Page 9 of Wyoming True

“Nice manners,” she said absently.

“My mother was a stickler for them,” he replied. “She was a sweet, unselfish little woman who always put her family first.”

“So was mine,” she replied quietly. “I miss my parents.”

“I miss my mother.”

She turned toward the pharmacy. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“No rush,” he replied.

SHEDIDN’THAVEto wait. The clerk had it ready when she got to the counter.

“Don’t forget to put food in your stomach before you take those,” the pharmacist said as the clerk took her credit card and ran it.

“I won’t. Five days on, ten days off,” she repeated.

He gave her a thumbs-up and a smile, and went back to work.

“High-powered stuff,” Carol remarked as she handed the prescription and the credit card back to Ida.

“I usually only need them in the winter,” Ida replied. “I guess this isn’t going to be my best year. It’s just October.”

Carol just smiled. Unlike most local people, she knew Ida very well. She knew that the divorcée’s wild image was just a mask that she wore to protect herself. They had a mutual in-law who was kin to Ida’s first husband.

“Thanks,” Ida said.

“If you need me, you know my number,” Carol said softly.

“I do. You know mine, also,” came the smiling reply.

“We look out for each other.”

“Harry looked out for me, when I really needed it,” Ida said. “I do miss him so.”

“Me, too,” Carol replied. “He was so different from what people thought he was.”

“Isn’t that the truth?”

“You be careful driving.”

“Oh, I’m not. Jake McGuire took me to the doctor and brought me by here.” She flushed and looked around, to make sure nobody had overheard.

“We’re almost empty today. Jake, hmm?” Carol teased.

“It’s not like that. He doesn’t like me at all.” She sighed. “Which is just as well, with my history.”

“We heard that your second husband got early release,” Carol said, lowering her voice. “You keep your door locked and put Cody Banks on speed dial. Just in case.”

“I thought they’d keep him forever,” Ida said heavily. She shook her head. “He killed a man and hardly served any time for it. Now he gambles away everything he can steal. He’s made threats...”

“I meant it, about putting our sheriff on speed dial. You live out in the sticks.”

“I like my privacy.”

“Maybe you should invest in some protection. A big mean dog?”

“My attorneys in Denver suggested a bodyguard.”