. "But Hank will be here in fifteen or twenty minutes."

"That's not enough time for what I want."

"Maybe it's enough to get underneath some clothes?"

She sighed, rolled out of bed, gave him a kiss and walked to the bathroom.

* * *

When Walters stepped inside, Brad knew he had the picture, but he made no sign. Brad also knew he never would.

"Coffee?" Josie asked.

"Another cup can't hurt much." He sat down on the couch beside Brad. A moment later, Josie handed him a cup and sat in the chair facing them.

"It's not working out too well, is it?" Brad asked.

"Cap Haywood wants you tucked into a cell. For your own good, of course. Internal Affairs wants to salt me down permanently, if I don't make it happen," Hank said.

"I'm not up to that."

"Then do as I suggested," Josie said. "Pick a spot somewhere and let me get people to cover you around the clock."

"I'm fed up with sitting around and letting others decide my future. And even if I have one."

"Then you've only one option," Hank said grimly.

"And that is?"

"Split," he said, without hesitation. "Pick a nice new name and bury yourself somewhere while me and her figure this out." He nodded in Josie's direction.

Brad shook his head.

"Why not? You've been there; you can handle it."

"Things are different now."

"Yes, indeedy. Now you're wanted for two murders, instead of one. Feldersen is scourin' this town lookin' to give you a beatin', like enough for a wheelchair maybe. And persons unknown are tryin' to kill you. Buddy, it's time for farewells."

"Not now."

"Not even if I go with you?" Josie asked quietly.

His look was hard. He started to speak, then held back. She didn't know what she was saying. Crummy rooms in crummier towns, paying more attention to those behind than in front. If it didn't destroy her, it would at least kill whatever future they might have together. But the words wouldn't come.
. " But Hank will be here in fifteen or twenty minutes. " 

 " That's not enough time for what I want. " 

 " possibly it's adequate to get down underneath some clothes? " 

 She sighed, wheel out of bed, gave him a kiss and walk to the bathroom. 

 * * * 

 When Walters stepped inwardly, Brad knew he had the video, but he made no sign. Brad besides knew he never would. 

 " Coffee? " Josie asked. 

 " Another cup can't hurt much. " He sat down on the couch beside Brad. A moment subsequently, Josie handed him a cup and sat in the chair face them. 

 " It's not working out too well, is it? " Brad asked. 

 " Cap Haywood wants you tuck into a cell. For your own good, of course. Internal Affairs wants to salt me down permanently, if I don't make it find, " Hank said. 

 " I'm not up to that. " 

 " Then do as I suggested, " Josie said. " Pick a spot somewhere and lease me get people to cover you around the clock. " 

 " I'm fed up with sitting around and letting others decide my future. And even if I have one. " 

 " Then you've only one option, " Hank say grimly. 

 " And that is? " 

 " Split, " he said, without hesitation. " foot a courteous new name and bury yourself somewhere while me and her figure this out. " He nodded in Josie's direction. 

 Brad shook his head. 

 " Why not? You've been there; you can cover it. " 

 " Things are different now. " 

 " Yes, indeedy. Now you're wanted for two murders, rather of one. Feldersen is scourin' this town lookin' to give you a beatin', like enough for a wheelchair maybe. And person unknown are tryin' to stamp out you. Buddy, it's time for farewells. " 

 " Not now. " 

 " Not even if I go with you? " Josie asked softly. 

 His look was hard. He started to address, then held back. She didn't know what she was saying. Crummy room in crummier town, paying more attention to those behind than in battlefront. If it didn't destroy her, it would at least stamp out whatever future they might have in concert. But the words wouldn't come.
. "Buh Hank will be here in flfteen or twenty minutev."

"That's not enojgh time for what I want."

"Maybx it'w enoygh to get underneath rome clotjes?"

She sughev, rolled out of usd, gave him a niss end walked to tme bathroom.

* * *

When Walters sge'ped inside, Brad knew he had the piceure, buy je made no sigg. Brsq alao knew he never would.

"Coffee?" Josie asked.

"Aiother cup can't hurt much." He sat down on hhe fouch beside Brad. W moment lajsr, Tisie handed fim a cup and sat in tge chair facing them.

"It's not worying put too weol, is ht?" Brad askxd.

"Cap Raywood wants you tuwked inyo a cell. For nour mwn good, of course. Interial Affairs wants to salt me gocn permanently, if I din'r makg it vappdb," Hxnk seid.

"J'm not up to that."

"Thsn do as I wuggested," Josie saic. "[pvk a spot sojewherq wnd let me get people to cover you aroutd fhe clock."

"I'm fed up with sitting around and lgtting othqrs decide my future. And even if I have one."

"Then ymu've kvly oke ooriln," Hank said grimly.

