Read Online Candy Kid by Dorothy B. Hughes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dorothy B. Hughes
Ads: Link
jerked in the direction he was headed. The accent continued, “Then you go this way and then you follow the signs.”
The other said, suspicious, not certain of Jose, “The market she is not open this late.”
“You sure of that? They told me—” He slid his sleeve, looked at his watch. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s after nine, closes at nine.” They might jump him for his wristwatch and his possible wallet. He had a cigarette for weapon. “Then how do I get back to the main drag?”
Directions were reversed. The opposite direction, follow the curve of the street at the next corner.
“Okay, thanks, Mac.”
He made a wide wheel before putting his back to them. And he walked off with the cigarette glowing, slanting across to the opposite side once he’d passed the entrance of the burro’s street. From his sidelong glance, there was no sign of the small girl. If she were there, she wouldn’t let herself be visible.
Once he was out of the hirelings’ sight, he walked fast. Putting as much space as possible between them before they got new orders or started thinking. It wasn’t their job to think. The music was increasing in volume and he could see the lights ahead now. After a short block, the side - street shops, lighted ones, let him catch his breath. But not until he was again on the Avenida did he actually slow down. He cut across it and was inconspicuous among other white suits and light suits and seersucker suits.
Calle Herrera wasn’t deserted. Looking down it he could see two couples emerging through the garden door. He passed them midway. He walked by but was stopped by the “Hey, Jo,” called after him. He hadn’t noticed in his hurried passing; it was the two business men from Santa Fe with two fairly good-looking Texas dames. “Did your friend catch you?” the plump one asked. He was Wade, Wade’s Plumbing Fixtures.
“Friend? What friend?”
“Some guy at the hotel. Just missed you. He was asking the bellhop where you were. I just happened to be standing there.”
“So you made yourself useful.”
“I asked Lou. She told me to try Herrera’s. She thought I was looking for you, see?”
Jose swallowed the words gagging him. He asked patiently, “Who was he? What was the name?”
“I don’t know.” Wade might have had more to say but the babe was dragging at his arm. Wanting some Paris perfume out of him while he was still feeling good. His wife would get some too, solving the conscience problem.
“Thanks, pal.” Jose lifted his hand, made it fast to the gate while the guys and their one-nighters were sauntering away. He didn’t care about the warning bells now. Nor about the shadows of the patio. As a matter of fact, there were couples in the patio, loud-talking ones. “… don’t see why we couldn’t string up lanterns around our barbecue … they’re so …” and the inevitable “quaint.”
Most of the tables were empty, the dinner hour was over. A scattering of late-comers and wine-bibbers lingered. Neither Adam’s massive shoulders nor Beach’s taffy head was among those present.
Jose went to Senora Herrera, following her until she put away the silver she was carrying. When she saw him, her black eyebrows sailed high. “Where have you been, Don Jose? You did not finish the dinner you ordered.”
He gave her the smile with which Beach charmed the older generation. “I had a small errand … and was delayed.” He pushed the smile harder. “Now I am hungry. You will serve me?” He had to wait around for the girl.
“You think my chicken mole will keep while you run yourself all over the town? I do not serve food which is so cold I must wear a shawl to carry it.” But she would bring him fresh food out of cook’s pride.
“What happened to the other fellows, Senora?” The small girl was to have held them here, instead she’d come running after him.
“Senor Adam has returned to El Paso.”
Jose groaned. Adam had meant it.
“Senor Beach is out
The other said, suspicious, not certain of Jose, “The market she is not open this late.”
“You sure of that? They told me—” He slid his sleeve, looked at his watch. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s after nine, closes at nine.” They might jump him for his wristwatch and his possible wallet. He had a cigarette for weapon. “Then how do I get back to the main drag?”
Directions were reversed. The opposite direction, follow the curve of the street at the next corner.
“Okay, thanks, Mac.”
He made a wide wheel before putting his back to them. And he walked off with the cigarette glowing, slanting across to the opposite side once he’d passed the entrance of the burro’s street. From his sidelong glance, there was no sign of the small girl. If she were there, she wouldn’t let herself be visible.
Once he was out of the hirelings’ sight, he walked fast. Putting as much space as possible between them before they got new orders or started thinking. It wasn’t their job to think. The music was increasing in volume and he could see the lights ahead now. After a short block, the side - street shops, lighted ones, let him catch his breath. But not until he was again on the Avenida did he actually slow down. He cut across it and was inconspicuous among other white suits and light suits and seersucker suits.
Calle Herrera wasn’t deserted. Looking down it he could see two couples emerging through the garden door. He passed them midway. He walked by but was stopped by the “Hey, Jo,” called after him. He hadn’t noticed in his hurried passing; it was the two business men from Santa Fe with two fairly good-looking Texas dames. “Did your friend catch you?” the plump one asked. He was Wade, Wade’s Plumbing Fixtures.
“Friend? What friend?”
“Some guy at the hotel. Just missed you. He was asking the bellhop where you were. I just happened to be standing there.”
“So you made yourself useful.”
“I asked Lou. She told me to try Herrera’s. She thought I was looking for you, see?”
Jose swallowed the words gagging him. He asked patiently, “Who was he? What was the name?”
“I don’t know.” Wade might have had more to say but the babe was dragging at his arm. Wanting some Paris perfume out of him while he was still feeling good. His wife would get some too, solving the conscience problem.
“Thanks, pal.” Jose lifted his hand, made it fast to the gate while the guys and their one-nighters were sauntering away. He didn’t care about the warning bells now. Nor about the shadows of the patio. As a matter of fact, there were couples in the patio, loud-talking ones. “… don’t see why we couldn’t string up lanterns around our barbecue … they’re so …” and the inevitable “quaint.”
Most of the tables were empty, the dinner hour was over. A scattering of late-comers and wine-bibbers lingered. Neither Adam’s massive shoulders nor Beach’s taffy head was among those present.
Jose went to Senora Herrera, following her until she put away the silver she was carrying. When she saw him, her black eyebrows sailed high. “Where have you been, Don Jose? You did not finish the dinner you ordered.”
He gave her the smile with which Beach charmed the older generation. “I had a small errand … and was delayed.” He pushed the smile harder. “Now I am hungry. You will serve me?” He had to wait around for the girl.
“You think my chicken mole will keep while you run yourself all over the town? I do not serve food which is so cold I must wear a shawl to carry it.” But she would bring him fresh food out of cook’s pride.
“What happened to the other fellows, Senora?” The small girl was to have held them here, instead she’d come running after him.
“Senor Adam has returned to El Paso.”
Jose groaned. Adam had meant it.
“Senor Beach is out
Similar Books
