The Dead and the Dreamer

***

There was no talk of their kiss at the impound yard on Saturday. John was a little disappointed. He wanted to bring it up, but did not want to force the issue. Sometime during his long Sunday alone and an even longer Sunday night he reverted back to his original theory of her just needing a shoulder to cry on.

John had slept in his clothes. He woke on top of the sheets with one shoe on. Before an eye opening shower, he went over to the answering machine and pushed the CHECK MES button.

Tammy called early Monday morning from her Nashville hotel and wanted to rush home to come along on his meeting with Lt. Grimm.

John quickly called her back and advised her otherwise. "Knowing Frank," he told her, "I can get more from him over a casual one on one. All he have to do is find out if the Virginia Beach police have any usable leads and make sure they're not looking to blame you."

Joyce also left a message and she sounded politely hurt. He had been foolishly putting off calling her. He promised himself he would defiantly call her right after he took a hot shower and woke his mouth up with a jolt of toothbrush.

As he washed himself under the pounding water he thought of the last few days. He found it odd that Lt. Grimm was at the club last night. It signified something, but he did not know just what. At least he did not know yet. Another big point, which he would definitely bring up to Lt. Grimm, was the faulty brake line on the Corvette. Faulty being an understatement, the line had clearly been severed. The idea of gambling coming up around Mr. Gallager was something else to talk about. John could see it all in his head. The different pieces of the puzzle were hovering about. He had to somehow fit them all together before the trail got cold and people forgot the so important little things.

The soap shot from his hand and fell to the floor of the tub. It made a sound so loud it startled him. He picked it up, still thinking of the few main aspects he had discovered. He also did not like being shot at. It was nothing like the movies - it was sickening. And the idea that the bullets might even have been meant for Tammy was not all that far-fetched.

But, he thought gravely, if the bullets had his name on them he did not necessarily want her getting in the line of fire. God, she was beautiful.