Read Online Death On the Flop by Jackie Chance - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jackie Chance
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gonna lose something else if you don’t skedaddle out of here right quick.” With that “Uncle Jack” slammed the door in Electric Blue Rambo’s face. Ta-da. Gotta love it.
I was so relieved, I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. It threw him a bit off balance and I had to steady him by his elbow. I looked closer at him and saw his watery blue eyes couldn’t even focus. Damn. I couldn’t leave the old guy like this. He was going to be harder to get away from than The Godfather pair.
“I’m sorry about that,” “Uncle Jack” said, peering through the peephole to make sure Electric Blue Rambo was gone. “He was a rude young ’un, that’s for sure. I never want to see you with a no mannered whippersnapper like that, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.” I smiled.
He smiled back, then sighed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve already forgotten your name again, Martha’s girlie.”
I patted his shoulder. “It’s Belinda.” I couldn’t bear to lie to the old guy.
I pointed at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s late, I ought to let you tuck in for the night.”
“You’re not leaving yet, are you?” His watery blue eyes almost broke my heart.
“I can stay a few more minutes,” I assured him, thinking it wasn’t a bad idea to give the bad guys more time to get lost.
His eyes brightened at that. He was beginning to sway again. “I imagine you’re of drinking age by now.”
“Just barely.” I hid my grin by coming around the couch, putting my hand on his shoulder and easing him back until the backs of his legs hit the loveseat and he plopped down. “What can I get you to drink, Uncle Jack?”
He chuckled. “You keep calling me that. You’re entirely too young to have as bad a memory as mine, Belinda. I’m Uncle Felix.”
“Oh, I am so sorry. I get you and Dad’s brother mixed up.”
Felix sat ramrod straight. “I remind you of that no account—”
Oops. I put up a hand. “Just in looks, Uncle Felix. I always thought Uncle Jack was so handsome . . .”
“Oh, well, in that case. I guess I don’t mind.”
He grinned, and I grinned back, pouring him every little bottle of whisky in the bar, with a little ice and no water. I poured myself a ginger ale.
As we made small talk about what he’d done while he’d been in Vegas, I sucked down my ginger ale fast enough to make him want to keep up. I poured us both another, relieved to see his eyes beginning to lose focus for longer periods. By the time he was on his third drink he’d forgotten I was supposed to be his niece and was recounting his life story. He told me about being widowed and his life back home as the postmaster of his Valentine, Nebraska town, population 2800. I was starting to like old Felix. I hoped I wouldn’t kill him with alcohol poisoning.
Finally, he began snoring in the middle of one of the longer pauses in the conversation. I’d been there twenty minutes and hoped that was long enough for Electric Blue Rambo to have given up and gone on to give a hard time to the poor snoop who’d gotten caught eavesdropping on the mystery man. I tried to shake off the bad feeling about that. Rambo seemed pretty ruthless, but maybe he’d let the guy off with a small choke and a warning like he did with Pete.
Oh well, I didn’t know any of them. I’d get to write this whole adventure off as the total of my excitement in Vegas, since the rest of the time I’d be chasing down Ben to keep his nose clean.
Speaking of which, I’d better get to the floor and find him. I glanced back at Felix and made for the door. I had my hand on the doorknob when I thought of something. I went back to the desk, found the stationery and wrote a note.
Uncle Felix,
Thanks for being my hero!
Your niece, B
I opened the door soundlessly and surveyed the hall in both directions. The coast was clear.
Since it seemed my luck had turned, and since there was no way in hell I was ever going in the stairwell
I was so relieved, I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. It threw him a bit off balance and I had to steady him by his elbow. I looked closer at him and saw his watery blue eyes couldn’t even focus. Damn. I couldn’t leave the old guy like this. He was going to be harder to get away from than The Godfather pair.
“I’m sorry about that,” “Uncle Jack” said, peering through the peephole to make sure Electric Blue Rambo was gone. “He was a rude young ’un, that’s for sure. I never want to see you with a no mannered whippersnapper like that, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.” I smiled.
He smiled back, then sighed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve already forgotten your name again, Martha’s girlie.”
I patted his shoulder. “It’s Belinda.” I couldn’t bear to lie to the old guy.
I pointed at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s late, I ought to let you tuck in for the night.”
“You’re not leaving yet, are you?” His watery blue eyes almost broke my heart.
“I can stay a few more minutes,” I assured him, thinking it wasn’t a bad idea to give the bad guys more time to get lost.
His eyes brightened at that. He was beginning to sway again. “I imagine you’re of drinking age by now.”
“Just barely.” I hid my grin by coming around the couch, putting my hand on his shoulder and easing him back until the backs of his legs hit the loveseat and he plopped down. “What can I get you to drink, Uncle Jack?”
He chuckled. “You keep calling me that. You’re entirely too young to have as bad a memory as mine, Belinda. I’m Uncle Felix.”
“Oh, I am so sorry. I get you and Dad’s brother mixed up.”
Felix sat ramrod straight. “I remind you of that no account—”
Oops. I put up a hand. “Just in looks, Uncle Felix. I always thought Uncle Jack was so handsome . . .”
“Oh, well, in that case. I guess I don’t mind.”
He grinned, and I grinned back, pouring him every little bottle of whisky in the bar, with a little ice and no water. I poured myself a ginger ale.
As we made small talk about what he’d done while he’d been in Vegas, I sucked down my ginger ale fast enough to make him want to keep up. I poured us both another, relieved to see his eyes beginning to lose focus for longer periods. By the time he was on his third drink he’d forgotten I was supposed to be his niece and was recounting his life story. He told me about being widowed and his life back home as the postmaster of his Valentine, Nebraska town, population 2800. I was starting to like old Felix. I hoped I wouldn’t kill him with alcohol poisoning.
Finally, he began snoring in the middle of one of the longer pauses in the conversation. I’d been there twenty minutes and hoped that was long enough for Electric Blue Rambo to have given up and gone on to give a hard time to the poor snoop who’d gotten caught eavesdropping on the mystery man. I tried to shake off the bad feeling about that. Rambo seemed pretty ruthless, but maybe he’d let the guy off with a small choke and a warning like he did with Pete.
Oh well, I didn’t know any of them. I’d get to write this whole adventure off as the total of my excitement in Vegas, since the rest of the time I’d be chasing down Ben to keep his nose clean.
Speaking of which, I’d better get to the floor and find him. I glanced back at Felix and made for the door. I had my hand on the doorknob when I thought of something. I went back to the desk, found the stationery and wrote a note.
Uncle Felix,
Thanks for being my hero!
Your niece, B
I opened the door soundlessly and surveyed the hall in both directions. The coast was clear.
Since it seemed my luck had turned, and since there was no way in hell I was ever going in the stairwell
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