Fit to Die by J. B. Stanley Read Free Book Online Page A

Dylan will take all of the ladies who weigh above 185 in this corner. I will meet with all of our fine gentlemen in the front of the store.”
    As James stood up to join the other men, he noticed that several of the heavier women seemed torn between pretending they weighed less than 185 pounds and the chance to bask in the glow of Dylan’s beauty. As if reading their minds, Ronnie added, “And don’t worry if you’re unsure of your weight, we’ve got very accurate scales that can tell us an exact number.”
    As the men huddled around Ronnie’s spartan cubicle, James detected a pungent and rather sour odor coming from one of the men to his right. Unable to focus on Ronnie’s lecture about choosing the next week’s meals and snacks based on their current weight, James sniffed and grimaced as Bennett began to do the same.
    “Some of you might be feeling a bit depressed over your current weight, but on my program, those of you weighing over 200 pounds get more food points. More food points means more food. Now, let’s share what the scale said about your weight. That will bring you closer together as a group.” Ronnie looked each of them hard in the eye, a patient smile fixed upon her face.
    One by one, the six men began to quietly and humbly admit how much they weighed. The only person who refused to answer turned out to be the source of the ripe smell filling the cubicle area. James was pretty certain that it was a mixture of whiskey and the fetid sort of body odor a person carries when they haven’t visited a shower in several days.
    “Come now, Mr. … ?” Ronnie prodded. “We’re all friends here.”
    “Name’s Vandercamp, Pete Vandercamp.” The man coughed repeatedly and then spit something solid into a foul-looking handkerchief. James suddenly recognized him. Pete was the former night janitor from Blue Ridge High. He had been a young man when James was in high school and all the students had dubbed him Mr. Vandercough due to the constant wet hacking noises he made as he cleaned the floors at the end of the school day.
    “Why don’t we get to know each other a bit?” Ronnie suggested, deciding to ignore Pete. “Tell us what you do for a living, for example.”
    James and Bennett already knew that one of the men named Leo worked for Shenandoah Savings & Loan. Another man, named Dane, was a plumber, and Pete Vandercamp triumphantly announced that he had come out of an early retirement in order to work nights at the Polar Pagoda.
    “That’s sure some good ice cream,” he rasped as Ronnie clucked her tongue in disapproval.
    “Did Willy send you here to spy on me?” she teased, but James thought he detected an undercurrent of tension in her voice.
    Pete cleared his throat nonchalantly. “Hey. It’s a free country, lady. Folks can eat ice cream if they wanna.”
    Ronnie took Pete by the arm and pulled him toward the front door. “Honey, if you’re not here to join Witness to Fitness then let’s not waste the time of those who have come to change their lives.” Under her breath, James thought he heard her mutter nastily. “And you might want to take a bath before your shift starts tonight.”
    Pete, who seemed to be in no hurry to exit, stared at her. “I know you from somewhere, lady. Weren’t you on TV a few years ago?”
    Trying to mask her impatience, Ronnie turned to see the group of men watching her exchange with Pete. It was evident that her clients were enjoying themselves, so she quickly tried to guide Pete to the door but he refused to budge.
    “Well,” Ronnie quickly uttered a high-pitched squeal. “I have been told I look a little like Hilary Swank, the actress.”
    Pete’s eyes narrowed as he struggled to remember. “Nah. It wasn’t like that.”
    Ronnie opened the front door and practically shoved Pete outside with an exaggerated giggle and a powerful bump of the hip. She then followed him out and said something else that no one could hear as the door had shut after her. The