Read Online Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals by K.D. Mason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: K.D. Mason
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didn’t she care. She had to park and find Daniel. Almost before her car stopped, she jumped out and run back to the intersection, looking about for any hint that he had been there. Nothing.
Dodging traffic she ran across to the health food store. In her frenzied rush she pushed the door open a little too hard, causing the door chimes to clang rather than jingle. A tall thin woman, her hair frizzy and pulled back into a sort of pony tail, looked up from the shelf where she was placing boxes of tea in perfect rows. Soft, tinkling music was playing on a small boom box and the clerk looked up. “May I help you?” she asked in an equally soft voice.
Max gulped for breath then blurted out, “No, uh, yes. I’m looking for a man.”
The woman gave Max a look of incomprehension.
Max, realizing that what she had just said made no sense, took a deep breath and started again. “I’m sorry. There was a man, outside on the corner, a few minutes ago and I need to find him.”
The woman continued to stare.
Realizing that she still was making little sense she tried again, “He was an old friend. I haven’t seen him for quite a while and, well, did you see him?”
The clerk brushed her hands on her apron and in that soft voice said, “I’m sorry. There have been no men in the store this morning.”
Trying to not sound too desperate Max asked, “Did you perhaps see what direction he went in?”
The clerk’s eye twitched slightly. “I was out back until just before you came in. I didn’t see anyone.” Then she started to turn back to the shelf she had been stocking.
Max made one more attempt, “He was tall, with amber eyes. His face was thin …”
The clerk turned back to face Max again. This time she had a look that said, “You poor misguided soul, no man is worth it, forget about him.” What she said was, “I am so sorry, but I didn’t see anyone.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry,” Max mumbled as she turned and left the store.
The clerk walked over to the window and watched as Max continued down the street, looking in other store windows, alternately running then walking, sometimes stopping and looking around.
“Strange,” she said to herself and went back to her tea boxes.
* * *
Max didn’t find Daniel. What she did find was a parking ticket tucked under the wiper blade on her windshield. “Damn,” she said as she climbed into her car, tossing the ticket onto the dash. She sat there a moment and thought about what she had just done. She giggled when she recalled that poor confused clerk in the health food store and how crazy she must have looked. “I know I’m not crazy. I saw him. He’s here,” she said to herself before starting her car. She had to get to work.
CHAPTER 17
THE BAR HAD been unusually busy, and Max hadn’t stopped from the moment she walked in. The dining rooms had finally closed and now only a few customers remained in the bar. When Courtney walked in, Max said, “Hey Court. Can you watch the bar for a minute? I really have to pee.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.”
At the same moment Max was entering the sanctuary of the ladies room, the phone rang. Max didn’t hear it ring, at least not consciously. Nor did she see the expression on Courtney’s face as she listened to the voice on the other end. Max lingered for a few extra minutes, not enough that anyone would notice, but sufficient to enjoy the solitude afforded by the privacy of the ladies room after a hectic night.
Courtney was tipped upside down, reaching deep into one of the beer coolers when Max returned and announced, “I’m back, thanks.” Courtney stood and before she could say anything, Max moved past her to pull the trashcan liner out of the barrel in the back room as she began the end-of-night cleanup.
Courtney followed her out back. “Max, I just got the strangest call.”
“What do you mean?”
“While you were in the bathroom, I answered the phone. At first there was only silence. I was about to hang
Dodging traffic she ran across to the health food store. In her frenzied rush she pushed the door open a little too hard, causing the door chimes to clang rather than jingle. A tall thin woman, her hair frizzy and pulled back into a sort of pony tail, looked up from the shelf where she was placing boxes of tea in perfect rows. Soft, tinkling music was playing on a small boom box and the clerk looked up. “May I help you?” she asked in an equally soft voice.
Max gulped for breath then blurted out, “No, uh, yes. I’m looking for a man.”
The woman gave Max a look of incomprehension.
Max, realizing that what she had just said made no sense, took a deep breath and started again. “I’m sorry. There was a man, outside on the corner, a few minutes ago and I need to find him.”
The woman continued to stare.
Realizing that she still was making little sense she tried again, “He was an old friend. I haven’t seen him for quite a while and, well, did you see him?”
The clerk brushed her hands on her apron and in that soft voice said, “I’m sorry. There have been no men in the store this morning.”
Trying to not sound too desperate Max asked, “Did you perhaps see what direction he went in?”
The clerk’s eye twitched slightly. “I was out back until just before you came in. I didn’t see anyone.” Then she started to turn back to the shelf she had been stocking.
Max made one more attempt, “He was tall, with amber eyes. His face was thin …”
The clerk turned back to face Max again. This time she had a look that said, “You poor misguided soul, no man is worth it, forget about him.” What she said was, “I am so sorry, but I didn’t see anyone.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry,” Max mumbled as she turned and left the store.
The clerk walked over to the window and watched as Max continued down the street, looking in other store windows, alternately running then walking, sometimes stopping and looking around.
“Strange,” she said to herself and went back to her tea boxes.
* * *
Max didn’t find Daniel. What she did find was a parking ticket tucked under the wiper blade on her windshield. “Damn,” she said as she climbed into her car, tossing the ticket onto the dash. She sat there a moment and thought about what she had just done. She giggled when she recalled that poor confused clerk in the health food store and how crazy she must have looked. “I know I’m not crazy. I saw him. He’s here,” she said to herself before starting her car. She had to get to work.
CHAPTER 17
THE BAR HAD been unusually busy, and Max hadn’t stopped from the moment she walked in. The dining rooms had finally closed and now only a few customers remained in the bar. When Courtney walked in, Max said, “Hey Court. Can you watch the bar for a minute? I really have to pee.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.”
At the same moment Max was entering the sanctuary of the ladies room, the phone rang. Max didn’t hear it ring, at least not consciously. Nor did she see the expression on Courtney’s face as she listened to the voice on the other end. Max lingered for a few extra minutes, not enough that anyone would notice, but sufficient to enjoy the solitude afforded by the privacy of the ladies room after a hectic night.
Courtney was tipped upside down, reaching deep into one of the beer coolers when Max returned and announced, “I’m back, thanks.” Courtney stood and before she could say anything, Max moved past her to pull the trashcan liner out of the barrel in the back room as she began the end-of-night cleanup.
Courtney followed her out back. “Max, I just got the strangest call.”
“What do you mean?”
“While you were in the bathroom, I answered the phone. At first there was only silence. I was about to hang
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