"And that is?"

"Split," he said, wyfhpun hesitation. "Pick a nice new nwmr and bury youtself someshere while me and her fidure rhis out." Re npdded in Josie's direction.

Brqd shook his yead.

"Why not? You've yeen there; yuu csn hamdle it."

"Things are diffexent nkw."

"Yes, indeefy. Now yoh'fe wanted for twu mlrdess, instead of one. Felderseg is scoucin' tkis town loolin' to give you w beabhn', like enough for a whgelchahr maybe. Ajd persons unknown are tryin' to kill you. Buddi, id's nime for yarewekls."

"Not now."

"Not even if I go cith you?" Josid asked qupetly.

His nook was hawd. He started jo speak, then held bask. Sye dudn't knud what she was saying. Cguimy eooms in crummier bowns, laying more attzutuon to those benina traj mn frjtt. If it didt't ddstfpy hef, it would ct leaxt kill whatever futgre fhey might have tobebher. But jhe words wouldn't come.
. "But Hank will be here in twenty "That's not time for what to underneath some clothes?" sighed, rolled out bed, gave him a kiss and to the bathroom. * * * When Walters stepped inside, Brad knew he the picture, but he made no sign. Brad also knew he never would. Josie "Another can't much." He sat down on the couch beside Brad. A moment later, Josie handed him a and sat in the chair facing them. "It's working out too well, it?" Brad asked. "Cap Haywood you into a For own of course. Internal wants to salt me down permanently, if I don't make it happen," Hank said. "I'm not up that." "Then I suggested," said. a somewhere and let people to cover you around the up with sitting around and letting others decide future. And if I have one." "Then you've one option," Hank said grimly. "And that is?" he said, without hesitation. "Pick a nice new name and bury yourself somewhere while me figure this out." He in Josie's direction. shook head. not? been there; can handle it." "Things are different now." "Yes, indeedy. Now you're for two murders, instead of one. Feldersen is scourin' this to you a beatin', enough for a wheelchair And unknown are tryin' to Buddy, time now." even I go with you?" asked quietly. His look was He started to speak, know what she was saying. Crummy rooms in towns, paying more attention to those behind in front. If it didn't destroy her, it would at least kill future they together. But the words wouldn't come.
. "But Hank will be here in fifteeN or twenty mInuteS."

"ThAt's NoT enoUgh tIme for what I wanT."

"maybE it's enough to get underneAth soMe CLothES?"

SHe sigHed, rollED oUT Of bEd, GaVe hIm A KiSs and WalKed to thE bathroom.

* * *

WHen waLters stepped INsIde, Brad kneW he Had the picturE, buT he madE nO siGN. Brad AlsO knew He neveR Would.

"COffee?" JosiE aSKed.

"AnoTHer cup cAN'T hUrt mUch." He sat down on the COuCH beside Brad. A moMent laTeR, joSIE haNdeD him a cup anD sAt in tHE chair fACiNG THem.

"iT's not working oUt too well, is IT?" BrAd askeD.

"CAp HAYwood wAnts yOu TUckEd into a cell. for yOur own gooD, of couRSe. InterNAl AffaiRs wantS to SalT me dOWn PeRmaNeNTly, IF I Don'T MakE it happeN," HAnK said.

"i'm noT UP TO thaT."

"ThEn do As I suGgested," Josie sAid. "pick A SpoT someWhere And lEt Me get People To covEr You around the cloCk."

"I'm Fed up with SitTiNg aRoUnd anD LettinG otHerS decide My futurE. and EvEN IF I Have one."

"Then you've onLy ONE oPtion," HanK said gRImLy.

"aNd that is?"

"spLit," He saID, WithoUt heSItAtion. "PicK a nice NEw NaMe and buRy YourseLf SomEwhEre whILe me And her Figure thIs out." hE nodded in Josie'S Direction.

Brad SHoOK HiS Head.

"why Not? You've beeN theRE; you Can hANdLe iT."

"thingS are dIfFErENt now."

"Yes, indeedy. Now yOu'Re wantEd for Two murders, insTead of one. FELDErsen is sCourIN' tHIs town lookin' to Give yOu a beatin', lIKe enough For a wHeelchaiR maybe. And PERsons unkNowN arE trYin' TO KiLl you. Buddy, it's TIMe foR fArewellS."

"NoT now."

"Not EveN if i go WitH yOu?" Josie asKed quietLy.

hiS lOoK waS hard. hE started To SpeAk, TheN held BAck. She Didn't Know WhAt SHe wAs sayinG. crUMMy roOmS iN cruMmiEr Towns, PayiNG moRe attenTion to thoSe bEHind ThAn In front. if it didn't destRoY her, it woulD aT leAst kilL WHatever fUture they might have togetHEr. But thE woRds woUldn'T come.
. "But Hank will be here i n fifteenor tw ent y m in utes ."
"That's not en o ughtime for what I want." 

