Run Away Baby
Page 69
Charlie’s voice was muffled by the shirt he was pulling over his head. “I can’t think of it. I know it by driving there. It’s outside of an unincorporated little town called Grove.”
“Just plain Grove?”
“Yeah. Just plain Grove. Have you heard of it before?”
“No. Is it right outside?”
“A couple of miles, I guess. Why do you need to know?”
“I want to know what you’re getting me into.” She swatted him on the butt.
“Getting you out of, you mean.”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“You all set?” he asked. He was dressed now and ready to drive Abby back to the mall, back to her abandoned SUV.
She slid her sunglasses on and pulled the brim of her cap down over her face. “I am. Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 35
“The mailman likes you.”
“Are you talking to me?”
“Who else would I be talking to?” Sharlene asked, looking around. She’d come back from lunch in time to see Charlie bringing Abby a latte from the coffee shop, along with the day’s mail. It was a sweet, but very dumb, move. Sharlene wasn’t going to let it go. “Does he buy you coffee all the time?”
“No! Never before.”
“Has he asked you out?”
“Of course not. I’m married,” Abby said. She pretended to be really absorbed in sorting through the mail he’d dropped off. “I think he’s just really friendly. I mean, he’s brought you coffee before, right?”
“Hell no. I wouldn’t want him to. He’s hot, but he’s got a dark side.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I’ve heard rumors.”
“Rumors?”
“There are things I could tell you. We should go out and get a drink. I’ll fill you in.”
“He seems nice enough to me.”
“That’s because he likes you.”
“I guess now that you mention it, I have noticed that he’s a little obsessed with me.”
“I told you so.”
“Look at this neat letter,” Abby said. “The envelope is shiny! Do we have anyone working here named Lewis Johnson?”
“How do you not know who works here by now? You’ve been here going on a year.”
“It hasn’t been that long.”