Read Online Family Reunion "J" by P. Mark DeBryan - Free Book Online
Authors: P. Mark DeBryan
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said with her most winsome smile.
“Well, the day has turned out better for seein’ you, miss. Welcome to my store. As I said, cash or trade, no credit.”
“I don’t have much cash, but I have some ammunition I would trade for something to eat and a few gallons of gas.”
He rose from the seat and approached the counter. He looked her up and down. “I am goin’ to ask you to unload your weapons while you shop. What kind of ammo do you have?”
Jay decided that it was a risk worth taking. The old man was bent over and so frail looking that she didn’t think he was much of a threat to come jumping over the counter. She slowly undid the catch on the drop-down holster. He raised the shotgun slightly so that it pointed at her midsection.
“I have to take it out to unload it… Mister…?”
“Ted, my name is Ted, an’ you just be aware, I don’t care to shoot you. Be a right shame, as purdy as you are. Got me a pile for unruly customers out back.”
She took his warning seriously. “Okay, I got it.” Removing the 9mm from its holster, she dropped the magazine out, put it in her pocket, then held the Glock sideways. Making sure not to point it in his direction, she racked the slide and ejected the round onto the floor.
“That is one nine millimeter hollow point. How much will that get me?”
“Maybe a bag of chips. You’re gonna havta do better’n that for real food an’ gas.”
“How about ten rounds?” she asked, pointing at the AR strapped to her back.
“I tell you what… just leave that long gun where it is… twenty rounds.”
“Fifteen.”
“That’ll getcha a bag of pepperoni rolls, chips, your choice of a drink, an’, er… ahh… four gallons of gas.”
She approached him. “Throw in a one-gallon gas can and you have a deal.”
He seemed to ponder it for a minute. “Well, you kinda remind me of my young ’un, so I reckon that will be okay.” He put down the shotgun, shuffled around the counter, and went to a door behind the counter. He stopped and turned. “Well, come on, I ain’t gonna tote it fer ya.”
Jay laughed and followed him into the other room where he had a nice collection of things. He tottered over to a shelf and pulled down a small plastic gas can. “Now, the pepperoni rolls are out in front with the other stuff. Go get ’em an’ we’ll settle.”
She took the gas can and went back out front. She stopped dead in her tracks. A truck was pulling up and the occupants did not appear feeble or nice. She pulled the Glock, reinserted the magazine, racked the slide, and called out to Ted. “Stay back there. We have some company, and they don’t look like the friendly type.” He didn’t reply.
The truck pulled to a stop and two rough-looking guys got out. One had a pistol in his hand and the other had a hunting rifle. They looked to be in their early twenties. The driver eyed up her bike, the other pointed to the store and said something to the first. Jay got behind the counter and crouched down. The door buzzer sounded as they entered.
“Hey Ted, you old bastard, I see your shotgun sittin’ on the counter. Bad mistake, leavin’ it lay like that. Almost as bad a mistake as killin’ our daddy, you fuckin’ prick. Where are you? Don’t make me come lookin’ for you.”
Jay didn’t overthink the situation. She rose, extended the Glock, focused the front sight on the first one’s chest, and shot him three times. She shifted her aim to the second in time to see his head explode. Well, not really explode—it was strange, but it seemed to cave in on itself. His face disappeared into a red mess as he fell over backward.
The sound of the shotgun blast had barely subsided when she heard Ted behind her. He was standing in the doorway into the backroom. “Got a couple of these, Orin, you shoulda known that.” He broke the shotgun down and ejected the shell from the single-barreled scattergun while loading another.
He walked over to the kid Jay had shot and
“Well, the day has turned out better for seein’ you, miss. Welcome to my store. As I said, cash or trade, no credit.”
“I don’t have much cash, but I have some ammunition I would trade for something to eat and a few gallons of gas.”
He rose from the seat and approached the counter. He looked her up and down. “I am goin’ to ask you to unload your weapons while you shop. What kind of ammo do you have?”
Jay decided that it was a risk worth taking. The old man was bent over and so frail looking that she didn’t think he was much of a threat to come jumping over the counter. She slowly undid the catch on the drop-down holster. He raised the shotgun slightly so that it pointed at her midsection.
“I have to take it out to unload it… Mister…?”
“Ted, my name is Ted, an’ you just be aware, I don’t care to shoot you. Be a right shame, as purdy as you are. Got me a pile for unruly customers out back.”
She took his warning seriously. “Okay, I got it.” Removing the 9mm from its holster, she dropped the magazine out, put it in her pocket, then held the Glock sideways. Making sure not to point it in his direction, she racked the slide and ejected the round onto the floor.
“That is one nine millimeter hollow point. How much will that get me?”
“Maybe a bag of chips. You’re gonna havta do better’n that for real food an’ gas.”
“How about ten rounds?” she asked, pointing at the AR strapped to her back.
“I tell you what… just leave that long gun where it is… twenty rounds.”
“Fifteen.”
“That’ll getcha a bag of pepperoni rolls, chips, your choice of a drink, an’, er… ahh… four gallons of gas.”
She approached him. “Throw in a one-gallon gas can and you have a deal.”
He seemed to ponder it for a minute. “Well, you kinda remind me of my young ’un, so I reckon that will be okay.” He put down the shotgun, shuffled around the counter, and went to a door behind the counter. He stopped and turned. “Well, come on, I ain’t gonna tote it fer ya.”
Jay laughed and followed him into the other room where he had a nice collection of things. He tottered over to a shelf and pulled down a small plastic gas can. “Now, the pepperoni rolls are out in front with the other stuff. Go get ’em an’ we’ll settle.”
She took the gas can and went back out front. She stopped dead in her tracks. A truck was pulling up and the occupants did not appear feeble or nice. She pulled the Glock, reinserted the magazine, racked the slide, and called out to Ted. “Stay back there. We have some company, and they don’t look like the friendly type.” He didn’t reply.
The truck pulled to a stop and two rough-looking guys got out. One had a pistol in his hand and the other had a hunting rifle. They looked to be in their early twenties. The driver eyed up her bike, the other pointed to the store and said something to the first. Jay got behind the counter and crouched down. The door buzzer sounded as they entered.
“Hey Ted, you old bastard, I see your shotgun sittin’ on the counter. Bad mistake, leavin’ it lay like that. Almost as bad a mistake as killin’ our daddy, you fuckin’ prick. Where are you? Don’t make me come lookin’ for you.”
Jay didn’t overthink the situation. She rose, extended the Glock, focused the front sight on the first one’s chest, and shot him three times. She shifted her aim to the second in time to see his head explode. Well, not really explode—it was strange, but it seemed to cave in on itself. His face disappeared into a red mess as he fell over backward.
The sound of the shotgun blast had barely subsided when she heard Ted behind her. He was standing in the doorway into the backroom. “Got a couple of these, Orin, you shoulda known that.” He broke the shotgun down and ejected the shell from the single-barreled scattergun while loading another.
He walked over to the kid Jay had shot and
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