Read Online Our Honored Dead (Stephanie Chalice Thrillers Book 4) by Lawrence Kelter - Free Book Online Page A

helped us in some manner. Poor Pumpkin had finished her biscuit and was tugging on the end of her leash. I handed Scott a business card. “Let me know if you get a call from NYPD, Scott. I have the feeling you’d make a really good cop.”

Chapter Sixteen
     
    “As you can see, Roger, some of the equipment is pretty worn out.” Brynn Francis was the manager of the DPP Gym—a no frills gym, which was frequented by serious body builders. DPP was a bodybuilder’s term. It stood for: discipline, persistence, and patience . She was giving a tour to Roger Gout, the new Staten Island regional manager.
    Gout took a closer look at the weight machine, despite the fact that there was absolutely no budget for new gym equipment. He rubbed the rusted metal with his fingers. “Yeah, looks pretty old. Have you asked for a replacement machine?”
    “Almost every day for the past six months. What’s going on over at corporate?” Brynn asked.
    “It’s no secret, Brynn; we’re hoping for a takeover. Bare bones gyms like this are a thing of the past. We need an infusion of money so that we can remodel all the facilities, upgrade our clientele, and raise membership fees. Just how long do you think we can go on charging ten bucks a month?”
    “Anyone looking at us?”
    “We’re hoping for a deal with Solstice Zone. They’re loaded with cash.”
    “Not Solstice, that’s a pansy-ass gym.”
    “A pansy-ass gym beats an out-of-business gym any day of the week. You’re one of the lucky ones. You’ve got a ton of square footage here, which is what Solstice looks for. They’ll put in a sauna, a track, and a pool . . . a childcare center for the working parents too. A lot of the smaller locations will probably get shut down.” Gout turned suddenly at the sound of weights crashing to the floor. “What the hell is that?”
    Brynn chuckled. “That’s Tillerman.” She pointed to the far end of the gym where a solitary bodybuilder stood over a massive barbell. “He’s here every day.”
    Gout’s eyes widened while he assessed Tillerman’s size. “Christ, that guy’s an animal. Is he a pro?”
    “Tillerman, a pro? No. He just loves to work out. He’ll be here all day. When he’s done with the weight-training, he’ll run on the treadmill for two hours.”
    “Did I say animal? What I meant to say is beast. That guy is a beast.”
    “That’s the kind of clientele we draw: construction workers, pro bodybuilders, and sanitation workers—guys who have their afternoons free. We even have a couple of members who are legitimate wise guys.”
    Gout stared at Brynn. “You mean wise guys as in mobsters?”
    Brynn shrugged. “It’s Staten Island, isn’t it?”
    “Really, you’ve got mobsters working out here as big as this guy?” Gout seemed to shudder at the thought.
    “Almost. Although Tillerman is probably the biggest guy in the gym. He’s got limitless energy—he’s a real specimen.”
    “What does he do?”
    “He’s got some kind of night security job—works all night and works out all day long. I haven’t figured out when he sleeps. I’ll introduce you. You’re the new regional manager, you should meet some of the regular members.”
    “Uh okay,” Gout said hesitantly. “He’s not crazy, is he?”
    “ Everyone in here is a little over the edge. Normal people don’t work their bodies this hard. Just don’t ask personal questions; he doesn’t respond well.”
    “Whatever you say.”
    “Come on, follow me.”
    It took Gout a moment to get his feet going. It was the motion of Brynn’s rear end in skintight Lycra workout pants that provided the necessary catalyst.
    Tillerman was on his fifth set of a twenty-five-rep superset when Brynn and Gout approached. He ignored them completely until he had completed the set. He allowed the barbell to crash to the floor when he was done. The entire gym shook.
    “Well, I guess the foundation is solid,” Gout chuckled and then offered his hand to Tillerman.