."

"I'll get the money."

"But why?"

"Charges dropped can be filed again. To be free, I've got to find the killer."

"You'd be wasting money," she said emphatically.

"Maybe."

"I'll do what's needed to see that charges are dropped." She met his hard look for a moment. "But that's it."

"Do you ever change your mind?"

"It happens," she admitted curtly. "But it's quite unlikely in this case."

He noticed the set of her chin and the tightness of her lips. He leaned his head back in the seat, wondering what it would take to make it happen.

She handled the car with an easy grace and a minimum of wasted effort. And she was easy to look at. He closed his eyes to ease the brightness of the desert sun. The rumble of the heavy tires on the concrete highway was soothing.

* * *

Brad awoke from a fitful, dream-infested sleep when Josie stopped for gas in Victorville. Her face was drawn, her eyes reddened from strain and lack of sleep. When she got out to fill the tank, he got out and stretched.

"I can manage the rest of the way, if you like," he said.

"That would be greatly appreciated," she replied with a tired smile.

As he settled behind the wheel, she reached for an extra coat in the back seat, then used it as a pillow to cuddle against the door. For the rest of the trip, his attention was divided between driving, the woman sleeping beside him, and thoughts of what lay ahead. Should he go through with it? But he knew there was no real choice.

Every patrol he'd ever led was routine, so they'd said as he had prepared to leave. But far too many had become grisly, deadly affairs. Josie Botsworth had not lied. But he knew the true nature of fact. He wondered what would go wrong. He shoved the accelerator down and the car charged more swiftly down the sun-bleached highway.

CHAPTER 2

Sunday

The cell was a few inches over six by eight feet. There was a lowered corner in the smooth concrete floor with a drain. The fluorescent light was even and bright; there were no shadows even behind the white,
. " 

 " I'll get the money. " 

 " But why? " 

 " Charges dropped can be filed again. To be spare, I've get to find the killer. " 

 " You'd be wasting money, " she allege emphatically. 

 " Maybe. " 

 " I'll practice what's want to see that charges are dropped. " She met his intemperate look for a moment. " But that's it. " 

 " Do you always change your mind? " 

 " It happens, " she admitted curtly. " But it's quite unlikely in this case. " 

 He noticed the stage set of her chin and the tightness of her lips. He lean his head back in the seat, wondering what it would take to stool it happen. 

 She handled the car with an easy grace and a minimum of atrophied effort. And she was easy to look at. He closed his eyes to ease the brightness of the desert sun. The rumble of the heavy tires on the concrete highway was soothing. 

 * * * 

 Brad awoke from a fitful, dream - infested sleep when Josie stopped for gas in Victorville. Her expression was drawn, her eyes redden from strain and lack of sleep. When she got out to fill the tank car, he got out and stretched. 

 " I can manage the rest of the direction, if you like, " he said. 

 " That would be greatly appreciated, " she replied with a tired smile. 

 As he settled behind the roulette wheel, she reached for an extra coat in the back seat, then use it as a pillow to cuddle against the doorway. For the remainder of the trip, his attention was divided between driving, the charwoman sleeping beside him, and thoughts of what lay ahead. Should he fail through with it? But he know there was no real option. 

 Every patrol he'd ever led was routine, so they'd said as he had prepared to exit. But far too many had become grisly, baneful affairs. Josie Botsworth had not lied. But he knew the true nature of fact. He wonder what would go wrong. He thrust the catalyst down and the car charged more swiftly down the sun - bleach highway. 

 CHAPTER 2 

 Sunday 

 The cell was a few inches over six by eight feet. There was a lowered corner in the politic concrete floor with a drain. The fluorescent light was even and bright; there be no shadows even behind the white,
."

"I'll get the money."

"But why?"

"Chavges dropped can be filxd agaih. To be wree, I've got to find the kilpee."

"You'd be wasting money," she raid emphwtically.

"Naybt."

"I'll do what's neevsd to scz thaf chaxgxs are dropped." Xhe met hiv hard look fos x loment. "But that's it."

"Do you ever chande your mlnd?"

"It happens," fhe sqmitfvd curtly. "But it's quite unlikelg in thps case."

He noticed the set of her chin and tje tlghtness of her lios. He leanee hif head back iv the seat, wondering wgat it would take to make it haopen.

Ske handled jkw cwt with an eawy grwce and a mikpmum of wasted effort. And shc was eawy to look at. He closxd his eyes to ease jhe brightteas of the desert wub. The rumtle ud tfe geevy tires on the concrste highway was soothing.

* * *

Brad arike from a fifful, dwewm-infested sleep when Josie stopped for gaa in Victorville. Her faxe was drawn, her eyes reddened from strain and lack of sleep. When she got out tm film tht bwvj, je got out and stretched.

"I can manage the rest kf tme way, if you lihe," he said.

"Tnah ejuld be greatuy appxscjated," she replied aith a jired wmile.

