“Jealousy is an ugly thing, Marcia. ”
Marcia snorted and hung up.
A line of National Guard troop trucks passed them, heading south. Trout counted thirty of them.
“Lot of men for flood control,” said Goat.
“No shit,” agreed Trout. He said nothing for a few seconds, then he punched in another number. He did not put this call on speaker. It rang three times, and he was rehearsing what he was going to leave on the voice mail when a voice answered.
“Hello?”
“Dez…?”
A pause. “I don’t have time for this, Billy. ”
“No, don’t hang up. Listen, Marcia’s been telling me that some weird stuff’s been happening at Doc’s. Or at least in town somewhere. ”
“That’s none of your—”
“Stop,” he said. “I’m not calling for a story. I … just wanted to see if you’re all right. She said there were ambulances and all. ”
A much longer pause.
“Dez?”
“Why?” she asked.
“Come on, Dez … don’t be like that. ”
“I’m working here, Billy. ”
“I know … that’s the point. You’re on the job and something bad is happening. I need to know you’re okay. ”
This time the pause was so long that Trout had to check the screen display to make sure the call was still connected.
Dez said, “I’m … not injured. ”
It was the same thing she’d said earlier and it was a funny way to phrase it. It felt awkward and evasive to Trout.
“You sure?”
“I’m fine, Billy,” she snapped, then she took a breath and said it again. This time it was a softer voice than he’d heard her use in months. “Really, Billy. I’m okay. ”
Trout relaxed by half a degree. “JT?”
“We’re both good,” she said, and before Trout could say another word, Dez hung up.
Trout held the phone in his palm, weighing it, wondering if he could throw it all the way through the windshield. Beside him, Goat was studying him and for once he wasn’t wearing a joker’s smile.
“Everything cool?” Goat asked.
Trout shook his head. “No,” he said, “I don’t think it is. ”
Raindrops began spattering on the windshield as they made a right and drove under a stone arch that read GREEN GATES 55-PLUS COMMUNITY.
Below that, in painted script, it read LEAVE ALL YOUR TROUBLES BEHIND.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO