Corridor Man by Mick James Read Free Book Online Page B

nothing, honest.”
    She stood up and faced him. The T-shirt barely reached her hip bones leaving her exposed. She either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “I really need a drink, Mr. Bobby. I’ll make it worth your while, let you do anything you want. Anything. I just need a little drink is all.”
    “I don’t have anything to drink here, Kate.”
    “Well then go fucking get something,” she shrieked. “Jesus Christ. You’re making it sound like it’s such a big deal. Just go get me something. Now, damn it.”
    “We just had some asshole shooting at us, Kate. I don’t know why, I think it might have something to do with you. But I honestly don’t know. I’ve been out of town for more than four years so I’m pretty sure it’s not me. Maybe now just isn’t the best time to go traipsing over to some liquor store.”
    “Well he missed, didn’t he? So we should be celebrating. Now either go get me something to drink or get me my clothes so I can get the hell out of here.”
    “Let’s just calm…”
    “I want my clothes,” she yelled. Then she suddenly began to shake and slowly slid down on the floor, sobbing. “Please, just get me a drink and I’ll do anything you want, anything. Please, please.”
    If this wasn’t her rock bottom she had to be within sight of it. There was a liquor store about four blocks away. If he left now he could be there and back in twenty minutes.
    “If I go get you something, a bottle, you’ll be here when I get back?”
    She smeared the tears to either side of her blotchy face, sniffled and looked up at him. “I promise. I will, I’ll be here for you, really.”
    “Okay, I’m going to walk. It’ll take me about twenty minutes. You’ll stay here, promise?”
    She nodded from the floor, then leaned over and hugged his leg. “Thank you. I promise I’ll be here, just hurry.”
    As he passed the dumpster in the parking lot he glanced up at his window. He could see her standing there watching him through the grimy glass. She gave him a half-hearted wave or was she just egging him on to move faster.

Chapter Eighteen
     
     
    The two guys ahead of him at the liquor store were buying wine. The first guy dropped fifty-six bucks on two bottles of Chateauneuf du Pape. The second guy bought a bottle of Pinot Noir for nineteen bucks. Bobby had a plastic fifth of Cosmonaut Vodka that went for eight dollars and change.
    The kid behind the register looked at him for a moment but didn’t say anything.
    “I know, it’s a joke,” Bobby said by way of explanation and handed him a ten.
    The kid smiled and nodded like it suddenly all made sense.
    “Have a nice night,” Bobby said, then picked up his paper bag and hurried out the door.
    He spotted her a half block away. Oblivious to the fact his T-shirt wasn’t covering her as she stood in the window with her arms folded across her chest. Waiting. He looked up at the window once he’d passed the dumpster, ready to give her a friendly wave, but she was gone.
    She met him in the stairwell on the second floor.
    “Come on, Kate, you’re not even dressed.”
    She grabbed the bag out of his hand, then marched back up the stairs. She dropped the paper bag near the top of the stairs and screwed the bottle cap off in the hall. Just before the door she tilted her head back and put the bottle to her lips.
    Bobby picked up the paper bag and screw cap, squeezed past her, then took hold of her arm and guided her in so he could close his apartment door. He heard her gulp and swallow as he watched the bubbles rising in the upturned bottle.
    “Ahhh-hhhh,” she finally gasped, coming up for air. She’d knocked close to a good two inches off the contents.
    “You want a glass?”
    “Forget it I already checked, you ain’t got any,” she said, then took another long swig. Her faced seemed to grow a little crimson and she belched. She held the bottle tightly, leaned against the wall, then slid down to the worn carpet.
    He folded the paper bag