Page 22 of The Desperate Warrior

Jules flung her hands into the air. “Exactly. That’s why I said what I did.”

A crease dented the strip between Nikki’s eyes. “Do you think Steve was the one who rammed you with the car?”

“I don’t know.” Jules reached for the remote and turned on the TV, staring at the screen without seeing it.

Nikki groaned. “Okay, I can’t handle any more TV. Turn that wretched thing off.”

“Fine,” Jules muttered as she complied. “Sorry to put you out,” she said sarcastically.

“Has anyone even heard from Steve? Have the authorities uncovered anything?”

“No. They tried to question Steve after my accident …” Her voice dribbled off, not wanting to tell the rest. Saying it out loud made it seem all too painfully real.

“What?” Nikki prompted.

“A week before my accident, Steve got into an argument with his boss. He left work and never returned. It’s like he’s disappeared off the face of the earth. Even his kids haven’t heard from him.” When Jules met Steve, she guessed him to be a mechanic because of the grease on his fingernails and the fact that his name was embroidered on his work shirt. He was actually a diesel mechanic at a rail hub, so she wasn’t too far off.

Concern flickered across Nikki’s face. “That is concerning.” She paused, chewing on her lower lip. “I sure wish there had been a traffic camera at the intersection where you were hit.”

The accident happened at a smaller intersection where there wasn’t a camera. Had someone intentionally hit her at that particular location so there wouldn’t be any footage of the accident, or was it a coincidence? According to one of the police officers who’d taken her statement at the hospital, even if the accident had occurred at an intersection with a camera, most municipal traffic cameras weren’t equipped with night vision. They were used to monitor traffic flow rather than to identify anyone.

As far as Jules knew, there were no witnesses.

She was starting to wonder if she would ever find out who hit her. She just kept hoping that it was a random thing rather than intentional. If Steve Randall was the one who hit her, then that meant he’d been following her. Also, it meant that she was in danger of another attack.

Nikki interrupted her thoughts. “Look, I can understand why you’re spooked, but you can’t just sit around waiting for something bad to happen.” She shuddered. “You’ll go nuts.”

What Nikki really meant was that she would go nuts.

“I’m not waiting for something bad to happen,” Jules countered. “I’m relaxing. I was trying to watch a show before you freaked out about it.”

“Fine, Miss Couch Potato. Have at it.” Nikki rose to her feet. “But don’t expect me to sit around twiddling my thumbs. If you won’t go to the rodeo with me, then I’ll go for a run.”

Unease slinked through Jules. “You think that’s a good idea? To go running by yourself right now?” With all the rain, everything was gloomier and more menacing.

Jules looked at her like she’d suddenly sprouted another head. “I go running by myself all the time.”

“I know, but what if Steve is hiding out and watching us?” She spoke faster as her heart began to pound. “What if he lumps you together with me and tries to hurt you?” She couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to Nikki, especially on account of her.

She scrunched her nose. “That’s a bit farfetched. We don’t even know yet if Steve Randall was the one who hit you.”

“Yes, but it does seem strange that I got hit by a car. A week before, Steve got into an argument with his boss and then went off the grid.” Even as she spoke the words, apprehension soured her gut. Something told her that she’d not seen the last of Steve Randall. Things were about to get gnarly; she could feel it.

“I can’t just sit around the house, I’ll go crazy. I need to go for a run.”

Nikki was so high energy. She never sat still. Jules could almost see the sparks zigzagging through her like a lightning storm. “Fine,” she relented, “but at least take some mace. I have a can on my keychain. It’s in the top drawer of the dresser in my bedroom.”

“You have mace?” A smile tugged at her lips. “Wow, cuz, I’m impressed. I guess you can handle yourself.”

“When I get to work in the mornings, it’s still dark outside most of the time. I want to be prepared.”

“I can certainly respect that.”

Jules glanced towards the bay window. “It’s been so nasty out today. You sure you wanna go outside?” She already knew the answer, as Nikki was a stubborn mule. However, she at least had to make some mention about the weather so she could claim to be the voice of reason.

Nikki got up from her seat, traipsed over to the bay window and peered out. “It’s clear,” she chirped.

“For now, but who’s to say it won’t start up again once you’re out?” Going off of the dark clouds crowding the sky, it looked like it could start pouring any minute.

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