Prodigal Blues by Gary A. Braunbeck Read Free Book Online Page B

excitement I've ever had on this shift.   I actually feel like I'm making a difference today, you know?   How often does a guy get to say that?"
    I smiled and nodded my head as the reporter called out and Trevor closed the door between us.
    I was just passing the motel office when Edna and her husband came out.
    Edna, cigarette ash holding steady (I wondered if it was the same smoke from earlier), took my hand and said, "Is it true?   Did you find that little girl who got took from here?"
    I didn't feel like launching into the whole explanation, so I nodded my head.
    "Oh, that's wonderful !"   She threw down her cigarette, cupped my face in her hands, and gave me a grandmotherly kiss.
    "Edna," said her husband.   "You're embarrassing the boy."
    "Don't get your gruns knotted up the crack, Earl."   She still hadn't let go of my face.   "Oh, Mark, you don't know how sick we all felt after she disappeared.   Muriel, she cried for weeks over it."
    " Edna ," said Earl.   "The boy doesn't want to hear about your sister's problems."
    So I was right, they were related.   Chalk one up for my side.
    Edna let go of me, then Earl stepped up and squeezed both my shoulders.   "You done good, son.   You done good."
    "Thanks," I said, trying not to wince from his car-crusher grip.   We stood there looking at each for a few more moments, until Earl saw another news van pull into the parking lot.   "You'd best get on to your room.   We'll make sure your dinner gets to you."
    I was just walking away when Edna called:   "I almost forgot—your wife phoned a little bit ago.   She left a message; said she'd try back."
    I double-timed it back to the room.   The red message indicator light on the phone was blinking.   The phone rang as I was reaching for the receiver.
    "Are you naked, baby?" I said as I picked it up.
    "No, but now I'm gonna think things ," said Cletus.   "I hope to Christ you were expecting this to be someone else."
    "Sorry.   Edna said my wife called and I thought you might be her calling back."
    "That's a relief.   Listen, I gotta ask you a kind of personal question."
    I figured he'd already heard about Denise and was expecting him to quiz me on that, but instead he said:   "Does your brother-in-law like you?"
    "Not really.   Why?"
    "Remember when I asked you about the 'Check Engine' light?   I been poking around in that heap and found out a couple of things you need to know.   Besides the master cylinder leaking, the coolant fan is shot—I don't know how many guys looked at this car before me, but there's no good goddamn excuse for them not to have caught this."
    "You're losing me, Cletus; remember, I don't speak your language."
    "Your brother-in-law knew you were pulling off his lot in a bad and probably dangerous car.   That engine was guaranteed to overheat on you, but that's not the thing I called to tell you about.   I called to tell you that the bulb —you paying attention here?   This's important—the goddamned bulb in the 'Check Engine' light was removed.   You got me, Mark?   Good old Perry had one of his mechanics get inside the panel and pull the bulb so that there'd be no way you could tell the engine was overheating."
    I felt my grip tighten on the receiver.   "Are you certain it couldn't have been some kind of accident?   Maybe one of the other mechanics mistakenly removed it when they were looking at the—"
    "Take my word on this one, Mark—you can't remove that bulb by mistake.   It's something you go in with the intention of doing.   Your brother-in-law meant for you to have a breakdown somewhere along the way.   He's lucky you didn't get hurt or worse.   I'll testify to that in court."
    "Thanks, Cletus.   I appreciate this."
    "Even though I ain't naked?   Good to know."   We said good-bye, I sat there taking several deep breaths to calm down, and then listened to Tanya's message:
    "Hello, you sorry perv ," said Tanya's voice.   "I just got off the phone with Perry.