I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand Read Free Book Online Page B

could run these sessions all year long and not keep up with the demand. There’s this guy Max who runs it, and once he gives me my cut, I can pay you back, plus interest, plus a tip. I’d take you right over there, but he’s up in Wisconsin. He’s the one you should be going after, not me.”
    â€œYou say his name is Max?”
    Larry vigorously nodded.
    â€œIs he a friend of yours?”
    â€œYeah, yeah, sure he is. Good guy, good guy.”
    â€œSo you’re sending people like us after somebody you consider a friend?”
    â€œYeah, I mean, you want your money, right?”
    â€œI ask again, Lester. What kind of a man are you?”
    Larry’s mouth went dry, and his need for deodorant tripled. “Just trying to make sure you get paid is all.”
    â€œI see,” said Mr. Grand. “Do you want to know the only reason that I’m not going to kill you right now?”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œBecause if I killed you, we’d have to dispose of your disgusting body, and even though I wouldn’t be doing it myself, I respect my men too much to subject them to that.”
    Larry breathed a deep sigh of relief.
    â€œWe will be back soon,” said Mr. Grand. “I expect to you have the money.”
    â€œWill do. Absolutely. You’ve got it.”
    â€œIf not, we will kill you. It will take a long time. Do you understand?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œGood. And clean this place up.”
    Mr. Grand and his men left. Larry plopped down on the couch, had another bite of soggy cereal, and then spent the rest of the evening softly weeping.

Chapter Eight and a Half
    â€œHey, Henry! How’s it going?”
    â€œWhat are you doing in here? I thought security dragged you away!”
    â€œHey, Rad Rad Roger isn’t gonna let a couple of muscle-bound goons keep him from his job! Using the bathroom during the movie, huh? I have to do that when I get nervous too.”
    â€œGet that camera out of here! I’m peeing!”
    â€œWe’ll blur it.”
    â€œYou said this was live!”
    â€œI’d like to ask you about Max. In the movie, he’s played by Katy Perry, which seems like an odd casting choice. Care to comment?”
    â€œYeah, there was some retooling of his character. Hollywood, you know.”
    â€œWas he really as crazy as he sounded in the book, or was there some creative license there as well?”
    â€œYeah, he was one crazy guy, and it was pretty accurate. Maybe not everything he said was word for word how it appeared in the book, but overall, yeah, that was Max.”
    â€œI’ve got the book right here. Tell me, Henry. How did you know what happened when Mr. Grand and his goons came to visit Larry Dexter at his apartment? You weren’t there, were you? I mean, I don’t remember reading a scene where you left camp, drove all the way to Larry’s house in a different state, hid in Larry’s closet, waited for everybody to leave, and then drove all the way back to camp.”
    â€œWell, I didn’t write the book.”
    â€œYou didn’t?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI thought you did.”
    â€œNo, my name’s not on the cover.”
    â€œOh. You’re right. My bad. Anyway, when are the Games going to start? When you watch The Hunger Games , the actual Games start, like, three minutes into the movie.”
    â€œThat’s not correct at all.”
    â€œMaybe I’m thinking of something else.”
    â€œYou probably are.”
    â€œYou’re right, you’re right. When I was watching The Hunger Games , I kept checking my watch and going, ‘Damn, how long is it gonna take them to get to the stupid Hunger Games part?’ That movie bored me silly. What’d you think?”
    â€œI loved the movie and the book.”
    â€œThere was a book?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow’d I miss that?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œSo let’s get