Fortune by Erica Spindler Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t see what all the fuss was about.
    While the two teenagers fell all over themselves, completely ignoring their crowded booth to compete for the girl’s attention, Chance reached over the partition and snatched the bag and joint. Heart thundering, he stuffed it into his right front pocket and moved as quickly as he could away from the booth.
    But not too far away. He had to be around for the fireworks.
    They weren’t long in coming. As soon as Marlene walked away, the two boys began bickering over who she liked best. Moments later, Chance heard a howl of rage and a shouted obscenity.
    â€œMotherfuckin’ asshole! Where is it?”
    â€œWhere’s what?”
    â€œMy bag, you asswipe.” The outraged carny advanced on the other, fists clenched. “Give it back.”
    â€œI don’t have your stupid little prize. I’m the one who doesn’t need it. Remember?” He smirked at his rival, then turned away. “Jerk.”
    With a howl of fury, the first teenager leaped onto the back of the other. “Give it back or I’ll beat the shit out of you!”
    â€œGet off me, you son of a bitch!” The kid threw his rider, turned and swung a fist. It connected, and the first boy stumbled backward, then righted himself and charged like a bull at the other boy. He caught him dead in the ribs and the two went careening backward into the booth’s shanty-style wall. It toppled. A woman screamed. A child began to cry. The two carnies rolled on the ground, tangled with each other in a death grip, shouting obscenities and delivering blows as best they could.
    â€œThat’s enough!”
    The bellow came from Abner Marvel as he charged around the side of the booth directly across the midway, a baseball bat in hand. With him were two other men, as big and burly as Marvel, also wielding bats. How the old showman controlled his rowdy crew was obvious, and Chance took another step backward.
    â€œGet up! Both of you.”
    The boys immediately broke apart and scrambled to their feet. One’s nose was bloodied, the other’s eye had already started to purple and swell. From the way the teenagers cowered, Chance suspected that Abner Marvel wouldn’t hesitate to take a swing with that bat.
    A trick he had probably learned from his father.
    â€œHe stole from me!” The first boy pointed accusingly at the second. “He deliberately stol—”
    â€œI didn’t take nothin’! He’s just jealous ’cause Marlene—”
    â€œShut up!” Abner Marvel bellowed, his face crimson with rage. “Both of you. Pack your things. I’ve taken all I’m going to from you two, you’re out of here!”
    The two rowdies’ expressions went slack at the news, then in unison they began begging to keep their jobs. The old carny didn’t budge. “You’re out,” he said again, this time calmly. “You know the rules about fighting. Now get, before I decide I have to use this.” He slapped the wooden bat against his palm. “Stop by my trailer and collect your pay on your way off the lot.”
    Chance didn’t even wait until the two ousted boys skulked off, to jump forward. “Mr. Marvel! Wait.”
    Abner Marvel stopped and turned, his face fixed into a fierce scowl.
    â€œI couldn’t help hearing what happened,” Chance said quickly, all too aware of Marvel’s beefy fist curled around the baseball bat. “It looks like you might need…I mean, it looks like a position has suddenly…opened up.”
    â€œThat it does.” Marvel narrowed his eyes. “You have a point?”
    â€œYeah.” Chance held the man’s intent gaze, never wavering or breaking eye contact. “I’m your man.”
    Marvel reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a cigar. He bit off one end, spit it out, then lit up. Through a cloud of noxious smoke, he studied Chance.
    â€œIn the