What the Dead Men Say by Ed Gorman Read Free Book Online Page B

by the railroad tracks and I’d see him running there, black as all get out and going lickety-split, but when I’d tell Mom about it, she’d just kind of get sad looking and say, ‘You’ll get over it, dear.’ But I saw Blackie; I’m sure I did. And I’m sure Clarice speaks to you, too. I’m sure of it, Uncle Septemus.” The tears were back.
        “You’re a good boy, James, and I love you very much. I want you to know that.”
        “I do know that, truly.”
        “And those things I said about being brought up by a man-I only meant it for your own good.”
        “I know.”
        “The world’s a harsh enough place but for men who can’t deal with it-it’s especially harsh for men like that, if you know what I’m talking about.”
        “I know. My friend Ronnie’s got a cousin like that. People make fun of him all the time and about all he can do is run away and hide. It must be awful.”
        “You can bet it is awful, James.” He sipped some more wine. “I’ll say hello for you next time.”
        “To Clarice?”
        “Umm-hmm. If you’d like me to.”
        “Tell her I’m thinking about her.”
        Septemus smiled again. “I’ll be happy to tell her that, James. Happy to.”
        Septemus raised his wineglass. “But for now, let’s toast our adventure for tonight.”
        “Our adventure? Is that the surprise you were telling me about?”
        “Indeed it is, James. Indeed it is.” Earlier Septemus had asked the waiter for two wineglasses. One had stood empty for the length of the dinner. Now Septemus filled it halfway up and handed it over to James.
        “Maybe I hadn’t ought to,” James said. “You know how my mother is with us kids. She won’t even let us sample the cider.”
        “You’re with me now, James, not with your mother.”
        “You sure it’s all right?”
        “It’s man to man tonight, James. It’s what’s expected of you.”
        Septemus raised his glass in toast again. “Now raise yours, James.”
        James raised his.
        “Now we’ll toast,” Septemus said, and brought his glass against James’s. “To our adventure tonight. Now you say it, James.”
        “To our adventure tonight.”
        “Perfect.” They clinked glasses.
        “Uncle Septemus,” James said after he’d had a sip of wine and the stuff tasted sweet and hot at the same time in his throat.
        “Yes?”
        “What exactly is our adventure going to be, anyway?”
        “You mean you haven’t figured it out yet?”
        “Huh-uh.”
        “You really haven’t?”
        “Honest, Uncle Septemus. I can’t figure it out at all.”
        “Well, tonight’s the night you become a man.”
        “I do?”
        “You do.” Septemus looked across the table with great patriarchal pride. He smiled. “Tonight I’m taking you to a whorehouse.”
        

CHAPTER FOUR
        

1
        
        “You going out?”
        “Thought I might take a walk,” Dennis Kittredge said.
        “You be gone long?”
        “Not too long.”
        “You thinking of stopping by the tavern?”
        He was by the front door, the lace covering the glass smelling of dry summer dust. In the trees near the curb he could see the dying day, flame and dusk and a half moon. “I might have me a glass or two is all.”
        She was in the rocker, knitting, a magazine in her lap. He’d seen the magazine earlier. It had a painting of a very pretty Jesus on it. Jesus was touching his glowing heart with long fingers. “You forgetting what night it is?”
        “I’m not forgetting.”
        “I don’t often ask that you pray with me but I don’t see how fifteen minutes one night a week is going to help.”
        “And just what is it we’re praying for?”
        She paused and looked down at her poor worn