The Dinosaur Four by Geoff Jones Read Free Book Online

back in the window. Hank stood in the center of the seating area, picking up fallen chairs and trying to put the room back in order. “What the hell was that woman thinking? That’s what I want to know. That was stupid.”
    Beth looked over at Callie. Hank seemed like a bully . He made Beth nervous. Callie looked annoyed, but kept quiet about it. Beth didn’t blame her.
    Morgan had finished his bear claw and moved on to a slice of coffee cake. “ Why does he get to call her stupid? Stupid is way worse than bitch.”
    Callie held up a hand. “Morgan, shut up.”
    Beth leaned back out the window for one last look around the corner. The muddy hadrosaur walked over to the river near Patricia’s lone boot and took a long drink. It relieved itself at the same time, spraying a stream of wet feces onto the ground behind it.
    Beth stepped away from the corner. “Hey Tim. Your turn, man.”
    “I never saw anyone die before,” William said quietly. “That was rough.”
    Tim moved over to the window. “When I was a kid, m y dad used to take me to the rodeo every January. We stopped going after a rider got gored by a bull right in front of us. It ran around in circles with the poor bastard impaled on its head.” He leaned outside and peered around the wall.
    Lisa spoke up. “At least the rodeo guy knew what he was getting into. Patricia was just a woman buying a cup of coffee.” She looked ashen, even in the dim light.
    She feels responsible for what’s happening, Beth thought. It’s her store.
    Lisa glared at Hank. “And she may not have been very smart, but that doesn’t mean she deserved to die.” She shivered and rubbed her arms. Al picked up his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
    “ What are we going to do about her body?” asked Helen. She had returned to her seat on the orange couch. “We can’t leave her out there. Rats will get at her.”
    “Have rats even been invented yet?” asked Morgan.
    “Evolved,” corrected Hank. “And what do you propose we do with her, Ma’am?”
    Helen frowned. “Well, don’t you think she needs a proper burial?”
    Hank count ed off on his fingers. “One, I don’t have a shovel. Two, those things out there don’t respond so well to the sight of people. Three, they don’t look like they are going anywhere any time soon. And four, she’s half buried already. I know you didn’t see what happened, but that woman was stomped so deep into the mud I don’t think we could move her if we tried.”
    Beth nudged William and mouthed quietly, “So angry.” William winked at her.
    “What about the smell?” asked Al. “If we leave that body out there, it might attract something worse.”
    “I don’t know how it could be much worse,” Morgan said. “That bastard was fast.”
    William nodded. “Hippos are the same way. They look slow and fat, but they are actually the most dangerous animals in Africa. Not the lions or tigers, like everyone thinks.”
    Beth looked at him with wide eyes. “Wow, that’s a helpful piece of information, mister. Do you go to the zoo a lot or do you watch the nature channels?” She peeled open a chocolate almond biscotti she had swiped earlier from the back counter.
    William smiled. “ You are a sassy one.” She gave him a wink and he went on to explain, “My boys used to love going to the zoo.”
    “You sound like a good dad,” Beth said, chewing.
    “Didn’t your old man ever take you to the zoo?”
    “ Nah. My asshat father went to prison for insurance fraud. That’s why I’m working now instead of college. But I’m saving up. In a couple of years I’m going to film school.”
    “Oh, you want to be a movie star?” William smiled.
    “Screw that. I want to be a director. I want to make blockbus-”
    “Shhh!” Tim hissed. He shoved William and Beth away from the front. “One of them is coming.”

[ 12 ]
    Al pulled Lisa close. They were once again huddled in a circle on the floor behind the counter. Al’s heart raced.