Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

me. I know. I’ve seen it. There’s no rhyme or reason and that’s
what you’re looking for. Rhyme and reason, my lady. Pshaw!”
His hands were back on the steering wheel. That was that.
Stephen Kyle had spoken. He laid out the whole situation and
then wrapped it back up quite nicely, ready to put it out for the
trash man and be done with it. Josie swiveled her head and
looked at him. He was a funny man. Generous, kind, and brash
and she was lucky to have met him. She knew she would
believe that eventually.
“I hate to point this out, but you couldn’t know anything
about me or what I’m looking for.”
Josie’s didn’t want to fight with him. She was weary. Her
hand hurt. Her head hurt. She wanted to be with Archer or
Faye or Burt or Hannah. She wanted to be with someone who
understood her. That’s what she was trying to tell Stephen
Kyle. Instead she challenged him and he rose to it.
“Hah, you don’t know who you’re dealing with! I am
Keoloko, and I know a great deal about everything, including
you.” He chanced a glance her way, which was not much of a
gamble without the rain. “You’re a looker and you don’t even
know it. You’re a bit of an adventuress, considering how far
you’ve come, but the way you talk about your man and that
girl you’re looking for you’ve got the making of a fine wife
and mum yourself. You’re a brave girl. If you weren’t, you
would be hysterical having seen a man kill himself. You would
have gone back to Hermosa Beach and taken to your bed.
You’re kinder than you let on; a bleeding heart, actually. You
would have handed Hannah off to the dole and been done with
her if you weren’t. You’re a virtuous woman otherwise you
would have seduced me by now and enjoyed the pleasures of
my intimate company. Don’t know you! Cripes!”
Josie chuckled despite herself and sat up straighter, feeling
better for his nonsense. “You are hard to resist.”
“And your resistance makes you a unique woman.”