The Moon Around Sarah by Paul Lederer Read Free Book Online Page B

liked dancing with that crazy cowboy with the green eyes until he had started buying her straight shots of whisky. Then she had thrown up in the bathroom, losing her blue hat in the pool of toilet vomit. By the time she returned, the cowboy had taken up with a much younger blonde. That hadn’t mattered much. She didn’t want to dance anymore. She sat alone at the end of the bar trying to kill her whisky-sickness by drinking more whisky, while the sad-eyed bartender polished glasses and wondered what to do with her.
    Outside it was still raining madly. Ike, the bartender, didn’t want to throw her out in this weather, nor did he want to cut her off. Sometimes people got crazy when you refused to serve them; he didn’t want anyone screaming and cursing in the bar. It was warm and peaceful inside; the Country music played softly and the atmosphere was subdued and friendly. The customers were quietly gentle; they appreciated the refuge from the storming day, it seemed. All he could do was to try to slow the lady down, the bartender decided. Water her drinks if he had to; that waswhat he had been doing for a while when, sometime later, she pitched forward off her barstool and split her forehead wide open on the floor.

    Shit
! Edward stood in the rain staring out along the length of the deserted pier. That was where he had hoped to find Mother and Sarah. He
had
told his mother he would pick them up there, but that was before it had started raining. Of course they would have sought shelter, but where? He should have known that today would implode, self-destruct. He walked on now through the rain which had lightened slightly. The Buick was gone when he had left to find Raymond. His father had driven off somewhere; why, God only knew.
    Aunt Trish had signed the contracts with hasty anxiety, wanting to be done with all of this. That was all Edward wanted!
    Finishing in Dennison’s office, he and Trish had exited the building to find the Roadmaster gone.
    ‘He told me he’d wait,’ Edward said in exasperation. ‘He promised me…’ he stared up the empty street.
    ‘I’ll go on in a cab,’ Aunt Trish had said with tight-lipped determination. ‘I can’t wait for him, wherever he is. I’m sorry, Edward. I can’t wait for him. I can’t do anything more. I’ve done all I could for this family. I’ll be waiting at the house.’
    She managed to flag down a taxi within minutes and as Edward watched, the heavy-hipped woman positioned herself in the back of the cab and pulled the door shut.Watching the yellow cab draw away from the curb, Edward wished he could be so lucky. Just go to the house, pack a suitcase and leave.
    Unfortunately he had his obligations; he had to find Mother, Sarah, Eric. And now Raymond had taken off on him as well.
    Shit!
    There was nobody on the dark, cloud-shadowed pier but one young man walking slowly toward him…. Eric!
    Edward started quickly toward his brother. His gray suit was damp and heavy on him. At first glance, Eric looked directly at him, but then seemed to be looking through or past him.
    ‘Eric!’ Edward shouted, meeting his brother, turning to fall in stride with Eric’s measured, unhalting steps.
    ‘He’s still a filthy bastard,’ Eric said without raising his eyes.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Raymond. He hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still a bastard, isn’t he?’
    Edward had no intention of discussing his father’s personality.
    ‘Where is Mother?’ he wanted to know. ‘We have to get these documents signed today, Eric. It’s most important.’
    ‘I haven’t seen the old doll,’ Eric said with a haphazard smile. ‘But wait…!’ He stopped in his tracks. They had reached the blue-trimmed white bait-house at the foot of the pier. ‘God! I think I saw Sarah, Edward. I went right by her.’
    ‘She was alone?’ Edward was shocked, fearful.
    ‘Yes…’ Eric amended that quickly, ‘without Mother, that is. But she was with some guy.…’
    ‘
What
guy?’
    ‘I don’t