Hourglass

Chapter 29

"Nathan turns with a what-the-hell expression.
The mystery man's hands spring up in a don't-shoot pose.
"Meet David Bartell," Nathan says with a hint of sarcasm. "He's a private investigator working for Serenity Insurance."
Her gaze is glued to the stranger.
"Your mom had a life insurance policy with us, ma'am." Bartell lowers his hands.
"Don't tempt me," she snaps, her hands wavering. "Keep"
"them up!"
His shaking arms shoot toward the sky. Perspiration accumulates on his forehead.
"Why did you follow me in the hospital?"
"You looked frightened. Just wanted you to know I wasn't gonna hurt you."
"What's that smell?" Nathan asks in disgust, as he flashes the investigator's identification at her.
Jasmine takes the card and briefly views it. "How much life insurance did she have?"
"Sixty thousand. She knew it wasn't much, but that's all she could afford."
"You've been terrorizing me for weeks for insurance money?"
Nathan's trying to locate that God-awful smell. He's sniffing the air like a freakin' dog.
The intruder looks like a frightened rabbit. "Strictly protocol, ma'am. It's not personal. Getting ready to wrap it up."
"Ohhh, you're done, all right. If I ever see ya again I will disengage your head from your body like a deer in hunting season. Do you get what I'm saying, David?"
"Yes, ma'am, I do."
"Okay, then. We're good, right?"
"Sure, sure, I, I, I'm happy to oblige," he stutters as he lowers his arms. "Can I please have my ID back, ma'am?"
"No. And quit calling me ma'am."
"Yes, ma'am."
Jasmine glowers.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Her hands wobble. She doesn't look like a killer, but she's wielding the piece around like a kid on crack. Shot is shot. Dead is dead, intentional or not. And David looks like he's not taking any chances.
"Think I'm going to keep the ID as a souvenir. Is that all right with you, David?"
"Yes, sure, whatever you want."
"Okay. You've got two minutes to hightail it out of here. You, lousy piece of shit."
"Yes, ma'am, I mean yes, yes."
"David, get out of my sight."
"I'm gone." He takes off running.
"Hightail it out of here? Nobody says that anymore." Nathan studies her with crossed arms. "Do you even know how to use that thing?"
"Oh, yeah! I'm a country girl. We hunt better than most men. My family hid low for years when I was young. I couldn't do anything that would stand out or raise suspicion. I couldn't hang out with friends. My dad told me there'd be a day when I'd need to protect myself." She giggles. "Think I scared the shit out of David. Don't believe he'll be fooling around with this country gal any longer."
"I have neighbors. Put that away before you hurt someone. He's not afraid of you 'cause you're a country girl. He spazzed 'cause you're fucking nuts. You spooked me, flinging that gun around like a drugged lunatic." Nathan stomps toward the house, murmuring under his breath. "'I'll dismantle your neck from your head, like a ...'"
"A little melodramatic, aren't we? And ungrateful, I might add. The funny thing is, my dad taught me how to save my life, and I can't ever thank him." She follows Nathan. "He doesn't even know who I am ninety percent of the time. But," she raises her index finger, "the real kicker is my mom. She went on and on about the necessity of being prepared. Then she dies and leaves me to care for a father that doesn't know me, and that dreadful house. How am I supposed to do that?"
"Are you drunk?"
"No, but I did take an extra nerve pill, so I wouldn't be anxious on my date."
"You had a date?" He walks inside."
"She steps out of her shoes, leaving them on the porch. "Well, it wasn't actually a date. Kind of a spontaneous thing, ya know what I mean? We just got a bite to eat, but he wants to go on a real date. I told him I would, but I'm definitely not. I can't date anyone."
"Who is he and how did you meet him? Don't you recall my warnings? Do you ever hear anything I say?"
"Nathan, you're overreacting, as usual. He's not a weirdo. He was in one of my labs last semester."
"Oh, well. Then he can't be dangerous. Can he?"
"You're crazy. I said I'm not going to see him again so relax."
"I can't believe you yanked out a piece in my backyard. Between you and Sophia, I can't take much more of this bullshit. I swear ..." He throws his arms out as if he's surrendering.
"I was protecting you. He could've been armed."
"Really?" Nathan smiles. "I don't need your protection, Jasmine. I can twist a gun or fling it at his head faster than you can take a breath."
"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that." She giggles.
"Okay, let's get to work." Nathan yawns. "It's already getting late."