Read Online In the Worst Way (Mercy Watts Mysteries Book 5) by A.W. Hartoin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A.W. Hartoin
Ads: Link
Castle so close it must not have been unusual.
“Can I use your bathroom?” I asked.
“With a purchase,” the man said.
“Do you have any frozen burritos?”
His bushy grey eyebrows shot up. “ You want a frozen burrito?”
“Yep.”
“In the freezer at the back. Microwave’s right there.”
The cousins came in and I told them about the purchase for peeing thing. They wrinkled their brows but began looking through the racks of Corn Nuts and Pennzoil. I went for the bathroom with Terrance on my heels. I picked out a couple of questionable burritos and popped them in the microwave while Terrance looked in the bathroom. It was the size of a small closet and he declared it safe.
When I came out, I expected a line but the Troublesome Trio were talking to Terrance over by the counter. Sorcha was smiling and flipping her hair. Terrance was pretty handsome. I hadn’t noticed before what with all the following me and sniffing around the bathroom.
I microwaved Uncle Morty’s stank burritos. They were almost as bad as the pizza he’d slowly consumed over the space of an hour and a half just to let the stink last longer. While I was trying not to burn my fingers, a couple of voices came through the racks.
“Cherie, you need to listen to me now.” The voice had the rasp of an older man.
“I’m doing this my way,” said Cherie.
“You’re not thinking straight. We can’t afford this. You can get a refund.”
“Anthony, please.”
“Please what? We’re going to be there in a half hour. We have to have a plan. We can get out of it. How did you pay for this?”
“I have a plan,” she said. “You just take care of the boys.”
“Taylor deserves this and God knows we need it, but we should go home. I’ve still got connections.”
“I’ve decided what’s going to happen. They think they’ll take it just because they are who they are, but I know what I’m doing,” said Cherie.
“I’ll throat punch those dickheads,” said Anthony.
“That’ll help.” Cherie heaved a sigh and came around a corner. I’d seen women with newborn triplets with more energy. Cherie’s skin was loose and sallow as if she hadn’t slept in days. Her boxy t-shirt and jeans were as limp as the rest of her. A bright orange headband held her auburn hair back from her face, exposing her grey roots. Her dark brown eyes landed on me for a second and then flicked away to the soda case where she picked up a six-pack of Mountain Dew. Something about Cherie didn’t sit right and she made me nervous.
She left the soda case and went for the counter with an older man picking up her trail after the sunglasses rack. His arms were full of chips and he looked as tired as Cherie. His mostly bald head had a few strands of silver hair plastered to his scalp and his Wrangler jeans were so loose there were several inches of material gathered up under his embossed leather belt.
I watched them for a second. Their backs were tense and ramrod straight. What was it with those two? I had the strangest feeling something wasn’t right. They paid for their purchases and I braved the burning hot burritos and dropped them in a bag. Morty wanted beer, but I just couldn’t do it. Who buys beer at six a.m.? Drunks, that’s who. Not gonna do it.
Terrance slid out of the knot of cousins and came over. “You ready?”
“I’ve got to pay first.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. Why?”
Terrance glanced around the store. “Did someone say something to you?”
“No. What is your deal?” I asked.
“You look worried.”
I was worried, but it was probably the drive, the stress, the smell coming out of the bag I was holding. “I’m worried Morty will take another hour and a half to eat these burritos.”
“We’re only a half hour out. You know I could smell that pizza through the glass. I’m surprised you all weren’t asphyxiated.”
“I think
“Can I use your bathroom?” I asked.
“With a purchase,” the man said.
“Do you have any frozen burritos?”
His bushy grey eyebrows shot up. “ You want a frozen burrito?”
“Yep.”
“In the freezer at the back. Microwave’s right there.”
The cousins came in and I told them about the purchase for peeing thing. They wrinkled their brows but began looking through the racks of Corn Nuts and Pennzoil. I went for the bathroom with Terrance on my heels. I picked out a couple of questionable burritos and popped them in the microwave while Terrance looked in the bathroom. It was the size of a small closet and he declared it safe.
When I came out, I expected a line but the Troublesome Trio were talking to Terrance over by the counter. Sorcha was smiling and flipping her hair. Terrance was pretty handsome. I hadn’t noticed before what with all the following me and sniffing around the bathroom.
I microwaved Uncle Morty’s stank burritos. They were almost as bad as the pizza he’d slowly consumed over the space of an hour and a half just to let the stink last longer. While I was trying not to burn my fingers, a couple of voices came through the racks.
“Cherie, you need to listen to me now.” The voice had the rasp of an older man.
“I’m doing this my way,” said Cherie.
“You’re not thinking straight. We can’t afford this. You can get a refund.”
“Anthony, please.”
“Please what? We’re going to be there in a half hour. We have to have a plan. We can get out of it. How did you pay for this?”
“I have a plan,” she said. “You just take care of the boys.”
“Taylor deserves this and God knows we need it, but we should go home. I’ve still got connections.”
“I’ve decided what’s going to happen. They think they’ll take it just because they are who they are, but I know what I’m doing,” said Cherie.
“I’ll throat punch those dickheads,” said Anthony.
“That’ll help.” Cherie heaved a sigh and came around a corner. I’d seen women with newborn triplets with more energy. Cherie’s skin was loose and sallow as if she hadn’t slept in days. Her boxy t-shirt and jeans were as limp as the rest of her. A bright orange headband held her auburn hair back from her face, exposing her grey roots. Her dark brown eyes landed on me for a second and then flicked away to the soda case where she picked up a six-pack of Mountain Dew. Something about Cherie didn’t sit right and she made me nervous.
She left the soda case and went for the counter with an older man picking up her trail after the sunglasses rack. His arms were full of chips and he looked as tired as Cherie. His mostly bald head had a few strands of silver hair plastered to his scalp and his Wrangler jeans were so loose there were several inches of material gathered up under his embossed leather belt.
I watched them for a second. Their backs were tense and ramrod straight. What was it with those two? I had the strangest feeling something wasn’t right. They paid for their purchases and I braved the burning hot burritos and dropped them in a bag. Morty wanted beer, but I just couldn’t do it. Who buys beer at six a.m.? Drunks, that’s who. Not gonna do it.
Terrance slid out of the knot of cousins and came over. “You ready?”
“I’ve got to pay first.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. Why?”
Terrance glanced around the store. “Did someone say something to you?”
“No. What is your deal?” I asked.
“You look worried.”
I was worried, but it was probably the drive, the stress, the smell coming out of the bag I was holding. “I’m worried Morty will take another hour and a half to eat these burritos.”
“We’re only a half hour out. You know I could smell that pizza through the glass. I’m surprised you all weren’t asphyxiated.”
“I think
Similar Books
