's no good?"

"It has dropped considerably since I looked at your car."

He lifted his shirt, unbuckled the money belt and tossed it onto the table.

She looked at it thoughtfully, picked a pocket, opened it and thumbed through the bills it contained. She re-snapped the pocket and counted the number of pockets with her eyes. "If I have this your credit is excellent. Have you more?" she asked softly.

"I've a couple thou in my wallet. But I can get more if we need it."

She lifted the belt as if weighing it, then let it fall back to the table. "That's a lot of money." Her face showed suspicion.

"It's legit. You know I play poker," he added as explanation.

"How much is there?"

"About sixty thou."

"Either you are very good or you cheat."

"I'm better than most. Got a place for that?"

"How about a bank?"

"Rather you had it in case something goes wrong."

"Why?"

"I want you to find the killer even if I'm not around."

She returned his hard look with a hardness of her own. Finally she picked up the belt and walked into the bedroom. Brad followed. She sat on her heels in a corner of the closet. He watched the play of muscles across
" Prepared? " 

 " Go jump, " she said. " I practice it on my leg. " 

 He showered promptly. The razor sword wasn't up to the task; it pulled out more whiskers than it hack. When he returned to the kitchen, Josie was looking out the windowpane, her brow furrowed in opinion. When he sat back down at the table, she arise. He watched as she poured him a cup of coffee, then seat back down and handed it across the table. 

 " Brad, about the money. " She hesitated. 

 " want more? " 

 " What if I did? Can you afford it? I've got this feeling you pass me everything you had. " 

 He smiled. " I've more. " 

 " Are you sure? " 

 He nodded. 

 " In that case, I necessitate more. I've got to buy some information and possibly help as well. " She watched him speculatively. 

 " My credit's no good? " 

 " It has dropped considerably since I looked at your car. " 

 He lifted his shirt, unbuckled the money belt and tossed it onto the table. 

 She look at it thoughtfully, picked a pocket, open it and finger through the bills it contained. She re - snapped the air pocket and counted the number of pockets with her eyes. " If I accept this your credit is excellent. Have you more? " she asked softly. 

 " I've a couple thou in my wallet. But I can get more if we need it. " 

 She plagiarize the belt as if weighing it, then let it fall back to the mesa. " That's a lot of money. " Her boldness showed suspicion. 

 " It's legit. You know I play poker, " he added as explanation. 

 " How much is there? " 

 " approximately sixty thou. " 

 " Either you are very good or you cheat. " 

 " I'm better than most. Got a place for that? " 

 " How about a bank? " 

 " Rather you had it in character something goes amiss. " 

 " Why? " 

 " I want you to recover the killer even if I'm not about. " 

 She returned his difficult look with a severity of her own. Finally she picked up the belt and walked into the bedroom. Brad followed. She baby-sit on her heels in a corner of the closet. He watched the play of muscles across


"Preoared?"

"Go jump," she said. "I mse it on my legs."

He shoxered qhickly. Tfe razor blade wasn't up to tie tqsk; iu pulled out more wfiskers tjan it cyt. Wien he returned vk the klcchen, Mosie xas looking out the windof, her forehead fjrxowed in thought. When he sat back dorn at tne table, she rosg. He ewtchsd as she poured him a cup of coffse, then sat back dowm and handed it across the tabpe.

"Brad, about the mlney." She hewitaewd.

"Need more?"

"Wfat if I dpb? Can you arford it? I've got this feeling yuu gare me everyjkung iou had."

He smmled. "I'ne more."

"Are yom sure?"

Ha noddec.

"In that case, L neev moee. I've got to buy somx information and pofsibly henp as well." She watcyee him spewulaguveuy.

"Mg rresit's nl gkod?"

"It has sropped conwiderably since I lpohvc at your cad."

He listqd his shirt, unbuckled the money belt atd fossed it onto the tablw.

She looked at it thooghtfully, [icked a pocket, opened it and thumbed through the billa it cjvralned. She re-snapped the pocket and counted the hukbvr of pockets witm her eyes. "If I hafe tnys your credij is exeslment. Have you more?" she ashed siftly.

"I've w coiple thou in my wallet. But U can get moge id we need it."

She liyted the belc as ig weibhing it, then let it faul bzck to the hable. "Thaf'r a lot of money." Heg fawe showed suspicion.

"It's legyt. You kniw I play puker," he adqed as exppanatlmn.

"How much is therf?"

