Read Online Deadside in Bug City by Randy Chandler - Free Book Online
Authors: Randy Chandler
Ads: Link
bastard time to cool off.”
“Gary doesn’t cool off. Something pisses him off, he just lets it build and build till he blows up. It just makes it worse when it does happen.” She absently reached a hand behind her back to check the knot holding her halter-top in place. “Bill’s Bar is a couple of blocks over. We could hide out there for a while. Give the cops time to clear out and then you could get your car. I could use a drink anyway. How about you?”
“Yeah, I could. But my wife’s probably wondering where the hell I am. I should’ve been home half an hour ago.”
“Call her from the bar. Explain what happened.”
Joe considered her suggestion. He was hot and sweaty and still charged with adrenaline from his fight with the drunken, irate boyfriend and from the violence in the convenience store. “A drink sounds good,” he said.
“Sure does,” she said. “We could cool off and I can figure out what to do about Gary. The son of a bitch.”
“Who pays the rent on your apartment?”
“I do. Gary buys the beer and an occasional bag of burgers. He’s only been staying there a couple of months. He’s got this construction job, but he doesn’t go in half the time. I don’t know why I put up with him, to tell you the truth. I’m just not sure how to get rid of him. He’s…scary.”
“I noticed.”
She laughed. “You sure decked him good. Where’d you learn how to box?”
“College PE. Many moons ago. I’m surprised it came back to me like it did. I mean, I was pretty good way back when, but I haven’t sparred since then. Don’t even go to the gym.”
“Guess it’s like riding a bike or something. Your body remembers the moves.”
Joe chuckled. “Not bad for an old fart, huh?”
“You don’t look that old. Just…I dunno, the gray around the temples makes you look sort of distinguished.”
“Yeah? Thanks. I think.”
“Like a bookstore guy.” She smiled at him. A smile of unabashed warmth.
He tried to keep his eyes off her breasts jostling inside the red halter-top. He wondered what Sara would think about his keeping company with a scantily clad young woman like Suzie, a tavern waitress who gave off strong vibes of unmistakable sexuality. A young damsel in low-rent distress. He was glad Suzie hadn’t taken him up on his invitation to his home. What the hell had he been thinking? The last thing he wanted was to give his wife reason to be suspicious of him. Sara had a jealous streak as wide as this steaming-hot day was long. It wouldn’t do to set her off with the likes of Suzie Shrimpton. The girl seemed sweet in her own way, even vulnerable, but there was a slutty air about her that Sara would lock onto in a second, and then it was off to the damn races, with Jealousy the heavy favorite to win.
“God, listen to all those sirens,” Suzie said. “They couldn’t all be for the Jiffy-Quick, could they? That one sounds like a fire truck with that foghorn waw-waw.”
“I don’t know. Sure sounds like a wild night in peaceful little Druid Hills.”
“That damn church bell must be driving everybody crazy.”
“I don’t know…we seem reasonably sane,” Joe said.
“Yeah, right. We’re hiding from the cops and a pissed-off boyfriend. I guess that’s sane, considering the circumstances.”
“Absolutely. But that damned bonging is getting on my nerves.”
“Know what you mean,” she said. She raised an arm and pointed at the neon sign ahead of them. “There’s Bill’s. In a minute we’ll be inside with cold drinks and a blaring jukebox and that ol’ bell can go to hell.”
“Amen, sister.”
* * *
The bell called him and he came out of the darkness and into the fogged light. He saw two men in suits standing over him, talking to Sergeant Fuller, the fat fuck. The bastard clubbed me, Todd Sarkanian remembered . He butt-fucked the perp with the broomstick and he clubbed me.
“He’s coming around,” said one of the suits.
“What goes around comes
“Gary doesn’t cool off. Something pisses him off, he just lets it build and build till he blows up. It just makes it worse when it does happen.” She absently reached a hand behind her back to check the knot holding her halter-top in place. “Bill’s Bar is a couple of blocks over. We could hide out there for a while. Give the cops time to clear out and then you could get your car. I could use a drink anyway. How about you?”
“Yeah, I could. But my wife’s probably wondering where the hell I am. I should’ve been home half an hour ago.”
“Call her from the bar. Explain what happened.”
Joe considered her suggestion. He was hot and sweaty and still charged with adrenaline from his fight with the drunken, irate boyfriend and from the violence in the convenience store. “A drink sounds good,” he said.
“Sure does,” she said. “We could cool off and I can figure out what to do about Gary. The son of a bitch.”
“Who pays the rent on your apartment?”
“I do. Gary buys the beer and an occasional bag of burgers. He’s only been staying there a couple of months. He’s got this construction job, but he doesn’t go in half the time. I don’t know why I put up with him, to tell you the truth. I’m just not sure how to get rid of him. He’s…scary.”
“I noticed.”
She laughed. “You sure decked him good. Where’d you learn how to box?”
“College PE. Many moons ago. I’m surprised it came back to me like it did. I mean, I was pretty good way back when, but I haven’t sparred since then. Don’t even go to the gym.”
“Guess it’s like riding a bike or something. Your body remembers the moves.”
Joe chuckled. “Not bad for an old fart, huh?”
“You don’t look that old. Just…I dunno, the gray around the temples makes you look sort of distinguished.”
“Yeah? Thanks. I think.”
“Like a bookstore guy.” She smiled at him. A smile of unabashed warmth.
He tried to keep his eyes off her breasts jostling inside the red halter-top. He wondered what Sara would think about his keeping company with a scantily clad young woman like Suzie, a tavern waitress who gave off strong vibes of unmistakable sexuality. A young damsel in low-rent distress. He was glad Suzie hadn’t taken him up on his invitation to his home. What the hell had he been thinking? The last thing he wanted was to give his wife reason to be suspicious of him. Sara had a jealous streak as wide as this steaming-hot day was long. It wouldn’t do to set her off with the likes of Suzie Shrimpton. The girl seemed sweet in her own way, even vulnerable, but there was a slutty air about her that Sara would lock onto in a second, and then it was off to the damn races, with Jealousy the heavy favorite to win.
“God, listen to all those sirens,” Suzie said. “They couldn’t all be for the Jiffy-Quick, could they? That one sounds like a fire truck with that foghorn waw-waw.”
“I don’t know. Sure sounds like a wild night in peaceful little Druid Hills.”
“That damn church bell must be driving everybody crazy.”
“I don’t know…we seem reasonably sane,” Joe said.
“Yeah, right. We’re hiding from the cops and a pissed-off boyfriend. I guess that’s sane, considering the circumstances.”
“Absolutely. But that damned bonging is getting on my nerves.”
“Know what you mean,” she said. She raised an arm and pointed at the neon sign ahead of them. “There’s Bill’s. In a minute we’ll be inside with cold drinks and a blaring jukebox and that ol’ bell can go to hell.”
“Amen, sister.”
* * *
The bell called him and he came out of the darkness and into the fogged light. He saw two men in suits standing over him, talking to Sergeant Fuller, the fat fuck. The bastard clubbed me, Todd Sarkanian remembered . He butt-fucked the perp with the broomstick and he clubbed me.
“He’s coming around,” said one of the suits.
“What goes around comes
Similar Books
