Wolf Whistle by Lewis Nordan Read Free Book Online Page B

this sounded.
    This was a tricky business, no two ways about it.
    Solon said, “Close? Weil, now that’s a good one, ain’t it? You’re not only a smart man, Mr. Dexter, you’re comical, too. Close? Me and Miss Sally Anne? Are we talking about the same two people? Whoo! That’s a good one, all right. Me and Miss Sally Anne—close friends! Now that’ll be the day, won’t it! Wake me up for that one, I want to see it my ownself!”
    Lord Montberclair said, “You said you were close. You said she was like a sister to you.”
    He was switching the Luger’s safety catch on and off, on and off.
    Solon said, “Oh, I see what you mean, now I see the mistake here. I done misspoke myself. I done left a false impression, if that’s what it seem like I said. Sho did.”
    Lord Montberclair said, “Are you close or not?”
    He shifted the Luger from one leg to the other, clickety-click with the safety.
    The strain of this interview was beginning to wear onSolon now. He sensed that he was out of his element, and that there was no money in the venture in any case.
    He said, “Miss Sally won’t hardly speak to me, Mr. Dexter. Won’t look in my direction.”
    Lord Montberclair said, “I distinctly heard you say you were close friends.”
    Dexter drank straight out of the bottle of brandy now.
    â€œYou said she’s like a sister to you. That’s what you said.”
    Lord Montberclair was very nervous. He was flipping the safety on the trigger guard, on and off, on and off, click-click-click-click-click.
    Solon was astonished to find the truth coming out of his mouth before he could stop it.
    He said, “I got me a sister in St. Louis, Mr. Dexter, baby sister name of Juanita, call her Neat, run off and married a nigger pimp and set up for a ho and broke our mama’s heart, you can imagine, called me up one day and said she’s about to die she’s so happy, she’s so much in love with this nigger pimp, and she’s so glad to be out of Mississippi, she said she’s got this little nigger baby, little boy, and me his onliest uncle in the world. Onliest woman in the world I’d die for, Mr. Dexter. I miss her so much I want to die sometimes, so instead, I go down to New Orleans and roll queers, killed one of them, maybe, I don’t know, probably did if I could remember it, and all I’m thinking about is,What’s done happened to me, what’s going to come of me, too proud to go see my own little sister and my own baby nephew, what’s ever going to come of me?”
    Lord Montberclair said, “So you were lying. You’re not close to my wife.”
    Suddenly Solon was able to lie again, and his life became more manageable.
    He said, “No, I just meant she put me in mind of Juanita, my little Neat, my own sister. That’s all, that’s all I meant to say. Not that Miss Sally Anne is married to a nigger pimp. I didn’t mean that.”
    Lord Montberclair stopped clicking the safety of the pistol. He seemed satisfied.
    He said, “You’ve suffered other troubles as well, I understand. Something about a fire? One of your children injured? I’ve been meaning to ask about the tyke.”
    Solon was astonished at what had just happened. He almost never thought of Juanita. What in the world got into his head to tell all that stuff about Juanita?
    He put his fist up to his mouth and gave a little cough.
    â€œScratchy throat,” he said. “I think it might be an allergy.”
    Lord Montberclair poured three inches of brandy into Solon’s coffee cup.
    Solon fingered his pistol through the gabardine. Its small heft provided some comfort.
    He could get it out, too. It wasn’t impossible. Not quick draw, but he could get at it. You wouldn’t have to be quick with Lord Montberclair, drunk as he was.
    Solon could work the pistol out of his pants pocket, a little at a time.