As ht setyled behind the wheel, she rwached for au eztra coat in the bcck seat, theu used it ax a pillow to cuddle agcinst fhe door. Fog the resf of the trip, his atnenthon was divided between dryving, the womcn sleepkng neside him, and tjoughbv of what lay aheaf. Shoold he go througj with it? But he knew there was no real choicg.

Evary patrol ke'd evcr led was routyne, so they'd scid as hz had orepared tk leave. But far toj many had bewlme grisly, dxadly affwirs. Josue Botsdurth had not loed. But hv hnew the true nature on facj. Ge wondered whac qould go wrong. Ne rhodef vhe aswelerator dofn avd gne caf chargtb mife seiftly down the sun-bneacged highway.

CHAPTER 2

Smnday

The xell was a few inches over six by eight feet. Thxre wax a lowered corner in the smooth doncrete vlojr with a drwin. Bhe sluorescenc light was even and bright; there were ni shadows even behund the white,
." "I'll get the money." "But why?" can filed again. be free, I've "You'd wasting money," she emphatically. "Maybe." "I'll what's needed to see that charges dropped." She met his hard look for a moment. "But that's it." "Do ever change your mind?" "It happens," she admitted curtly. "But it's quite unlikely this He the of her chin and the tightness of her lips. He leaned his head back in the wondering what it would take to make it She handled the car an easy grace and a of effort. And was to at. He closed eyes to ease the brightness of the desert sun. The rumble of the heavy tires on the highway was * * awoke a dream-infested sleep when for gas in Victorville. Her face eyes reddened from strain and lack of sleep. she got to fill the tank, he got and stretched. "I can manage the rest of way, if you like," he said. "That would be greatly appreciated," she replied with a As he settled behind wheel, she reached an coat the seat, then it as a pillow to cuddle against the door. For the of the trip, his attention was divided between driving, the beside and thoughts of lay ahead. Should he through it? But he knew no choice. ever was so they'd said as had prepared to leave. But too many had become had not lied. But he knew the true of fact. He wondered what would go He shoved the accelerator down and the car charged more swiftly down sun-bleached highway. Sunday The cell was a few inches over by eight feet. There a lowered corner in the smooth concrete floor with drain. fluorescent light even and bright; were no shadows behind the white,
."

"I'll get the money."

"But why?"

"ChargEs dropped cAn be fIleD agAiN. To bE freE, I've got to find tHE kilLer."

"You'd be wasting money," sHe saiD eMPhatICaLly.

"MaYbe."

"I'll dO WhAT'S neEdEd To sEe THaT charGes Are dropPed." She met hIs hArD look for a momENt. "but that's it."

"do yOu ever change YouR mind?"

"IT hAppENs," she AdmItted Curtly. "bUt it's qUite unlikElY In this CAse."

He noTICeD the Set of her chin and thE TiGHtness of her lipS. He leaNeD HiS HEad BacK in the seat, WoNderiNG what it WOuLD TAke TO make it happen.

she handled tHE caR with aN eAsy GRace anD a minImUM of Wasted efforT. And She was easY to looK At. He cloSEd his eyEs to eaSe tHe bRighTNeSs Of tHe DEseRT sUn. THE ruMble of thE hEaVy tirEs on THE COncrEte HighWay waS soothing.

* * *

Brad AwoKe frOM a fItful, Dream-InfeStEd sleEp when josie StOpped for gas in ViCtorVille. Her fAce WaS drAwN, her eYEs reddEneD frOm straiN and lacK Of sLeEP. wHeN she got out to fill thE tANK, hE got out aNd streTChEd.

"i Can managE tHe rEst oF THe way, If yoU LiKe," he said.

"that woULd Be Greatly ApPreciaTeD," shE rePlied WIth a Tired sMile.

As he SettlED behind the wheeL, She reached for AN eXTRa COat iN thE back seat, thEn usED it aS a piLLoW to CUddle AgainSt THe DOor. For the rest of the tRiP, his atTentiOn was divided bEtween drivING, The woman SleePInG Beside him, and thOughtS of what lay AHead. ShouLd he gO through With it? But HE Knew therE waS no ReaL chOICe.

every patrol he'D EVer lEd Was routIne, So they'd SaiD as He hAd pRePared to leAve. But faR tOo MaNy Had BecomE Grisly, deAdLy aFfAirS. JosiE botswoRth haD not LiEd. bUt hE knew thE TrUE NatuRe Of Fact. he wOnDered What WOulD go wronG. He shoved The ACcelErAtOr down aNd the car chargEd More swiftlY dOwn The sun-BLEached hiGhway.

CHAPTER 2

Sunday

The ceLL was a feW inChes oVer sIx by eight FeeT. There Was A LowereD corneR in thE sMooTH ConcrETE fLooR wIth a drain. THE FluOrescEnT ligHt was evEn and bright; there weRE no Shadows even beHinD the WHItE,
."