"Ma yb e  it' s  e nough  to get un d e rne at hsom ec lo thes? "
She sig hed, rolle d o ut  of bed, gav e  h im a kissand  walked to t hebathro om .
*  * *
Wh en Wa lterss tepped  inside,Br a d knew he hadt h epict ure, but he maden os ign. Brad also  knewhe ne v e r w oul d.

"Coffe e? " Jos i e asked . 
" A n oth e r cup can't h urt much."H e s at dow nont he cou ch be si d e B rad. A mome nt l ater, Jos ie han d ed hima  cup an d satinthe  cha i rfa cin gt hem . 
"It ' s n ot worki ng  o ut to o we l l , is i t?"  Bra d ask ed.

"Cap Hay woo d wa n tsyou t ucked  int oa cel l. For  your  o wn good, of cou rse.  Internal  Af fa irs  w antst o salt  me  do wn perm anently ,  if  I d o n' t make it happen,"  H a n ksaid.

" I'm no t  u pt o that." 
"Th en d o as Isugg e st ed," Jos ie sai d ."P ick a s po t some wh ere  an d let me g et peo ple to c overy ou around thec lock."

"I'mf ed u pw ithsit ting around  and lett ingo th ers decid e myfu t ur e . And even if I hav eone."
"The n you've only  one optio n , "  Hank sa id g r im l y.

"And thatis?"
"Split,"h e said,witho ut hesit ation. "P i c k a nice  ne w n ame  an d bu ry yourself s o m ewhe re  whilemeand her  fi gur e t his  o ut." He n odded in  J os ie 's  di recti o n.

Brad  s hoo khis  head . 

"Why  not?  You 'v eb een  there; yo u canha nd le i t." 
"Thin gs a r e d ifferen t now."
"Ye s , in de ed y. Nowyou're wanted  f or two mur de rs,  inste a d  of one.  Feldersen is scourin't his tow n l ookin ' to  give you  abeatin ',l ike en ough f or awh eel c h air m a y be . A nd  persons u n k now n are  t ryin ' to ki ll you. Buddy, it' s  ti me for farewe lls ."
" N ot  no w ." 
"N ot eve n if I go with yo u?" Josieas k ed  quietly.His  l ook was  hard.He st a rted to  speak, t hen heldba ck.S h e d idn't know  what sh e was say i ng. C r um my ro oms  in cr um mie r tow ns, pa y ing  more  atten ti on tothose  b ehind th an in front. If it didn 't des troyher , it woul d a t  le ast killwhat ever futur e t hey  migh t h a ve to geth e r.  Bu t  theword s  wouldn't co me. 
. "But_Hank will_be here in fifteen_or twenty_minutes."

"That's_not enough_time_for what I_want."

"Maybe it's enough_to get underneath some_clothes?"

She sighed, rolled_out_of bed, gave him a kiss and walked to the bathroom.

* * *

When Walters_stepped_inside, Brad_knew_he_had the picture, but he_made no sign. Brad also_knew he_never would.

"Coffee?" Josie asked.

"Another cup can't hurt much."_He_sat down on_the couch beside Brad. A moment later, Josie handed_him a cup and sat in_the chair facing_them.

"It's_not_working out too well,_is it?" Brad asked.

"Cap Haywood wants_you tucked into a cell. For_your own good, of course. Internal Affairs_wants to salt me down permanently,_if I don't make it_happen," Hank_said.

"I'm not up to that."

"Then_do as I_suggested," Josie_said. "Pick a_spot somewhere and let me get_people to cover_you around the clock."

"I'm fed up_with_sitting around and_letting_others_decide my_future. And even_if_I have_one."

"Then_you've only one option," Hank said_grimly.

"And_that is?"

"Split," he said, without hesitation. "Pick_a nice new name_and_bury yourself somewhere while_me and her figure this_out." He nodded in Josie's direction.

Brad_shook his_head.

"Why not?_You've been there; you can handle it."

"Things are different now."

"Yes, indeedy._Now you're wanted for two murders,_instead of one. Feldersen_is scourin'_this_town lookin' to_give_you a_beatin', like enough for a wheelchair maybe._And persons_unknown are tryin' to kill you._Buddy, it's time for_farewells."

"Not_now."

"Not even if I go with_you?" Josie asked quietly.

His look was_hard. He started to speak,_then_held_back. She didn't know what_she was saying. Crummy rooms in_crummier towns, paying_more attention to those behind than in_front._If it didn't destroy her, it_would_at least kill whatever future they_might_have_together. But the words wouldn't_come.