Read Online Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals by K.D. Mason - Free Book Online
Authors: K.D. Mason
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through the bills and removed enough to cover the bill and a healthy tip. He threw the money on the counter, and said toward Jack, “I’m leaving, you can have my seat.”
“Thanks.”
He slid off his stool, turned and left just as Max arrived, paper in hand.
“Hey Jack … Max. What’s up?” Tom said looking from one to the other.
“Just launched the boat,” replied Jack as Max sat down.
“Early this year.” It was as much a statement as it was a question.
“A little, but last year was late.”
“Well, summer’s here.” He glanced at this watch. “Hey, I’ve got to get going.” Tom picked up his check, pulled some cash out of his pocket and then placed the cash and the check under his empty coffee cup. Sliding off his stool he said, “Max, I’m sorry I can’t sit and chat. It’s good to see you.” Then turning to Jack he said, “Anything new on what we talked about a few weeks ago?”
“Nothing. You’ll be the first to hear. As soon as I get the boat squared around, I’ll give you a call and we’ll go out.”
“Sounds like a plan. See you.” And with that Tom left.
* * *
“What were you and Tom talking about?” asked Max.
“Oh nothing.”
She gave him a look that demanded an answer.
“Okay. I had a talk with him about the Daniel sighting.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“Remember, you weren’t speaking to me.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Max …”
She cut him off. “Jack, I saw him … And you and Courtney saw the guy who was following him.”
“Max, you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. None of the sightings were positively confirmed and I was only speculating on what I saw.”
“So what did Tom have to say?”
“Nothing really. He listened, but without more concrete information, there really isn’t anything he can do. His only suggestion was that we should be careful if it really is him.”
“Coffee?” Beverly’s voice interrupted the look that Max was beginning to give Jack.
Jack nodded, she poured, and Max asked for tea.
“Are you ready to order now?” Beverly asked.
“Sure. I’ll have two eggs, over easy, hash browns, bacon and toast,” replied Jack.
“Just a blueberry muffin,” Max said.
Surprised, Jack looked at her, “I thought you said you were hungry.”
“I was. Now I only want a muffin and answers.”
Beverly, still standing there, glanced over at Jack. Jack gave her a quick roll of his eyes. She took that as a signal to leave. “Be right back with your tea.”
After a long silence, Max started in again. “So Jack, explain to me again why you didn’t tell me about your conversation with Tom.”
“It didn’t seem like such a big deal, and remember that we didn’t see each other for a few days.”
“I was busy.”
“True, but you also weren’t exactly talking to me either.”
“That’s not the point. You should have told me.”
“Eggs over easy.” Beverly’s voice interrupted Max’s cross-examination as she placed a plate in front of Jack. He looked up, his eyes expressing thanks. “And here’s your muffin,” she said to Max before turning away.
“Thanks,” said Max.
Jack’s breakfast looked and smelled fantastic. Max’s stomach rumbled, reminding her how hungry she really was. As she broke her muffin in half, she wished that she had ordered more, but it was too late now. She would suffer in silence now and grab something at Ben’s later. Jack was wiping the last of the egg juice off his plate with his last bite of toast when Max finally said, “Jack, you do know that this conversation isn’t finished yet.”
Before he could reply, she continued, “I know what I saw. Now, I have to get to work. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 15
“HELLO, THANK YOU for calling Ben’s. How may I help you?” Max was sure that someone was on the line, even though she heard only silence. Over the last few weeks at work she had received at least a dozen such calls. “Fine, be that way. Goodbye!” She tried to
“Thanks.”
He slid off his stool, turned and left just as Max arrived, paper in hand.
“Hey Jack … Max. What’s up?” Tom said looking from one to the other.
“Just launched the boat,” replied Jack as Max sat down.
“Early this year.” It was as much a statement as it was a question.
“A little, but last year was late.”
“Well, summer’s here.” He glanced at this watch. “Hey, I’ve got to get going.” Tom picked up his check, pulled some cash out of his pocket and then placed the cash and the check under his empty coffee cup. Sliding off his stool he said, “Max, I’m sorry I can’t sit and chat. It’s good to see you.” Then turning to Jack he said, “Anything new on what we talked about a few weeks ago?”
“Nothing. You’ll be the first to hear. As soon as I get the boat squared around, I’ll give you a call and we’ll go out.”
“Sounds like a plan. See you.” And with that Tom left.
* * *
“What were you and Tom talking about?” asked Max.
“Oh nothing.”
She gave him a look that demanded an answer.
“Okay. I had a talk with him about the Daniel sighting.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“Remember, you weren’t speaking to me.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Max …”
She cut him off. “Jack, I saw him … And you and Courtney saw the guy who was following him.”
“Max, you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. None of the sightings were positively confirmed and I was only speculating on what I saw.”
“So what did Tom have to say?”
“Nothing really. He listened, but without more concrete information, there really isn’t anything he can do. His only suggestion was that we should be careful if it really is him.”
“Coffee?” Beverly’s voice interrupted the look that Max was beginning to give Jack.
Jack nodded, she poured, and Max asked for tea.
“Are you ready to order now?” Beverly asked.
“Sure. I’ll have two eggs, over easy, hash browns, bacon and toast,” replied Jack.
“Just a blueberry muffin,” Max said.
Surprised, Jack looked at her, “I thought you said you were hungry.”
“I was. Now I only want a muffin and answers.”
Beverly, still standing there, glanced over at Jack. Jack gave her a quick roll of his eyes. She took that as a signal to leave. “Be right back with your tea.”
After a long silence, Max started in again. “So Jack, explain to me again why you didn’t tell me about your conversation with Tom.”
“It didn’t seem like such a big deal, and remember that we didn’t see each other for a few days.”
“I was busy.”
“True, but you also weren’t exactly talking to me either.”
“That’s not the point. You should have told me.”
“Eggs over easy.” Beverly’s voice interrupted Max’s cross-examination as she placed a plate in front of Jack. He looked up, his eyes expressing thanks. “And here’s your muffin,” she said to Max before turning away.
“Thanks,” said Max.
Jack’s breakfast looked and smelled fantastic. Max’s stomach rumbled, reminding her how hungry she really was. As she broke her muffin in half, she wished that she had ordered more, but it was too late now. She would suffer in silence now and grab something at Ben’s later. Jack was wiping the last of the egg juice off his plate with his last bite of toast when Max finally said, “Jack, you do know that this conversation isn’t finished yet.”
Before he could reply, she continued, “I know what I saw. Now, I have to get to work. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 15
“HELLO, THANK YOU for calling Ben’s. How may I help you?” Max was sure that someone was on the line, even though she heard only silence. Over the last few weeks at work she had received at least a dozen such calls. “Fine, be that way. Goodbye!” She tried to
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