Read Online Murder Takes a Break by Bill Crider - Free Book Online Page B

this for me."
    She didn't take the cup.   "Calm down, Henry J.   You don't want to go getting in a fight over some old grudge that you can't even remember.   Not right here in public, anyway."
    Henry J. didn't say a word.   He just clamped his mouth on the straw in his cup and inhaled about half his drink.
    After that, no one seemed inclined toward conversation.   We all stared out at our lines, while the rest of the fishing contingent pretended to ignore us.   Some of them were probably watching, though.   When Big Al was around, lots of people were bound to be curious.
    After maybe five minutes had gone by without a bite, I said, "I hear that you rent out beach houses for parties, Alice."
    "You planning a party, Smith?" Henry J. asked.
    I kept my eyes forward.   "Maybe.   If I can find a nice place to rent."
    "I own a few beach houses," Big Al admitted.   "People like to give me things."
    In addition to her other enterprises, Big Al was reputed to lend money at interest rates that your local bank's chief loan officer would be arrested for just thinking about.   Sometimes people couldn't pay back the loans, in which case Big Al was glad to take something valuable instead of the money, whether the owners wanted to give it up or not.   After a visit from Henry J., they generally thought that giving up something valuable, like a beach house, for example, was a lot better than having their anatomy unpleasantly rearranged.
    "Property isn't always an asset," I said.   "Sometimes it can be a problem."
    "How's that?" Big Al said.
    "Renters, for one thing," I said.   "Sometimes they tear things up, steal your fixtures, break things.   It can be a real hassle.   Or so I hear."
    "Maybe you'd do something like that to the place where you're living, but not my renters.   I don't allow that kind of thing."
    "Those parties during spring break can get rowdy, though.   Bad things can happen.   Sometimes people get high and do things they'd never even think about under ordinary circumstances.   Especially kids.   They don't understand responsibility."
    Big Al looked up at Henry J., who was still standing by her right shoulder.   He bent down and set his cup by her chair.
    "Not at my houses," Big Al said.   "You know, the truth is, I don't like to be crowded when I fish.   It's been nice to see you boys after all this time, and I've enjoyed talking to you.   But I think you'd better move to a better spot now.   The fish aren't biting here, anyway."
    "If you need any help moving," Henry J. said, cracking his knuckles, "I'll give it to you."
    I started reeling in my line, and Dino followed suit.
    "We'll be going in a minute," I said.   "It is a little crowded here, and as soon as Alice answers a couple of questions for me, Dino and I'll pack it in.   I just want to know about a party at one of her beach houses."
    "No questions," Henry J. said, lifting his hand and stepping closer to Dino, who spun around and slammed the butt of the heavy saltwater rod into Henry J.'s stomach as hard as he could.
    He could have rammed the end of a matchstick into a brick wall for all the effect he had on Henry J., who didn't even move, didn't even take a deep breath.   He just reached out, closed a big hand around the rod, and jerked it out of Dino's grip.   Then he threw it in the bay.
    "Hey," I said.   "That wasn't Dino's rod.   It was mine."
    Henry J. looked about as concerned at my statement as he would have if I'd just told him that grass was green or water was wet.   Dino's face was red, and I thought for just the fraction of a second I was going to see whether he could break Henry J.'s nose a second time.
    But it didn't work out that way.   Henry J. just took a step forward and shoved Dino into the bay.   Then he started for me.
    It looked like I was going to get beaten to a pulp by myself after all.

12
    Â 
    I bent over, grabbed the bait bucket and