Chapter 18

 

RENEE GLANCED OVER as Aeron held on to the grab rail. Her complexion had paled and she frowned. She’d have thought it was from the breakneck speed they were hurtling along at, but Aeron had looked drained when they got back to the car.

“Are you feeling okay?” She knew Aeron wasn’t a morning person. Maybe the lack of sleep had hit her? They were only midway through the morning.

“Tired.” She yawned a big yawn that was followed by a shoulder shudder. “Don’t get why folks are up this early.”

“It’s nine o’clock. Everyone is at work.” She tried not to chuckle. She knew the schedules in Serenity must have been ingrained in Aeron. Inmates had been up for breakfast at seven; then locked away until just before lunch; then, they “worked” until dinner at five, and were locked away again. Aeron still operated on that time. She was always starving at those times. Renee bit her lip. They hadn’t had breakfast. She’d need to find something on the way.

“Most people look how I feel,” Aeron mumbled. She rubbed her hand over her face to cover another yawn. How could she yawn at the speed they were going? “Why start so early?”

Renee was a morning person. She’d always been that way. Her father had a lot to do with that. Her military career only added to it. “The sun is shining, there’s an energy, can’t you feel it?”

Aeron grunted as Renee screeched around a corner. Didn’t help that she had to adjust due to a bus parked at a stop. Less than smooth wasn’t good enough. “All I can feel is that most people are worrying about being late, a few are dreading their boring work day, and the rest are thinking about lunch.”

“I’m sure there are some people who are happy.” Renee looked out the window. It was just after rush hour so a glance outside confirmed Aeron’s thoughts. “They’ll be better after a coffee.”

“’Cause some hot water and beans are gonna fix the fact they hate working?”

Renee shot a scowl Aeron’s way. What could she say? Did most people enjoy their jobs? She tapped at her wheel. She loved her job but then she was seeing former people and talking to Nan. “It helps them be part of society. People want to work.”

“I get that but when people don’t, it’s gotta be real hard.” She glanced over and Renee could see shadows under her eyes. “I know they do ’cause they gotta eat but it makes my stomach ache.”

“How about you?” She knew her voice sounded careful. Aeron always got to the heart of her no matter how hard she tried. “Are you one of those people?”

“Sometimes. Boot camp weren’t a lot of fun.” She blew out a long weary breath. “It sure beat Serenity though.”

“And now?” She held onto the wheel tighter than necessary. Aeron had signed the contract, she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere else but her desire mattered.

“I get to spend time with you, rescue folks, and some days I get to sleep in.” Aeron flashed her a brilliant smile. “All good.”

Renee tried not to be charmed. If anyone else said those things to her, she’d have batted them off as lip service but Aeron wasn’t like that. She meant it. Renee tried ignoring the little dance her heart did in response.

“When we’ve helped Joey, we’ll need to concentrate on finding Bess. That was the direction Lilia said would help.” Renee didn’t understand it. She went with it because Aeron and her mother always guided them well. Her logical mind demanded that she have a process instead of focusing on blind intuition.

But that was exactly how Aeron had kept St. Jude’s and her safe with “blind trust” as she called it. She’d talked about how her heart or “untrained eye,” gave her the ability to see the truth in people. Somehow it still all sounded like guess work and Renee’s mind wanted a plan. A good old-fashioned plan with bullet points and diagrams.

She wanted order and reason. Was that so hard?

If her heart would stop fluttering at Aeron’s smiles or her voice or the way she cared about everything, then Renee would feel far more reasonable.

She sighed. What a load of crap.

“We know who she is?” Aeron asked, her voice sleepy. How could the woman sleep with the sirens going?

“I do.”

Aeron let out a long grumble. “Let me guess, you’re not at liberty to blah, blah, blah . . .”

Renee chuckled. “Actually, I am but I really would love you to enjoy the surprise.”

“As long as she ain’t a homicidal maniac who tries slobbering on me, I’m good.” Aeron yawned again. “Next set of lights.”

Renee nodded as she spotted the car Aeron had highlighted. “And there was me thinking you liked their conflict.”

Aeron poked her in the thigh.

Renee jumped at the static and scowled. “Hey, that’s cheating.”

“What is it with you and aiming for kneecaps?” Aeron asked with a chuckle.

Renee pulled over. Three men surrounded the car. She looked around. It was broad daylight and no one was paying attention. “Trust me, if it was an option, I’d aim higher.”