Page 106 of Hidden Nature

He smiled back, a pleasant-looking man with a good haircut and horn-rimmed glasses.

“Let’s see if I’ve got enough.”

He gripped the handle with both hands, gave it a hard sideways pull. It opened so smooth, so fast, he nearly tumbled.

He started to laugh, and Sam shoved the needle in.

Zach managed a half shout. His arms waved wildly. Sam locked his arms around him, tossed him inside.

“I got him.” As he climbed in, he glanced toward the hotel.

“Jesus, somebody’s coming.”

Clara slid the door closed, and wearing that frustrated smile again, walked over to a tall Black man who crossed the lot.

“Excuse me, I must’ve made a wrong turn. My daughter’s going to wonder where I am. Can you tell me how to get back on 40, headed west?”

“I sure can.”

He gave her directions where she had no intention of going.

“Thank you. My old bucket doesn’t have the GPS, and I got turned around.”

“No problem at all. Drive safe.”

“Oh, I always do.”

She walked back to the van, put on her seat belt. Started the engine. She gave a wave to the man who’d given her directions as he unlocked a car several spaces down the row.

As she drove, safely, out of the parking lot, she flipped a glance in the rearview mirror.

“You shouldn’t take the name of our Lord and Savior in vain, Sam.”

“I know, Clara, I’m sorry. It just jumped up. And aren’t you cool, walking right up to that guy that way.”

“I couldn’t see any other way to do it. Had to distract him.”

“Smart. But now he’s seen you, babe. He’s seen you and the van.”

“We won’t worry about that right yet. Let’s get this one home. He’s good and out, isn’t he?”

“He is now.”

Sam climbed in the front, put his seat belt on.

“He didn’t see you, doll. Didn’t see you put this one in, or get in after. He came out after that, when I was closing the door. But this one was putting up a ruckus, and I couldn’t be sure the other wouldn’t hear. I needed to keep him away some until you had him all secure.”

“Fast thinking, babe. Those security lights… Still, it was pretty dark, and you’re wearing a hat, got your scarf bundled up. I bet he didn’t see much of your face.”

“Probably not, but you’re right, doll, he surely saw the van.”

“We’ll paint it. We can paint it.”

“Now who’s thinking fast! We’ll paint it. Oh, let’s pick a prettycolor. Dark blue, I think. Navy blue. That’s not flashy, but it’ll be a nice change.”

“Dark blue it is.” It pleased him he’d thought of something that pleased her. “I’m going to take care of this for us, babe. I’ll look up how it’s done and take care of it.”

She sent him a quick grin. “Now that it’s all done with, Sam? That was kind of exciting. It got me wound up some.”

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