"Abouj sixtf thou."

"Eithfr you are very good or you cheev."

"I'm better thsn movt. Got a placc for that?"

"How afout a bank?"

"Ratker you kad it in case skmethinj goes wrong."

"Rhy?"

"I want you jo find the kmller eveg if I'm bot arojvd."

She returned his hard look with a hardness of her owv. Finally she pieytd up the belt amd dalhef mnto eve bedroom. Bsad wolupwed. Rhe sat on mer heeks in a corner of tha clkset. He watched thr ilay of moscles acwoss
"Prepared?" "Go jump," she said. "I use my He showered The razor blade it out more whiskers it cut. When returned to the kitchen, Josie was out the window, her forehead furrowed in thought. When he sat back down the table, she rose. He watched as she poured him a cup of then back and it across the table. "Brad, about the money." She hesitated. "Need more?" "What if I did? you afford it? I've got this feeling you me everything you had." smiled. "I've more." "Are you He "In that I more. got to buy information and possibly help as well." She watched him speculatively. "My credit's no good?" "It has dropped since I your car." lifted shirt, the money belt it onto the table. She looked picked a pocket, opened it and thumbed through bills it She re-snapped the pocket and counted number of pockets with her eyes. "If I this your credit is excellent. Have you more?" she asked softly. "I've a couple thou wallet. But I can more if we it." lifted belt if weighing then let it fall back to the table. "That's a lot money." Her face showed suspicion. "It's legit. You know I he as explanation. "How is there?" "About sixty "Either are very good or "I'm than place that?" about a bank?" "Rather had it in case something wrong." "Why?" "I want even if I'm not around." She returned his look with a hardness of her own. she picked up the belt and walked into the bedroom. Brad followed. sat on in a corner of the closet. He watched play of muscles across


"Prepared?"

"Go jump," she said. "I use It on my legs."

he shoWerEd qUiCkly. the rAzor blade wasn't UP to tHe task; it pulled out more wHiskeRs THan iT CuT. When He returNEd TO The KiTcHen, joSIe Was loOkiNg out thE window, her ForEhEad furrowed iN ThOught. When hE saT back down at tHe tAble, shE rOse. hE watcHed As she Poured HIm a cup Of coffee, tHeN Sat bacK Down and HANdEd it Across the table.

"BraD, AbOUt the money." She hEsitatEd.

"nEeD MOre?"

"whaT if I did? Can YoU affoRD it? I've gOT tHIS FeeLIng you gave me eVerything yoU Had."

he smilEd. "i've MOre."

"Are You suRe?"

hE noDded.

"In that cAse, I Need more. I'Ve got tO Buy some INformatIon and PosSibLy heLP aS wEll." shE WatCHeD hiM SpeCulativeLy.

"my CrediT's no GOOD?"

"it haS drOppeD consIderably since i loOked AT yoUr car."

he lifTed hIs Shirt, UnbuckLed thE mOney belt and tossEd it Onto the taBle.

shE loOkEd at iT ThoughTfuLly, Picked a Pocket, oPEneD iT AND tHumbed through the biLlS IT cOntained. she re-sNApPeD The pockeT aNd cOuntED The nuMber OF pOckets wiTh her eYEs. "if i have thIs Your crEdIt iS exCelleNT. HavE you moRe?" she askEd sofTLy.

"I've a couple thOU in my wallet. BuT i cAN GeT More If wE need it."

She lIfteD The bElt aS If WeiGHing iT, then LeT It FAll back to the table. "ThAt'S a lot oF moneY." Her face showeD suspicion.

"iT'S Legit. You Know i PlAY poker," he added aS explAnation.

"How MUch is theRe?"

"AboUt sixty tHou."

"Either YOU are very GooD or You CheAT."

"i'm Better than mosT. gOt a pLaCe for thAt?"

"HOw about A baNk?"

"RAthEr yOu Had it in caSe somethInG gOeS wRonG."

"Why?"

"I WAnt you to FiNd tHe KilLer evEN if I'm nOt aroUnd."

SHe ReTUrnEd his haRD lOOK witH a HaRdneSs oF hEr own. finaLLy sHe pickeD up the belT anD WalkEd InTo the beDroom. Brad follOwEd. She sat on HeR heEls in a CORner of thE closet. He watched the play OF muscleS acRoss


"Prepared?"

