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The jailer, a strangely sneaky sort of person, let her into Lassiter’s cell, but he stood within earshot, which Abby found strange. Lassiter didn’t.
She pretended that she’d just come to see how he was, and if he needed anything. Unexpectedly, the little blonde trooper who’d been pursuing Cody came into the office. Abby saw her, although it would have been difficult for the girl to see her, in Lassiter’s cell. She motioned to the jailer, who left the room.
“I’ll be quick,” Abby said, leaning close to him. “Mr. Owens’s nephew is wearing designer clothes. He came into the office and made a terrible scene. Then an acquaintance,” she added, protecting Marie, “told me that a man in Florida who was being held in jail got out and paid money to three local people, including James Owens’s nephew, Jack Owens, and some woman as well, to take out Mr. Whatley!”
Lassiter didn’t even look surprised. He kept it to himself that he knew who the woman was. It was interesting that the little blonde who wasn’t a real trooper was speaking earnestly to the jailer even now, so engrossed that she hadn’t even looked toward the cell Lassiter and Abby were in.
“Thank you,” Lassiter told her. “I’ll check that out.”
The trooper turned and left abruptly and the jailer, who looked disoriented, turned toward the cells.
“Sorry about this, but it will keep him off the track,” Lassiter said, and abruptly pulled Abby to him by the nape of her neck and kissed her with sudden passion.
The jailer, returning and fearing he might have missed overhearing something he needed to know, just stared. He relaxed, laughed under his breath, and coughed. Loudly.
Lassiter lifted his head and looked in his direction.
“She should go now,” he said, and indicated Abby.
“Yes, I should,” Abby agreed. She grinned at Lassiter. She liked him, but the kiss had been nothing more than vaguely pleasurable. No toots. No whistles. No sudden acceleration of the senses.
Lassiter noted the same reaction on his part. Shame, he thought. She was the kind of woman he’d have adored. But, then, she’d never fit in his violent world.
“Come back and see me,” Lassiter said softly.
“I’ll certainly do that. I’ll bake a nail file into a cake!” she whispered, loud enough for the jailer to hear.
“No nail files,” he said curtly. “We have a metal detector.” He pointed to it. The door was just outside the cell area.
“Ah, well, I’ll think up something more innovative,” she said aloud, and gave the jailer a simpering look. He glared at her.
“See you,” she told Lassiter.
“Oh, yes, you will,” he assured her.
THEJAILERREPORTEDto Cody when he came back that Lassiter had a visitor. “A blonde woman,” he began.
“The state trooper?” Cody interrupted, worried that she knew they were suspicious of her.
“No. She came by to see if you wanted to go get something to eat but you weren’t here and she had to go back to work, she said. This was another blonde lady. Slender, long hair. She went to see Lassiter. I guess they’ve got something going, because she was really kissing him in his cell.”
Cody felt his insides explode. Riding around with Lassiter was one thing. But Abby’s kissing him indicated deeper feelings. He felt as if he’d dropped from a great height. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. He’d lost Abby. And the little blonde trooper who’d seemed to be actively pursuing him was only trying to kill his prisoner and keep him under surveillance. He felt absolutely depressed.
“How about Mr. Whatley?” Cody asked absently.
“Him? Oh, he’s been sleeping. A lot.”
Cody’s heart jumped. He dismissed the jailer and went past Whatley’s cell to Lassiter’s. “Has anyone been in his cell?” he asked curtly, keeping his voice down.
Lassiter looked up, grimaced and indicated his cell phone. “Sorry. I’ve been busy. And your jailer moved Horace to a cell farther along while they cleaned the one he was in...”
Cody went back to Horace Whatley’s cell with a black scowl and opened the door. Horace was lying on his bunk with his eyes closed.
“Mr. Whatley?” Cody asked curtly.
Horace opened his eyes and blinked. “Oh. Hi, Sheriff,” he said. He sat up and yawned. “I haven’t been sleeping well at night, so I thought I’d have a nap. I feel much better now.”
“Glad to hear it,” Cody replied.
