Read Online Saltar's Point by Christopher Alan Ott - Free Book Online

the first time I’ve really seen Randall smile since Cheryl left.” Laura said, her arms up to the elbows in the kitchen sink. “I think he’s got it bad for you. Denny said you two used to be sweethearts.”
    Ellie blushed. “No nothing like that, he was sort of my older brother. He looked out for me.”
    “Well honey, any man that looks after your best interests, is a man worth keeping. At least that’s what I think.”
    They watched through the window as Aiden took another swing, finally making contact. The ball rolled just past Randall and Chubs pounced on it grabbing it in his mouth and running away from the makeshift infield. Randall chased after him and Aiden took off for first. By the time Randall had finally managed to catch Chubs and wrestle the ball away Aiden was rounding third and heading for home. Denny covered home plate and Randall threw the ball with everything he had. Aiden slid on the grass just under Denny’s tag.
    “Home run!” Aiden said giggling the entire time.
    Denny hoisted Aiden on his shoulders, parading him around like he just won the World Series.
    “Way to go champ!” Randall cried.
    Randall grabbed Aiden off Denny’s shoulders and placed him on the ground tickling him while he did so. Aiden giggled and laughed. Denny came over and tackled Randall, exciting Chubs who bounded in and jumped on top of them. The four of them rolled around on the ground wrestling and laughing.
    “They never do grow up do they?” Laura said.
    “No they don’t.” Ellie couldn’t wipe the smile off her face had she wanted to.
    “You know if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that Randall could be Aiden’s father.”
    Ellie nodded, still grinning from ear to ear. She couldn’t agree more.
     
    When the evening ended they said their good byes. Ellie had one of the best times of her life. She still felt guilty about her first impression of Laura, but she was happy they went. Randall drove them home. Aiden slept quietly on Ellie’s lap. They made some more small talk although this time it didn’t seem forced. Ellie was content to listen to the police scanner and reflect on the evening.
    They pulled into the parking lot at Bernie’s and Randall opened the door for Ellie, and walked them to the front of the store.
    “I had a lovely evening. Thank you for everything.”
    “I did too. That’s a great kid you got there.” Randall nodded at Aiden, fast asleep in his mother’s arms. There was a bit of an awkward silence and then Randall kissed her gently on the lips making Ellie blush and sending a rush of adrenaline through her body.
    “Well goodnight.”
    “Goodnight Ellie.” Randall said kissing her once again before turning and heading back to the Cherokee. Ellie headed inside, happy for the first time in quite a while.

SEVEN
     
     
    It was a veritable paradise.  Jack Darrow walked the basement below the Talcott mansion for the first time. He lit up. The smoke hung motionless in the dead air. This was a place of death, but something lived, or at least something stirred, in the depths of the old Porter place. It was hard to say how he knew, but he did. It was a homecoming of sorts.
    The hallway was dark, the bulbs having burned out and not replaced. Darrow moved through the darkness neither seeing nor feeling the walls. His footsteps echoed off the walls and around corners, guiding him. A sonar for the damned. The first room was the embalming chamber. He stepped through the doorway and flipped on the light. This one worked. The soft hum of argon filled the room. Darrow’s pupils shrank, adjusting to the growing light. Inside a plethora of instruments adorned the walls and shelves, Porter’s tools of the trade: surgical needles, scalpels, trocars (both hyper valve and straight line), aspirators, arterial tubes, and embalming machines. Darrow approached the embalming table. The steel was cold to the touch. He was a kid in a candy store, drawn to the sweet lure of death.
    Darrow.
    He