Read Online Peak Oil by Arno Joubert - Free Book Online Page A

“Unusual?”
    Alexa nodded. “One of our colleagues went missing. Deputy Harvey dropped him off at the bus stop, or so he says. We wanted to confirm that.”  
    “Was he drunk?” Missy asked. “The only reason he would be dropped at the bus stop would be to get himself a one-way ticket out of this fine town.”
    Alexa sighed and nodded. “Yes. He was arrested.”
    Missy placed her hand on her hip and pointed a finger at them. “Deputy Harvey would have made damn sure that your colleague understood the lay of the land when he dropped him at the stop.” She swayed her head from side to side as she talked. “And your colleague would have made damn sure that he got himself the next ticket out to anywhere but here.”  
    She took Mary-Lou’s hand and walked to the door behind the counter. She looked over her shoulder. “We don’t need no troublemaking folk down here. We’re a peaceful and gentle people. Now good night,” she said with finality and firmly shut the door behind her.  

Alexa slept in the chair, her chin on her chest and her legs folded underneath her bottom. She looked serene, her hands cupping each other in her lap as if she was silently meditating, apparently an old habit she had learned from Bruce during her formative years when a gang of smugglers terrorized their area. They had to be ready for anything, instantly awake and ready to move. She never grew out of it. Even after some jibes from Neil, she simply closed her eyes and fell asleep on the chair.
    The bed was neatly made up. Neil switched off the lights. He sauntered to another chair and flicked the switch on the table lamp beside it. He dug his wallet from his back pocket, flipped it open, and removed a photo from a hidden card slot. He looked at it and smiled as he sank into the chair.  
    Neil studied the creased image for a while. Alexa shifted her position slightly and Neil looked up in alarm. She settled down. He waited a minute until he was sure that she was asleep before lifting the photo up again. He was six years younger, sitting in the pool of the Ko Phi Phi Don hotel in Thailand. He held a toddler, his daughter, in his lap. Maddie was looking up at him, smiling, her ink-black hair shining in the bright sunlight.  
    Neil removed a lock of black hair from the card slot and twirled it between his fingers. Maddie had always loved it when he tickled her sides; she would giggle herself to tears. She had a habit of always wanting a hug whenever he was busy with something important. He wished he could have given her all the hugs that she had requested. You’re never too busy for a hug.
    Six years was a long time, but Neil felt his throat constrict and he stifled a sob, swallowing hard. He hadn’t played a proper role in their lives, not like he could have. Should have.  
    His wife, Tamara, had worked the night shift at a local bar. He had been working as a dive master at the local scuba diving school. The job was demanding, and he had to be there by four every morning.  
    Sometimes he never saw Tamara for an entire week. Sometimes they bumped into each other on the stairwell as she stumbled up to their tiny apartment. He would peck her cheek, exchange a quick greeting, and rush toward the dive shop to be in time for the demanding tourists.  
    And they never had enough money. They could only afford shelter and meals and cheap clothes. No holidays.
    He shook his head at the irony of it all. Working your ass off in tropical paradise, but never being allowed to enjoy it. He now had enough money to give them everything that their hearts had ever desired. But they were gone.
    He carefully placed the photo and lock of hair back inside the wallet. He glanced toward Alexa. Her cheek rested on her hand, and her chest moved up and down silently.  
    Mary-Lou reminded him of Maddie. Reminded him of the smell of her hair, her pealing laughter. Such a long time ago, but it felt like yesterday. Neil switched off the lamp and settled back in his