Out of Time (Nine Minutes #2) by Beth Flynn Read Free Book Online Page A

he had it fixed. And you know where we were. We told you we went to see an old friend before he left town.”
    “That’s not what Corbin said.” And before Ginny could respond, he blurted, “Corbin said you and Dad went to see some guy get fried.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
    Chapter Eight
    1969
     
     
    Grunt had been living at the motel for a couple of months when Grizz said to him one day, “C’mon, kid. Let’s go for a ride.”
    “On your motorcycle?” Grunt asked excitedly.
    “No, we’ll take one of the cars.”
    “Okay, let me check on something real quick.” Grunt hurried off.
    Grizz shook his head. He watched as the boy went into Misty’s room. Why the kid gave a damn about Misty was beyond Grizz’s understanding. Enough time had passed. She had healed and was fine. Grunt could be a mystery.
    Grizz headed toward the cars he kept parked on the far side of the office. He wouldn’t be taking his red convertible Mustang. With its loud engine and shiny chrome wheels, he’d stick out like a sore thumb. He wouldn’t take the Cadillac either. Just a little too classy for where he was going. Might get noticed. He settled on the average-looking four-door sedan. He didn’t say anything when Grunt climbed in the passenger seat.
    “Where are we going?” Grunt asked.
    “To check on a friend’s daughter.”
    Grizz then turned on the radio at almost full volume. The kid was a talker and he just wasn’t in the mood for conversation. A couple of miles before they reached their destination, Grizz glanced over at the kid. Grunt. That was his new name and it was starting to stick. He turned the radio volume down.
    “Friend of mine died a few years back. Left behind a daughter. Her mom and stepdad aren’t real stable. Kind of neglect her. I made a promise before he died that I would step in when I could and just keep an eye on things. Make sure she’s being taken care of.”
    Grunt didn’t say anything at first. Grizz could tell that he was thinking. Finally, he said, “What do her mom and stepdad think about you checking on their daughter?”
    This surprised Grizz. The kid was perceptive.
    “They don’t know. And it’s not something I can do myself. Besides, when the hell would I have time?” He glanced over at Grunt. “Mavis keeps an eye on her for me. Just tells me when she thinks I need to do something. That’s why we’re checking on her today.”
    Mavis was an older woman who did the bookkeeping for the couple of bars Grizz owned. They were his only legitimate businesses and the older woman had grown on Grizz. Mavis was rail thin and overly tanned. She had short cropped bleached blonde hair and the kind of gravelly voice that came with sixty years of chain-smoking. Grizz had realized early on that Mavis could be trusted and was only too eager to take on the role of Gwinny’s guardian angel. A widow with no children and no family, she had worked at a convenience store near The Red Crab. Grizz used to go in all the time to buy cigarettes. He didn’t remember exactly how the friendship started. Probably Mavis first engaged him in small talk, knowing her. Later, he found out through casual conversation that she’d run an accounting business with her husband before they retired. Her talents were being wasted behind a cash register. Offering Mavis a job was one of the best decisions he’d ever made. She used the office at The Red Crab and was dearly loved by even the roughest characters.
    Not just that, but Mavis was also more than happy to insinuate herself into Gwinny’s life. She managed to get a part-time job at Gwinny’s elementary school, as the cashier in the cafeteria line, and was loved by all of the children. It was one way she could keep an eye on the little girl and strike up an occasional conversation with her without being obvious. Mavis looked forward to the days she got to work at the cafeteria. She loved not just Gwinny, but all of the kids. Except for one. She was having a