Read Online Modern Sorcery: A Jonathan Shade Novel by Gary Jonas - Free Book Online

in her mouth.   She rolled it from side to side as we approached Cantrell’s booth.
     
    Cantrell was a stocky man in blue jeans and a cowboy shirt.   He wore Tony Lama boots and had a ten-gallon Stetson balanced between the windowsill and the napkin holder.   He had a mustache and sideburns that would have made Elvis Presley jealous.   I guessed him to be in his early fifties.   He rose when he saw Naomi.   “Howdy, sweetheart.”
     
    Naomi hugged him then turned to us.   “Frank, this is Jonathan Shade and his partner, Kelly Chan.”
     
    “Pleased to meet you.”   He motioned for us to have a seat.
     
    Naomi slid into the booth, and I sat beside her.   Kelly grabbed a chair from a nearby table, flipped it around so the back faced the booth, and straddled it.   I knew she hated to have her back to the rest of the room, but she either trusted me to watch out for her, or more likely, she could use the window reflection to see any danger while she scanned the parking lot.
     
    “You two protecting her?” Cantrell asked.
     
    Kelly flipped the toothpick over with her tongue and kept staring out the window.
     
    “That’s right,” I said.   “I understand you’re not affiliated with DGI.”
     
    “Ain’t run with that crowd in a few years, but I keep in touch with a few of the ol’ boys.”
     
    Naomi leaned forward.   “When I mentioned the crystal, you knew what I was talking about.”
     
    “Ain’t good to discuss business on an empty stomach.   Grab a menu.   Breakfast is on me.”   He kept glancing out the window.
     
    Kelly looked at me to make sure I noticed, so I let her know I wasn’t as oblivious as she thought.
     
    “Expecting company?” I asked.
     
    “Nope,” he said.
     
    Kelly slid from her chair to the booth beside Cantrell, pulled the toothpick from her mouth, and stuck it deep enough into Cantrell’s neck to draw blood.
     
    “What the fuck?”
     
    Naomi jumped in her seat, but I remained calm and placed a hand on her knee to let her know it was cool.
     
    “Who’s joining us?” I asked.
     
    “Answer or I’ll slit your jugular,” Kelly said as if she’d asked him to pass the salt.
     
    “Jesus H. Christ!”
     
    I shook my head.   “I doubt he’ll be stopping by.”
     
    “What are you doing?” Naomi asked.   “The man’s a friend of mine.”
     
    “You two as close as your mom and dad were before the murder?”
     
    Naomi shook her head.
     
    I turned my attention back to Cantrell.
     
    Kelly looked over at me.   “Can I kill him?   Pretty please?”
     
    “Hold up a second,” Cantrell said.   “I ain’t—I mean—”
     
    Kelly pushed the toothpick deeper.
     
    “Nobody’s coming!” Cantrell said.   “I swear!”
     
    “You keep looking out the window as if you’re expecting someone.”
     
    “No no no,” he said fast.   “I was just makin’ sure nobody followed you.”
     
    The waitress approached the table and glanced at the chair, which was blocking the aisle a bit, but she didn’t bother to move it.   She looked about sixty and wore a bored look that said she’d seen it all before.   Kelly covered the toothpick with her hand and acted as if she were simply getting a bit frisky with Cantrell.
     
    “What can I get you to drink?” the waitress asked.
     
    “Coffee,” Naomi said.
     
    “Coffee sounds good,” I said.
     
    She looked at Kelly.   “Ma’am?”
     
    “Orange juice, large.”
     
    “Sir?”
     
    “Uh,” Cantrell said.
     
    “Oh, come on, baby, order what you want,” Kelly said.
     
    Tears leaked out of Cantrell’s eyes, so I knew Kelly was pushing the toothpick deeper.   “Coffee!”
     
    The waitress took a step back.   “I’m standing right here, sir.   There’s no need to yell.”
     
    “He didn’t mean anything by it,” Kelly said.   “He has Tourette’s.”
     
    “Yeah, right.   You need a few minutes to look over the menu?”
     
    “Please,” I said.
     
    “Uh-huh.”