Godsend 6: All Jokes Aside by K. Elliott Read Free Book Online Page A

child at age twenty-nine.
    Echo got in the back, closed the door, and said, “Let’s go. Highway
    89 South to Interstate 395 South, and my ride ends in Walker.” When the woman started the vehicle and began driving, Echo glanced inside the duffel bag and saw two stacks of money. He guessed it to be about four grand, all twenties. He could feel the x-pills, which were concealed inside a black plastic bag within the duffle bag. Echo threw a stack of money up front to the passenger’s seat and said, “My gift, since I won’t be able to make it to the baby shower.”

Chapter 20
     
    WHEN THE HONDA PILOT was out of sight, Echo jumped inside the Durango with Kiandra.
    She smiled at him, leaned over from the driver’s seat, and kissed him. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you.”
    “You can prove it later.” He began removing his knit cap and clear latex gloves. “How long you been waiting?”
    She began driving. “Only twenty-five minutes. I never went inside the store, and I’m not on camera.
    Echo removed a cell phone from his coat pocket and broke the thing in half with his bare hands. He had taken it from the woman in the Honda before sending her back up North.
    Kiandra said, “I guess you got him because I see a duffle bag, but I thought it was supposed to be blue and gray.”
    “Travis lied. Remind me to pull that magnetic license plate off in the next city.” He was about to recline in his seat when his own Blackberry rang. He pulled it out of the console and answered it. “Brian, what’s up?”
    “Where the fuck you been? I know you ain’t just now waking up.”
    “Had to run a little errand for Kiandra.” “You won’t believe where I’m at.”
    Echo said, “Tell me so I can take my ass to sleep. I been up all night.”
    “Probably fucking Kiandra. I’m in New York. Sheree found Ramona Hartley.” “How?”
    “Internet search. She only found her because two weeks ago Ramona got married to another woman under New York’s same sex marriage laws. I talked to Ramona, and she said she was afraid of how her family and friends would feel about her, which is why she didn’t tell them that she was attracted to women. She ran away with Jessica Prowley and changed her name later.”
    Echo said, “Goddamn lesbians are everywhere nowadays.”
    Kiandra looked at him and blew a kiss.
    “The case is still considered solved, right?’ We still get the full payment?” Echo said.
    “Damn right.”
    “Good. I guess that means I ain’t got to step off in Shotglass’ ass.” Brian laughed. “If only he knew. We still going to his Where Was I? concert?’
    “I don’t see why not. The tickets are paid for.” The conversation lingered another minute then Echo ended the call. He said to Kiandra, “Bring your girlfriend to my room tomorrow. It’s time to pay on your bill.”
    She said, “Okay, and while I’m at it I wanna put about ten thousand fucks in the bank with you.”
    He smiled the lowered his window and tossed the broken cell phone. “All jokes aside, I know I was gonna turn your ass out.”
    North Carolina. The Charlotte Coliseum. The laughter was so loud, Shotglass finally had to pause before continuing. He grabbed his shotglass of liquor from the floor as he leaned forward in his leather swivel seat. He took one sip and said “And I got a message for every man in the world with a bald spot. Cut that bullshit all the way off; that ain’t no damn style. You got hair only around the rim of your fuckin head!” Even men with bald spots were laughing. “George Jefferson rocked that shit in the eighties, and thirty years later you’re using a temple bush to hide the full shape of your head. Tough decision when you got to trade ugly in for fucked up.”
    More laughter.
    “Where was I? The Jeffersons. Let’s talk about the new Flo, the one on them unfunny-ass Progressive Insurance commercial. I hate her wide eyes, eye liner, and tired-ass hospital suit. Oh, and her redundant hairdo and