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“Sweetheart, if I had your dubious taste in men, I wouldn’t be too happy, either.”
“My name is Blue. Blue Bailey.”
“Sounds phony.”
“My mother was a little depressed the day she filled out my birth certificate. I was supposed to be Harmony, but a riot had broken out in South Africa, and Angola was a mess…” She shrugged. “Not a good day to be a Harmony.”
“Your mother must have quite a social conscience.”
Blue gave a rueful laugh. “You might say.” Her mother’s social conscience had led to Blue’s currently empty bank account.
He tilted his head toward the rear of the car. She noticed a tiny hole in his earlobe. “Those art supplies I put in the trunk…,” he said. “A hobby or an occupation?”
“Occupation. I do portraits of children and pets. Also some murals.”
“Isn’t it a little tough to build up a clientele moving around like you do?”
“Not really. I locate an upscale neighborhood and stuff the mailboxes with flyers that show samples of my work. It generally does the trick, although not in a town like Rawlins Creek where there isn’t an upscale neighborhood.”
“Which explains the beaver suit. How old are you, anyway?”
“Thirty. And, no, I’m not lying. I can’t help the way I look.”
“Safe Net.”
Blue jumped as a disembodied female voice invaded the interior of the car.
“Checking in to see if we can be of assistance,” the voice purred.
Dean passed a slow-moving tractor. “Elaine?”
“It’s Claire. Elaine’s off today.”
The voice was coming from the car’s speakers.
“Hey, Claire. I haven’t talked to you in a while.”
“I had to go visit my mom. So how’s the road treating you?”
“No complaints.”
“On your way to Chicago, why don’t you stop off in St. Louis? I have a couple of steaks in my freezer with your name on them.”
Dean adjusted the sun visor. “You’re too good to me, sweetheart.”
“Nothing’s too good for my favorite Safe Net customer.”
When he finally disconnected, Blue rolled her eyes. “You’ve got them lined up and taking numbers, don?
?t you? What a waste.”
He refused to play her game. “Don’t you ever get the urge to settle down in one place? Or does the witness protection program keep you on the move?”
“Too much world to see for me to settle down. Maybe I’ll start thinking about it when I’m forty. Your lady friend mentioned Chicago. I thought you were going to Tennessee.”
“I am. But Chicago’s home.”
Now she remembered. He played for the Chicago Stars. She gazed longingly at the sports car’s impressive instrument panel and gearshift paddles. “I’ll be happy to take over the driving.”
