Crude

Joe had no clue as to the truth or how much truth Jane's words had. He felt that he knew her, and what went with that, he knew her lies were all but good. They were bad. They were real bad. Crude.

"I don't know where Bob went," she said. Her brow was not still. It quirked up and down her face, hid in her hair, went back down. Joe found it most strange and a clear sign of her bluff.

"Yes, you do." He crossed his arms.

"No, I don't know where Bob is, what he is up to, who he is with, and for sure not why he's gone, and not here!"

"Your words are rushed," Joe said. His eye was good and his ear was more so. "They are quick and fast and all that, not slow like you tend to use. You change the way you speak. Too bland. Too bare. Too crude to be you. I know what you say is a big, bold lie."

She stood and met his eyes. His eyes were cold, hard steel. Her eyes were full of pure fear.

"You speak like that."

"What does that change?"

She had no words for that. So much for Joe the dumb guy. Crude, my ass. He's a smart one, but you know when it's too late for that. Smart. Too smart.

"It will be done soon," Jane said. She looked to the side. "You can not stop it. You can not stop him."

"I can not," he said. "I trust you when you say that. But I can leave you. And you can not stop me."

True to his word, as he had said in short and with truth, Joe left.