“I do too.”
“Whatever, come on. Let’s just get this job done. Completion is the only way to get out of this hole, the only way to stop the bleeding.”
“When I hear that from others, it always makes me wonder. How do you spend your way out of a financial holes? Yet it seems like sometimes it’s the only answer.”
“I agree,” Simon said. “We have to spend to get out of it. So let’s get the spending done, so I know what the bottom line is, and we can go forward from there.” With that, he turned and walked away.
It had been all he could do to not say something more. That aftershave, cologne, or whatever the hell his project manager used was pungent. However, Simon had never noticed it before. So today he had decided to overwhelm himself in it? Like that white noise you suddenly notice and now can no longer ignore? Or was it that crazy psychic olfactory sense of his? Considering that everything else was also on steroids, it was probably that.
It was irritating as hell. Plus, now a weird rumbling appeared in the back of his head. He swatted at it, shaking his head. It sounded like a washing machine running in the back of the house. He stood in silence for a few moments before saying, “Screw this.”
He needed this day to be over, and, if he was lucky, he’d get his work done first. If not, then to hell with it. Maybe Kate’s day was going better. And, with that, he pulled out his phone and checked it, intending to send a text to Kate, but hesitated. It was still relatively early in the day, and she’d be busy at work, what with her long hours. Groaning, he shoved his cell back into his pocket and headed home. It was definitely a day to shut down early.
Chapter 7
As Kate gotclose to the university, she deliberately drove around the block, taking a look at the area, wondering if the previous accidents had anything to do with this one. They were hardly accidents, but that’s what she would call them for the moment.Incidents, maybe that was better. She didn’t have the history on the previous four at this time of year in the same area, beyond a quick report, but she’d rather go home and study the written details in full later.
As it was, she took a quick look around, wondering what the problem was with this corner. Apparently the city had been lobbying for a change of traffic patterns here, in order to make it safer, but she didn’t really notice any difference. She shrugged, turned the corner again and then again. The traffic was steady, but it wasn’t overly slow, and, by the time she headed down the boulevard toward the campus center, the opposing traffic flowed smoothly at her side in the other direction—not a problem whatsoever.
Then again, most traffic wasn’t a problem if people kept to the rules and to their own side of the road. As soon as everybody accepted that they couldn’t go as fast as they wanted, they should just calm down and allow for more time. What really chapped her butt was those who didn’t want to listen to the rules—because the rules weren’t made for them, because they werespecial. The number of people who thought they were special just blew her away.
Shaking her head, she pulled into the student housing parking, then exited her vehicle and walked to the steps of the building. Groups of people stood around talking here and there. It was exam time, and summer session was almost over. Exams were hanging over the heads of some. As she almost reached the steps accessing the building, somebody called out, “Hey, do you have permission to go up there?”
She turned, looked at the young woman, and smiled. “Will this do?” She held up her badge.
Immediately the other woman recoiled. “Ah, is there a problem?”
“I need to talk to somebody. Is that a problem?”
She shook her head. “No, we’re just trying to keep security on the place a little tighter.”
“Have you had problems?” Kate asked.
“No, not really. It’s just, you know, sometimes breakups aren’t all that pleasant. And, when there are breakups between friends on campus, and everybody knows everybody, it’s really easy to get in and out of buildings, even if you didn’t really want them getting in and out.”
It was stated very cryptically, but Kate understood perfectly. “So, somebody had a bad breakup. He’s made some threats, and now you guys are all worried that he’ll come in here and cause chaos for his ex-girlfriend, is that it?”
Her eyebrows shot up, and she nodded. “Wow, that was quick. I guess you are a cop.”
“Yeah, that’s what the badge is for.” Kate looked around at the crowd. “I’m looking for Candy.”
“Oh, Candy is upstairs, studying,” she said, with relief.
“Good, I’ll just go on up and talk to her.”
“Is she in any trouble?”
“Nope, not at all.”
“Of course she isn’t. She’s not the type.”
“Not the type?”
“To get into trouble.”
“Interesting phrase,” Kate said, with a bright smile. “Who are the types to get into trouble?”
“Actually quite a few of us,” she said, in a half-joking manner. “It goes along with the territory, you know? Freedom from home for the first time. A chance to make our own decisions—without anybody looking over our shoulder and judging us for it.”