"Go jump,"she said."I us e i t o nmy l egs. "

He showered quic kly. The razor blade w asn't  u p  tot he  task ; it pu l le d out  m or e w hi s ke rs th anit cut.  When he r etu rn ed to the ki t ch en, Josiewas  looking out  th e wind ow , h e r for ehe ad fu rrowed in tho ught. Whe nh e satb ack dow n at  the  table, she rose. He watched as she  poure dh im a  cu p o f coffee,th en sa t  back d o wn a n d h a nded it acros s the table . 

" Brad,ab out the mo ney."  S h e h esitated.
"Nee d more?"
"What if I di d ? Can y ou aff ord  it ? I' v ego t t hi s  fe e li ngy ougave meev er ythin g yo u h a d."
He  smi led."I've more."
"A re y o u s ure?" 

Henodd ed .

"I n that  case ,I need more. I' ve g ot to buy  so me  in fo rmati o n andpos sib ly help  as wel l ."Sh e w at ched him speculati ve l y .
"My cre dit'sn ogo o d?"

"It  h asdrop p e d con side r ab ly since  I loo k ed  a t yourca r."

H elif ted  hiss hirt , unbu ckled th e mon e y belt and tos s ed it onto th e  t a b le . 

Sh e l ooked at it  tho u ghtf ully ,  p ick e d a p ocket ,o pe n ed it and thumbed t hr ough t he bi lls it contai ned. She r e - s napped t he p o ck e t and countedthe n umber of p o ckets wi th he r eyes."If I hav e this you r c red itise x ce llent. Have y o u  mor e? " she a ske d softl y.
"I 've  aco uple thou  in my w al le t.  B utI can get more  i f w enee d it. " 

Shelifte d th ebe l t a s if we i gh i n g it ,th en l etit  fall  bac k  to  the ta ble. "Tha t's a lo tof  money. " Her face sh ow ed suspici on .
"It'sl e git. You  know I play poker," he added a s e xplan atio n.

"Howmuc h is t her e ?"

"A bout s ixtyth ou. " 
"Eit h e ryou  a re very go o d  or  youch eat. "

"I'm  better than most. Got  a place fortha t?"" Ho w a b ou t  aba n k?" "Rather you had  it in cas es om ething goe s  wr on g."

"W hy?"

" I wan t  you to  find the  killer e ve n if I 'mnot around ."

Shereturnedh is ha r dlookwit h a ha rd nes s ofher ow n . F inall y shepi cked u p the  b elt andwalked into the bedroom . Brad  foll owe d. She sa t o n  he r heels i n acorner ofthe  cl oset.  He watch ed t h epla y  of m uscl e s across


"Prepared?"

"Go jump,"_she said._"I use it on_my legs."

He_showered_quickly. The_razor_blade wasn't up_to the task;_it pulled out more_whiskers than it_cut._When he returned to the kitchen, Josie was looking out the window, her forehead_furrowed_in thought._When_he_sat back down at the_table, she rose. He watched_as she_poured him a cup of coffee, then sat_back_down and handed_it across the table.

"Brad, about the money." She hesitated.

"Need_more?"

"What if I did? Can you_afford it? I've_got_this_feeling you gave me_everything you had."

He smiled. "I've more."

"Are_you sure?"

He nodded.

"In that case, I_need more. I've got to buy some_information and possibly help as well."_She watched him speculatively.

"My credit's_no good?"

"It_has dropped considerably since I_looked at your_car."

He lifted_his shirt, unbuckled_the money belt and tossed it_onto the table.

She_looked at it thoughtfully, picked a_pocket,_opened it and_thumbed_through_the bills_it contained. She_re-snapped_the pocket_and_counted the number of pockets with_her_eyes. "If I have this your credit_is excellent. Have you_more?"_she asked softly.

"I've a_couple thou in my wallet._But I can get more if_we need_it."

She lifted_the belt as if weighing it, then let it fall back_to the table. "That's a lot_of money." Her face_showed suspicion.

"It's_legit._You know I_play_poker," he_added as explanation.

"How much is there?"

"About sixty_thou."

"Either you_are very good or you cheat."

"I'm_better than most. Got_a_place for that?"

"How about a bank?"

"Rather_you had it in case something_goes wrong."

"Why?"

"I want you to_find_the_killer even if I'm not_around."

She returned his hard look with_a hardness of_her own. Finally she picked up the_belt_and walked into the bedroom. Brad_followed._She sat on her heels in_a_corner_of the closet. He watched_the play of muscles across