Read Online House of Mirrors by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon - Free Book Online Page B

would do it, become self-sufficient and lose the false stars in his eyes created by the flash of spangles.
    Charged by this decision to turn over a new leaf, Jonah finished his evening of calling for the freak show with renewed loquacity. He spun sugar candy tales of exotic delights to be seen inside the tent, and kept the till ringing with the plink of coins.
    At last the lights dimmed, signaling the carnival was closing for the night. The crowds had thinned to a few stragglers: lovers bumping hips as they strolled along, groups of pimple-faced youths jostling around the hoochie-coochie tent, daring each other to try to buy a ticket. Meanwhile, grown men, having seen their womenfolk safely home, returned to take furtive advantage of the opportunity to see a half-naked dancing girl. It had soothed Jonah’s conscience to learn that the females in the carnival weren’t even close to naked—they wore fleshings.
    The flap of the freak tent opened, and Claudia poked out her head, her moon-wide face shining in the dim light. “Time to close up. You can turn in your box to Grim and take a breather. You done good. Although God knows there wasn’t much of a show for the folks tonight with that son of a bitch midget gone and Sam down sick.” She chuckled. “Hell, ‘The Great Claudia’ probably ain’t no fatter than some ladies around these parts, and the two-headed chicken’s fallin’ apart. Looks more like a jar of chicken stew than an attraction.”
    Jonah grinned. “Good night, Miss Claudia.”
    He jumped off the makeshift stage for the last time and went to give his money box to Grimstone, steeling himself to remain detached and not think of what they’d done together—what he’d like to do with the charismatic man tonight. But when he finally found Grimstone, Parinsky was with him.
    The ringmaster barely glanced at Jonah as he accepted the money box. Jonah decided not to mention Miss Jamie had been looking for him. She’d probably talked to Grimstone by now, and Jonah really didn’t care to be her message boy. He left the two men, who were arguing about something, and headed toward the wagon under which he’d slept the previous night.
    On the way, he passed Sam’s wagon and decided to stop by and see if he was feeling any better. He knocked on the door and waited for Sam’s, “Come in.”
    This wagon was even more crowded than Grimstone’s and had no sitting area. There was a small bed built into one wall and an extralong bed across from it. Clothing and possessions filled the remaining space, hanging on hooks, trailing out of dresser drawers, lying in heaps on the floor. A single kerosene lamp turned low illuminated the room.
    Jonah stepped around the mess to approach Sam, who lay with his feet sticking out from beneath a rumpled blanket and his head and shoulders supported by a pillow. His bangs stuck to his sweating forehead, and his face was wan with tight lines cutting the corners of his mouth. He was shirtless, and for a moment Jonah was struck by the enormous bones and long ligaments that held them together under his pale skin.
    “How are you feeling? You don’t look too good.”
    “Head aches. And my stomach.” One large hand patted the blanket over his abdomen. “I get these meegraines. Nothing to do but wait ’em out.”
    “I’m sorry. I’ll go and let you get some more rest.”
    “No. It’s lonely here now that Alan’s gone. The little man was full of himself, but he was company. Sit a spell.”
    Jonah wondered where exactly he was supposed to sit. He finally squatted on his haunches near the bed.
    “Good crowd tonight?” Sam asked.
    “I guess so. I don’t know what ‘good’ is. I haven’t been here long enough.”
    Sam smiled, and Jonah returned it. There was no way anyone could refuse to smile along with Sam.
    “Anyway, I got to do more than shovel shit tonight. I talked for your show. Did a fair job of it too, I think.”
    “Well, that’s great. Only here a few days, and