Wazoo didn’t reappear until Spike drove his cruiser away. After that, she just about fell back into the shop and began cleaning up behind the counter.
“Everything okay?” Bleu asked.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Wazoo sounded edgy.
She lined up the big jars of candy on a shelf, clacking the glass together. In the middle of washing what few dirty dishes remained, she looked at the door, almost wild-eyed. And she muttered while she hurried to turn the sign there to read Closed from outside.
By Bleu’s watch, it wasn’t yet five. The shop stayed open till six.
Dishwashing resumed. And a conspicuous absence of conversation.
“Would you like me to leave?” Bleu asked. “You’re getting ready to close up.”
“I already closed,” Wazoo said. She paused and wiped her hands. “I do have to get away early. You stay as long as you want. Just lock up when you and Roche leave.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
Wazoo didn’t answer her.
Something definitely was not okay. “Wazoo.” Bleu got up and went behind the counter to take the woman by the shoulders. “Stop rushing around.”
“I told you—”
“And I don’t believe it’s as simple as that. You’ve been acting strangely since Spike came in…before that even. Don’t try to put me off, because I won’t let you.”
“You’re imagining things.”
Bleu kept a hold on Wazoo’s shoulders until she lifted her chin and took a calming breath.
“I’m scared,” she said.
Bleu’s heart gave a big thump. “Share it with me. I’ll help you.”
“I’ve got to do it alone.”
“No, you don’t. Not something that scares you. Talk to me.”
Wazoo held up shaking hands. “Me, I said I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’ll go like I was asked and I’ll say someone’s waiting for me. I’ll come back to you. If I don’t get here in a couple of hours…No, I’m gonna be okay.”
“No!” Panicked, Bleu shook her. “No one should ask you to do something and not to tell anyone, unless it’s wrong. You know that.”
“He said his life depends on it.”
“Who?” Bleu insisted.
“Folks don’t think a lot about me, but I’m loyal and I like it that way. If I can help someone, I will. I didn’t mean to, but I let Mary down. I won’t let that happen again. He ask me to help him, and I said I would because I like him. He’s in a jam.”
“It’s Sam,” Bleu said, dropping her hands from Wazoo’s shoulders. “Of course it is. Spike said something about him, and you took off. You don’t know what you should do, but I’ll tell you. You should go right to Spike. Now.”
“And if Sam dies because I didn’t help him?” Wazoo said. “Or because I brought the sheriff where he wasn’t wanted—then what? I can’t stop you from talkin’ to Spike, but I can do what I’m goin’ to do anyway. I’m leavin’.”