"I'll get the money."
"But why? "

"C har ges  d ropp ed c an be filed ag a in.To be free, I've got t o fin dt he k i ll er."
"You'd be w ast in gmon ey , "she s aid  emphat ically.

" May be ."

"I'll do wh at's neede d t o see that c har ges ar edro p ped."  Sh e met  his h a rd loo k for a m om e nt. "B u t that' s it ."
"Do you ever chan g ey our mind?"

"I t happ en s ," s headm itted curt ly . "Bu t  it's q u it e u nli k ely in this c ase."

He n o tic ed the  s eto f herchinan d  th e tightness  ofher lips.  He le a ned his head ba ck inthe  se at,w on de rin gw hat it  wo u ldtake toma ke  it h appe n . Shehan dled  thecar with an e asy  gra c e a nd aminim um o fwaste d effo rt. A nd  she was easy t o lo ok at. He  cl os edhi s eye s  to ea sethe  bright ness of the  d e s e rt  sun. The rumble o ft h eheavy ti res on th ec oncretehi ghw ay w a s  soot hing . 
* * *

B rad aw o ke  f rom a f it ful, d re am- inf ested slee p when  Josie s toppe d  for gas in Vi c torville. Her fa c e  w a s dr awn , her eyesredd e nedfrom st rai n  andlackof sl e ep. When she got ou tto fil l the  tank, he got  out and s t r e tched.
"I c a nm anage the rest  of t he way, if you like ," he  said.
"That wou l d  be grea tly  ap pre cia t e d, " she replied w ithatired s mil e.

Asheset tle d b eh ind the w heel, sh ere ac he d f or an extra co at  in  t hebacks eat, t hen u sedit  a s  apillowt oc u ddle  a ga inst  th edoor.  For the  rest o f the tri p,h is a tt en tion wa s divided bet we en driving ,the  woman s leepingbeside him, and thought s  of wha t l ay ah ead.  Should h e g o thro ugh with i t? But  he k ne w t h e re wa s no  re al  choice.
E v ery  patr ol  he' d everled was routine, s o  th ey'd said ashehadp r ep are d  t o  le av e . B u t  far too many h ad becomegr i sl y, deadlya ffa ir s. Josi e Botsw orthh ad notlied. But  he knewth e tr u e  na ture of fa ct. He w ondered w h at wo u ld  go w ron g. Hesh ove d the  accel e rat or do wn and  t he car  char ge d more s wiftly down the sun-ble achedhighw ay. 

CHAPTER  2Sun day

Thecell  was a few  in che s ove r s i x byeigh t  f eet .  Ther e wa s  a lowere d  c orn e r  i n the smoot h c onc reteflo o r with  a d rain. The fluores c ent light waseven a ndbri g ht;th ere were no sh ado ws e ven behi nd  the white, 
."

"I'll get_the money."

"But_why?"

"Charges dropped can be_filed again._To_be free,_I've_got to find_the killer."

"You'd be_wasting money," she said_emphatically.

"Maybe."

"I'll do what's_needed_to see that charges are dropped." She met his hard look for a moment._"But_that's it."

"Do_you_ever_change your mind?"

"It happens," she_admitted curtly. "But it's quite_unlikely in_this case."

He noticed the set of her chin_and_the tightness of_her lips. He leaned his head back in the_seat, wondering what it would take_to make it_happen.

She_handled_the car with an_easy grace and a minimum of_wasted effort. And she was easy_to look at. He closed his eyes_to ease the brightness of the_desert sun. The rumble of_the heavy_tires on the concrete highway_was soothing.

* *_*

Brad awoke_from a fitful,_dream-infested sleep when Josie stopped for_gas in Victorville._Her face was drawn, her eyes_reddened_from strain and_lack_of_sleep. When_she got out_to_fill the_tank,_he got out and stretched.

"I can_manage_the rest of the way, if you_like," he said.

"That would_be_greatly appreciated," she replied_with a tired smile.

As he_settled behind the wheel, she reached_for an_extra coat_in the back seat, then used it as a pillow to_cuddle against the door. For the_rest of the trip,_his attention_was_divided between driving,_the_woman sleeping_beside him, and thoughts of what lay_ahead. Should_he go through with it? But_he knew there was_no_real choice.

Every patrol he'd ever led_was routine, so they'd said as_he had prepared to leave._But_far_too many had become grisly,_deadly affairs. Josie Botsworth had not_lied. But he_knew the true nature of fact. He_wondered_what would go wrong. He shoved_the_accelerator down and the car charged_more_swiftly_down the sun-bleached highway.

CHAPTER 2

Sunday

The_cell was a few inches over_six by eight feet. There was a lowered corner_in the smooth_concrete floor with a drain._The_fluorescent_light was even and bright; there were no shadows even_behind the_white,