Free Warrior of the Ages (Warriors of the Ages) by S. R. Karfelt Page A

pants pocket, and nodded towards Sherman. “I’ll use it to buy more cake.”
     

     
    ON THE FREEWAY, heading back towards Willowyth, Sherman had the audacity to ask if Beth came from money. Her opinion of him couldn’t get much lower, but she answered frankly, she never really had any choice in that matter.
    “No. My parents were both in the military.”
    “Really? You don’t have that look about you, you know, military brat. How did you come up with the cash for Pearl Street?”
    Clenching her bag with fists Beth fought it, tried to resist answering the nosy question. It was no use. Whatever filter the rest of humanity had, she had been born without it. Always, all her life, she’d answered questions with brutal honestly.
    “I worked in international stocks after university. I was really good at it.”
    “Did you now? Can’t imagine anyone leaving that kind of work for running a gift shop in rural Ohio….”
    It wasn’t a question and Beth’s hands unclenched. She didn’t care what he could imagine, and she bit her tongue rather than point out that she most definitely was not opening a gift shop. Hoping to avoid hearing any further questions she rolled down her window. The wind blew loudly into the car, dimming Sherman’s voice as he droned on about poor business prospects.
    “Why’d you do that?” he protested. “I have air-conditioning!”
    Beth leaned towards him, almost relieved to answer this honestly, no longer caring if she hurt his feelings.
    “I’m trying to drown out your personal questions. I don’t want to answer them. I think they’re inappropriate and rude. Ours is a business relationship only.” The world was full of lawyers and she’d happily find a new one.
    After a moment Sherman Kelts used his controls to roll up her window.
    “Well, I thought we were becoming friends.” His eyes went to her legs.
    Beth moved her big purse down her lap to cover them. It isn’t easy to get dresses the right length when you’re six feet tall, and she knew exactly what Sherman Kelts was interested in. Her fists balled up again.
    “What the….” Sherman groused as a State Trooper pulled alongside the Jaguar, lights flashing. The trooper motioned for him to pull over.
    “I was not speeding. What’s this about?”
     

     
    AT LEAST THIS time Beth got to ride in the front seat of the police car, but twice in one day riding in any part of a police car seemed like setting a bad precedent.
    “Thanks for driving me home, Trooper Blake, I appreciate it.”
    The State Trooper nodded at her, making polite conversation. “No problem. I don’t often have a good reason to get off the highway. This is a nice area. I’ve never been here before.”
    Peering out the window at Willowyth’s tree lined Main Street Beth had to agree with his assessment. Already, just a couple miles from her new house she felt the strange anticipation that the house on Pearl Street incited in her. An odd thought occurred to her.
    “Can I ask what made you pull Sherman Kelts over? I mean, were you planning on impounding his car when you did it?”
    The State Trooper touched the brim of his hat briefly, responding a bit elusively.
    “Everything is automated anymore. You can’t get away with not paying tickets.”
    “Seems to me he got away with it for a good long time. I mean he said he hadn’t paid any parking tickets in ten years.”
    “He’ll be paying now and just between you and me, I’ve never seen anyone get away with not paying tickets for ten years. I don’t know how he kept his registration current. He’s in a lot of trouble.” The Trooper glanced over at her and said a bit dryly, “Even if he plays golf with the governor.”
    Beth grinned at him. Sherman certainly hadn’t taken having his vehicle impounded very well. Standing alongside the freeway he’d tried every threat he dared and dropped names without a hint of shame.
    “I have reason to believe he was lying about that,” she told the officer