بخش 05 - فصل 03

3

Brady dresses and drives to a twenty-four-hour drugstore near the airport. He’s seen in the bathroom mirror that his mother’s electric razor left a lot to be desired; his skull needs more maintenance. He gets disposable razors and shaving cream. He grabs more batteries, because you can never have enough. He also picks up a pair of clear glass

spectacles from a spinner rack. He chooses hornrims because they give him a studently look. Or so it seems to him. On his way to the checkout, he stops at a cardboard standup display featuring the four clean-cut boys in ‘Round Here. The copy reads GET YOUR GEAR ON FOR THE BIG SHOW JUNE 3RD! Only someone has crossed out JUNE

3RD and written 2NITE below it. Although Brady usually takes an M tee-shirt–he’s always been slim–he picks out an XL and adds it to the rest of his swag. No need to stand in line; this early he’s the only customer. “Going to the show tonight?” the checkout girl asks.

Brady gives her a big grin. “I sure am.” On his way back to the motel, Brady starts to think about his car. To worry about his car. The Ralph Jones alias is all very fine, but the Subaru is registered to Brady Hartsfield. If the Det-Ret discovers his name and tells five-oh, that could be a problem. The motel is safe

enough–they no longer ask for plate numbers, just a driver’s license–but the car is not. The Det-Ret’s not close, Brady tells himself. He was just trying to freak you out. Except maybe not. This particular Det solved a lot of cases before he was Ret, and some of those skills still seem to be there.

Instead of going directly back to the Motel 6, Brady swings into the airport, takes a ticket, and leaves the Subaru in long-term parking. He’ll need it tonight, but for now it’s fine where it is. He glances at his watch. Ten to nine. Eleven hours until the showtime, he thinks. Maybe twelve hours until the

darkness. Could be less; could be more. But not much more. He puts on his new glasses and carries his purchases the half-mile back to the motel, whistling.