Read Online Thirteenth Child by Karleen Bradford - Free Book Online Page B

look at these guys.”
    Reluctantly, Kate climbed up and peered in, then jumped back, startled, as a fish almost leaped out of one of the coolers.
    “Mike! They’re huge! What in the world are they?”
    “That big white one there, see? With the whisker sort of things? That’s an African walking catfish.”
    Kate looked at him, eyebrows raised.
    “I’m not kidding. That’s what it’s called.”
    “It walks?”
    “Who knows? Anyway, the flat black one lying around on the bottom is a stingray. Honest togod stingray. Bet you’ve never seen one before. Name’s Fred. You can feed him worms right from your fingers.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding. My fingers aren’t going anywhere near that thing.”
    Mike laughed. “Chicken. That other one on the bottom, that’s a peco-something-or-other. I’ve forgotten just what. He lies around eating junk and fish guck that falls on the bottom. Keeps the tank clean.”
    “Delightful.”
    The dark-striped fish that had almost leaped out of the cooler suddenly made a dash for a blunt-nosed gray one.
    “That nasty one’s a cichlid. Real fierce. They’re freshwater fish, the guy said, but sometimes they can live in water that’s not too salty. He seems to be doing all right, anyway.”
    “Sure doesn’t seem to slow him down any.”
    “The one he’s trying to boss around is a goby. Weird sort of face he’s got, isn’t it? Looks like somebody punched in his forehead.”
    “Maybe your cichlid did,” Kate said.
    “No, he just bites.”
    “Oh. Very reassuring.”
    “Here, look at this one in the other cooler. It’s a little shark.”
    “Sure
it is.”
    “Really.”
    A small, torpedo-shaped body twisted itself desperately around in the cramped space.
    “Doesn’t look too happy,” Kate commented.
    “That’s why I’ve got to get them out quick. They none of them are. We’ve got to get them into the tank as soon as we can. We can fill it with the hose, and I’ve got all the stuff to make the water salty. Heater, too, light, everything. I’m telling you, Kate, this outfit is worth a pile of money. Your dad—he couldn’t help but want it.”
    Angie wasn’t even around to ask, not that she’d probably dare make a decision about it anyway. It was up to Kate. She hesitated. At that moment, the cichlid leaped again.
    “Okay,” she said. “I guess….”
    Mike vaulted out of the truck. “Got to get somebody to help us take the tank in. Even empty, it’s really heavy. I was hoping your dad would be here.”
    At that moment Barney bicycled up.
    “A body!” Mike exclaimed. “Just what we need.”
    Barney propped his bike up against a gas pump and walked over toward them.
    “I don’t think Barney’s too strong,” Kate began.
    “Looks pretty wiry to me,” Mike said.
    Barney stopped in front of them. “Hi, Kate,” he said. His eyes were on Mike.
    “Hi, Barn. This is Mike. Mike Bridges, Barney Phillips.” To her surprise, Barney’s face had gone cold and closed. He eyed Mike with distrust.
    “New around here, aren’t you?”
    “Not too new,” Mike answered. His voice was carefully controlled. “Been around a while.”
    “Yeah? How long a while?”
    “Long enough.”
    “Hey, Barn. We need some help. Look what we’ve got,” Kate broke in with a nervous laugh. She wasn’t sure just what was going on here.
    “What is it?” Barney was still staring at Mike.
    “A fish tank. It’s pretty heavy. Can you help carry it in?”
    “I guess.”
    “Great. Thanks,” Kate said. “I’ll go and get the counter cleared off.” What was it with those two, anyway?
    Kate had been wrong to think Barney wasn’t strong.
    “Wow,” she gasped when they had finally wrestled the tank into place. “You been working out or something, Barney?”
    He flushed. “Got weights at home.”
    To impress Melanie, no doubt. She suppressed a sarcastic comment.
    It took most of the rest of the afternoon to set up and fill the tank and get the fish into it. When it was all