Alex Barclay - Blood Runs Cold

‘Is there someone you can call?’ said Billy. ‘State patrol?’

‘No one’s going to be out in this weather. Anyway, by the time they make it out here, it will be the middle of the night and the storm will probably have passed. I’d rather stay here until four a. m …’ She turned slowly around. ‘I mean, if that’s OK with you …’

‘I’m sure whatever’s OK with you is OK with everyone. All the time.’

Screw you .

‘I didn’t mean you have to stay up talking to me until four a. m.,’ said Ren. ‘You can go ahead to bed. It’s not like I’m going to rob the place.’

‘I don’t know what you’d be like, let loose in a bar.’

‘You don’t want to know.’

‘That sounds interesting.’

‘No. Take it from me. It’s not.’ She turned back to the window. ‘Some proper insulation here might be good.’ She walked away and took a seat by the fire. ‘It’s at an annoying level,’ she said, pointing to it.

‘Its only level,’ said Billy. ‘The boss is tight. The heating’s OK, but he doesn’t want the fire to ever be turned up.’

‘Yeah,’ said Ren, stretching her palms toward it. ‘God forbid the place ends up looking cozy.’

‘Does the princess find anything to her satisfaction?’ said Billy.

Ren ignored him.

‘I’m going to fix myself a drink,’ said Billy. ‘Do you want something?’

‘I’m not really drinking … but, OK. I’ll have a vodka Red Bull.’

‘Are you worried you might fall asleep?’

Ren smiled. ‘Vodka’ll do that to you.’

Billy went behind the bar and poured the drinks.

‘Cheers.’

‘Cheers.’

‘So …’ said Ren.

Billy turned to her, waiting. ‘So …?’ He grabbed the remote control for the television and hit the power button. Nothing happened. He shook out the batteries and tried again. He got up, switched it on and got static. ‘Damn,’ he said. ‘Damn.’

‘Yeah, last thing you want to have to do is talk to me,’ said Ren.

‘It’s not that. It’s just …’

‘I’m kidding,’ said Ren.

‘I don’t know what to say to you.’

‘Same as what you’d say to anyone else …’

‘… who could put me behind bars for life.’

‘Come on. Why would I want to do that?’

‘Ask your Atlanta buddies.’

‘Oh, come on. Would I be sitting here alone with you if I thought you were … you know?’

‘It could be all part of your plan.’

‘I don’t have a plan. I’m just doing my job.’

They sat in silence. ‘So … how did you end up here?’ said Ren.

‘It was a long hard climb up the corporate ladder, but I did it. I made it.’ He hit his glass off hers.

Ren laughed. ‘I don’t know what to say to that.’

‘OK — let me think — how did I make it here? Do you know that song “God Bless the Broken Road”? Well, think of mine as a broken road, but maybe the devil blessed it.’

‘That song’s adorable. Was your road that rough?’

‘Yes.’

End of discussion . ‘But, like, how was it, growing up?’ said Ren.

‘It was a badly beaten, animal-murdering kind of childhood.’

Ren laughed loud.

‘Seriously, though — did my mom send you?’ said Billy. ‘You’re not really the FBI, right? She just wants to make sure I don’t blame her for anything.’

‘Well, obviously your childhood was just fine.’

‘It was. Crazy, but not bad. I saw some weird shit. But … I’m all right now.’

She smiled.

‘What about you?’ said Billy.

‘Ooh,’ said Ren. ‘This is where I lie and say my father worked in an office and my mother was a housewife. Or I tell the truth. Although, maybe you only deserve the pared-back truth, like you’ve just given me.’

‘What? That was all lies. Go with the lies.’

‘My father worked in an office and my mother was a housewife.’

‘Good for them.’ They clinked glasses again. And with the next drink. And the next one … all the way to the last one.

‘Can I ask?’ said Billy. ‘Is Ren short for something?’

Ren smiled slowly.

‘Ah …’ said Billy, ‘something you don’t want to say.’

Ren smiled big. ‘Yes.’

‘Now I really want to know.’

She paused. ‘OK… Renegade.’

‘What? Are you serious?’

‘No.’

He laughed loud. ‘I thought your parents might have been Hollywood movie stars or something.’

‘No — worse than that on both counts.’

‘Yeah? Go ahead.’

‘Orenda.’

‘Orenda. That’s … terrible.’

‘I know. She’s a sacred power … it’s an Iroquois thing.’

‘I thought there might be something like that in you … you have a very striking face.’

Shit . ‘Thank you.’ She moved quickly on. ‘The Iroquois believe that if you ignore your dreams, you’re in big trouble because your dreams are connected directly to your soul. But also that when you dream you can communicate with the sacred power … Orenda.’

Billy paused. ‘Mystical … but the name still sucks.’

Ren laughed. ‘All right, all right …’

‘Does your family still call you that?’

‘Some of them.’

Billy laughed again. ‘Yeah, well, I won’t. No way.’

‘Hey — it’s Agent Bryce to you, anyway.’

‘Is it?’ He made a face.

‘I’m joking, you idiot.’

‘Can FBI agents call people idiots?’

‘We can do whatever we want,’ she said, smiling.

He shook his head.

‘Right,’ said Ren. ‘It is four thirty.’

‘You can’t drive now. Take the prison bunk. And I’ll have the … booth here.’

‘Nah. I’ll … let’s just wait up, eat something, drink coffee, then I’ll go on my way in a couple hours. I couldn’t sleep here … but thanks anyway.’

‘OK,’ said Billy, reaching out his hand, pulling her to her feet.

‘Good grip,’ said Ren.

‘Yeah. Steady hand. For the drive-bys.’

Ren laughed. ‘Stop.’ She held his gaze and saw what could be behind it. He hadn’t let go of her hand. She looked away. She pulled her hand gently from his and bent down to grab her purse from the floor. ‘Right,’ she said, ‘I’ve got to — ’ She stood up. Do not look at him . But she did. His eyes. Pale and nervous. Oh, no. Don’t . She closed her eyes as Billy leaned down to her. He kissed her so slowly and gently she could barely move; he looked like the kind of guy who would slam you up against a wall. She didn’t mind that he wasn’t that kind of guy.

And she didn’t mind that this could be the biggest mistake she had ever made.

Ren woke to Billy Waites’ arm wrapped around her naked stomach. Her heart flipped. She closed her eyes. Oh. God .

The flashback reel kicked in; his face, his mouth, his arms, his hands, edited with all the other parts of his body she never thought she’d see. Or do anything to. It was a great reel. But WTF?

Billy woke, groaning, sliding his hand out from under her.

‘Good morning,’ he said, rolling on to his back. She could hear the smile in his voice.

What have I done?

‘The FBI,’ said Billy, laughing.

The people who can fire me .

She sat up. ‘I’m sorry, Billy. I’ve got to go …’

‘Already?’

‘Yes.’ She looked around the room, trying to pinpoint each item of clothing before she got up. Hostage training: walk into a room, know immediately where everything is .

‘You are not happy this morning,’ said Billy.

She turned to look at him. He held her hair out of her eyes.

Don’t be nice to me . ‘I … don’t know what to say.’