22
Adalhard Jaeger was sitting on the soft, dry river sand in the shade of a large river red gum tree growing out of the dry creek bed when, for no good reason, his thoughts turned to Anneliese, the girl he left broken-hearted back home. He was in that hazy, dreamlike state where he was not sound asleep and not fully awake. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open with a start and his hand flew to his waist. Then he remembered his gun was in the glove compartment of his vehicle. He looked around, up and down the riverbed. He sat with his back against the tree and had to lean sideways, first left and then right, to see around the base of the tree and across to the opposite side of the dry creek bed. There was no one there.
He was somewhat annoyed that his thoughts should turn, for no good reason,
